Weekly Wrap | As with last week there were more off field conversations taking place with an eye to the 2026 season.
At a league level, the Bellarine FNL have looked at what options it might have if it was to move away from being administered by AFL Barwon and have sought advice from local league counterparts, the Geelong and District FNL, who are self administered. It’s a watch this space at the moment, similarly to another club looking at joining a potentially two tiered restructured West Gippsland FNL. Drouin FNC, currently winless in the Gippsland FNL, are investigating a return to their former league home if a restructure was to go ahead next season.
The Bendigo FNL who currently have 8 clubs, wait to see if Broadford FNL are in a position to re-emerge from their second year of recess to return in 2026., their former club also in recess, the 153 year old Maryborough FNL, has submitted an application to join the Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL for next year. The club has ruled out at this stage a return to its current league home in the Bendigo FNL and sees the MCDFNL as its most realistic option for a return. Another longstanding club, Springbank FNL in the Central HIghlands FNL, held its 100 year old celebrations this weekend. Senior footballers and A Grade Netballers took to the field in specially designed uniforms featuring nearly 1,000 surnames of players who have represented the club throughout its proud history and both sides were able to walk away with victories to add to the weekend of festivities.
Meanwhile in the Mininera and District FNL, Wickliffe Lake Bolac celebrate 150 years of football harking all the way back the Lake Bolac FC that was established in 1875. They too marked the occaison by wearing a special jumper, this time it was the Lake Bolac Bombers style which hasn't been worn since the two clubs merged in 1986. Like Springbank, Wickliffe Lake Bolac capped off the day with a 13 point win over the SMW Rovers FNC, 15.8 98 to 12.13 85.
The big on field clash this weekend was the annual interleague matchup between the Ovens and Murray FNL and long standing rivals the Goulburn Valley FNL. The OMFNL were ruthless in their determination to regain the Ash WIlson Trophy after last years come behind victory by the GVFNL. This year there would be no such GVFNL heroics as the OMFNL dominated from the outset to record a crushing 77 point win, 18.19 127 to 7.8 50, with OMFNL player, North Albury FNC’s Josh Murphy, winning the AFL Victoria Medal for best on ground in the clash, kicking six goals in the victory.
We always like to say bad kicking is bad football and an example this week came out of one of the two drawn games across the weekend. In the Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL clash between the Maryborough Giants FNC and Newstead FNC, Newstead lead by 14 points at three quarter time, to then proceed to kick only 5 behinds in the last quarter ending on 4.12 36 while the Giants managed 3 goals and 1 point to finish 5.6 36 with a tied result and to come so agonisingly close to their first win of the season. There were eight undefeated teams losing for the first time across the state with the most notable being a run of 7 victories ending for Sandhurst FNC in the Bendigo FL, while Ballan FNC in the Central highlands FNL were able to register win number 1 after 6 straight losses among a further 5 teams celebrating wins for the first time in 2025.
Former West Coast FC player Andrew Gaff made the trek to play for Bonnie Doon FNC in their Ovens and King FNL clash with King Valley FNL. The trip was fruitful one as he kicked a goal and was named best on ground in a 75 point win, while former Essendon and GWS Giant player Devon Smith made the most of his appearance for Thomson FNC in the Geelong and District FNL where he was also named best on after a 4 goal performance helped his side to a narrow 2 point win, 7.10 52 to 6.14 50 over Bannockburn FNC. In other games, ex Tiger Marlion Pickett and ex Saint and Bomber Nick Hind were also named best on ground for Melton South FNC and Darley FNC respectively.
A couple of big bags highlight the efforts of the forwards this weekend with Guy Telford from Kiewa Sandy Creek FNC walking away with 16 in his side's huge 210 point over Wahgunyah FNc. This was closely followed by a haul of 15 by Jack Bacon from Stratford FNC in the East Gippsland FNL and a second consecutive double digit bag, this week 12, from Neerim South FNC’s Mason McGarrity. A special mention too this week for 15 year old Chase Whelan from Laharum FNC who not only managed to kick 7 in the early morning Under 17 clash against Rupanyup FNC in the Horsham and District FNL, but he also snagged another 9 in the senior match later that afternoon.
We had not one, but 2 players reaching the 50 goal milestone this weekend, and in turn a new overall leader. A bag of 11 goals saw
Cooper Thomason from Bright FNC who now leads the ladder with 52 goals, followed close behind by Aaron Mullet whose tally of 7 has him on 51. Last week's leader, Jason Wells from Longwarry FNC drops to 3rd with 49 with Telford's big bag rocketing him to 4th place, 1 behind on 48, and 1 ahead of McGarrity who now sits 5th with 47 goals so far in 2025.
