Weekly Wrap | This weekend saw 10 undefeated teams taste defeat for the first time in season 2024.
In the Colac and District FNL, Alvie FNC had their 15 game winning streak come to an end at the hands of Lorne FNC now sit undefeated themselves on top of the ladder, under the coaching of former Blue Ed Curnow. The game went right down the wire with the Dolphins prevailing 6.11 47 to 6.9 45. In the Geelong FNL it was an ever closer result between the two undefeated ladder leaders, St Joseph’s FNC and St Mary’s FNC when they met on Sunday. Again in a thriller, St Joseph’s FNC held on by the narrowest of margins to remain outright competition leaders with an 11.9 75 to 11.8 74 victory
Across in the North Central FNL a draw has momentarily halted the unbeaten run of Birchip-Watchem FNC when they couldn’t be separated in their clash with Wedderburn FNC. Both sides finishing on 12.10 82 at games end and was one of 3 draws from across the weekend. Unfortunately the 9.11 65 draw between Ouyen United FNC and Imperials FNC in the Sunraysia FNL meant that United were unable to salute for the first time this year and their bid to end a run of 6 loses in a row continues again next week. In the nearby Horsham and District FNL, the players and supporters of Kaniva Leeor United FNC sang the club song for the first time in 15 weeks after the club managed a 10 point win over Taylors Lake FNC. A further seven clubs also tasted victory this week for the first time.
In the Central Highlands FNL, former RIchmond captain and Brownlow medalist Trent Cotchin pulled on the boots for Ballan FNC as they chased their first win in 2024. Cotchin did everything he could in racking up 27 possessions and kicking four goals in the outing, unfortunately Ballan could only manage 5 goals in total, going down to Newlyn FNC 12.10 82 to 5.6 36. Former Blue and Lion Mitch Robinson also pulled on the boots in country footy this weekend, running out for the Wodonga Raiders FNC in their match against Corowa Rutherglen FNC in the Ovens and Murray FNL. While Robinson’s Raiders got the win at the end of the day, his impact was curtailed thanks to a hamstring injury he sustained in the first quarter.
The weekend again saw plenty of goals again for the forwards with another ten players kicking more than 10 goals in games played. The standouts were a pair of big hauls in the Loddon Valley FNL where Lachlan Sharp from Bridgewater FNC kicked 20 in his sides big 181 point win against Mitiamo FNC, while Josh Mellington kicked 17 of his Bears Lagoon Serpentine FNC’s 23 goals in their 127 point win against Maiden Gully YCW. Furthermore, another six forwards joined the 50 goal club for the season after their efforts on the weekend, making it 10 in total to pass this milestone.
However, the race to be the first to kick 100 is more or less over as Mellington’s bag takes him to 87 in total for the season after just 8 games. Averaging a tick under 11 goals a game and already with six bags in double digits he looks primed to hit the triple figures in his next outing, with only a general league bye and then a club bye in the next two weeks slowing him down from achieving it at this point in time. Sharp’s 20 takes him to second place overall on 61 goals with Murchison Toolamba FNC’s James Lloyd one place behind in third on 60 goals so far for the season.
