Weekly Wrap | There were plenty of things going on in country footy across the week, starting with a score correction from a game last week.
The Heathcote and District FNL Board were forced to put out a press release regarding the round 10 Seniors match between North Bendigo FNC and Colbinabbin FNC. The game was originally recorded as a 5 point win by North Bendigo FNC, however an investigation found out an additional goal had been inadvertently added to their score at 3 quarter time. Both clubs played the game out thinking scores were tied at the 3 quarter time break. Without the extra goal awarded to Colbinabbin FNC they should have been 1 point winners on the day. A decision was made by the Board to split the points between both clubs.
This week saw another game abandoned this season with the Lakes Entrance FNC v Orbost Snowy Rovers FNC match in the East Gippsland FNL abandoned due to a player injury that required medical assistance towards the end of the first quarter. Orbost-Snowy Rovers full-back Jessie Pescod fell awkawardly in a marking contest. The game was cancelled after it was established an ambulance would take too long to arrive for the match to continue. Thankfully scans later cleared Pescod of a serious spinal injury. This week also unfortunately saw more clubs having to forfeit reserves games due to the ongoing challenges of player shortages that are impacting several clubs and leagues this year.
More former AFL players graced the fields across the state this weekend with Eddie Betts making his third country appearance for the season, this time with Whorouly FNC in the Ovens and King FNL. Betts managed 1 goal, but it wasn’t enough to help the Lions get over Goorambat FNC, going down by 16 points. Four time premiership Hawk and Coleman medalist, Jarryd Roughead donned the blakc and gold for Gormandale FNC in their North Gippsland FNL clash with rival Glengarry FNC. His two goals weren’t enough to help the Tigers get over the line for the win. His former Hawthorn teammate and premiership captain, Luke Hodge, also made a return this weekend joining MPNFL Div 2 side Devon Meadows FNC in their match against Seaford FNC. Seaford managed to hold on for a 6 point win, while Hodge ended the day with a trip to the hospital with a badly broken finger.
In the Ovens and Murray FNL it was former Western Bulldogs captain and GWS Giant Ryan Griffen, who made his debut for the Myrtleford FNC helping them secure a win against Corowa Rutherglen FNC, who are looking at securing former Bulldog and Port Adelaide player Jackson Trengove after his mid season departure from coaching Barooga FNC in the Murray FNL. There was also news this week that former Kangaroo and Carlton forward Jarrod Waite will also return to his hometown of Benalla to help the struggling Benalla Saints FNC in the Goulburn Valley FNL. He joins former GWS Giant Tom Downie who has also returned home to help the struggling Saints and Waite will don the jumper in two weeks after he completes a 2 match suspension incurred with this current club, Whittlesea FNC
This week saw two clubs registering their first win for the 2022 season, with Huntly FNC in the Heathcote and District FNL and Corryong FNC in the Upper Murray FNL signing the song for the first time. At the other end of the ladder, several teams had their first loss for the year with Coleraine FNC, Gisborne FNC, Harrow Balmoral FNC, Mulwala FNC, Shepparton East FNC, Tarwin FNC, Tumbarumba FNC and Wangaratta FNC all suffering their first defeats for the year. This leaves 31 teams yet to have a win and 23 teams undefeated at this point of the season.
The big score for this week was again at the expense of Wahgunyah FNC in the Tallangatta and District FNL who were beaten by 322 points by Kiewa Sandy Creek FNC who kicked 50.36 336. Forward Nicholas Beattie kicked 16 goals, backing up from his bag of 11 last week. Overall there were 14 forwards who managed a bag of 10 or more goals from weekend games, with a haul of 15 by Jordi Withers in Tyrendarra FNC big win over Westerns FNC in the South West District FNL. A bag of 13 from Marong FNC forward Brandyn Grenfell helped him climb to be equal top on the list of country goal kickers, tied with Danny Brewster from Natte Bealiba FNC in the Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL, with both on 71 goals so far. They have opened up a small gap on Violet Town FNC’s Joshua Mellington who sits in 3rd place on 64 goals, 1 ahead of Matthew Butler from Edenhope Apsley FNC in the Horsham & District FNL and Bradley Congress from Bambill FNC in the Millewa FNL who both have 63 goals for the season.
