Weekly Wrap | Catching up on off field matters from throughout the week, and it’s official that pending the upcoming disbanding of the Golden Rivers FNL at the end of this season, all clubs have now applied to join the neighbouring Central Murray FNL for 2026.
Whilst Macorna FNC have applied, they are still looking at other league possibilities for their immediate future.
There was also a decision during the week that saw one of the final round matches in the Omeo and District FNL abandoned just days before it was due to be played. The game between the fourth placed Bruthen FNC and ladder leaders Swan Reach FNC was called off due to the potential of a “community issue” in the local area that had the potential to put the safety of spectators and players at risk.
As a result each club was awarded 2 points. With the remaining games being played on Saturday, the win by Buchan FNC against Swifts Creek FNC elevated them into fourth place and finals, overtaking Bruthen FNC who ended up finishing in fifth and missing the finals.
Including the Omeo and District FNL, a total of five leagues the Loddon Valley FNL, Millewa FNL, Picola & District FNL and the South West District FNL all ended their home and away seasons across the weekend and will being finals in a weeks time. The South West District FNL had an interesting finals prelude on the weekend with the clash between the 1st placed Dartmoor FNC and 2nd placed Cavendish FNC. The ladder leaders walked away with a 95 point win, keeping Cavendish FNC goalless in the 14.19 103 to 0.8 8 result.
Hot on the heels of last week's biggest average weekly winning margin for 2025 of 71 points, this weekend saw the second highest average winning margin of 64 points. We had the fourth biggest score of the season recorded in the Warrnambool and District FNL where Russells Creek FNC piled on 44.17 281 to South Rovers FNC 2.1 13. The 268 point win was the third highest of the season so far and the match in the Tallangatta and District FNL between Kiewa Sandy Creek FNC and Dederang Mt Beauty FNC which saw a 253 point win to Kiewa Sandy Creek earned eighth place on the Top 10 margins list as well.
At the other end of the spectrum there were two draws and three 1 point thrillers, none more than the one between Bell Park FNC and Colac FNC in the Geelong FNL. While the final score of 11.7 73 v 10.12 72 showed the win to Bell Park, it didn’t encapsulate the drama that included a 49 point comeback by Colac, the siren incorrectly sounding too early and then going again only minutes later requiring the umpire to leave the field to check what was going on and declare the match completed. Inaccurate kicking by South Warrnambool FNC cost themselves second place on the Hampden FNL ladder after they drew with seventh placed Camperdown FNC 8.10 58 to 9.4 58.
The red hot Goulburn Valley FNL premiership favorite had their 15 game winning streak end after the undefeated Kyabram FNC went down by 1 point to the fourth placed Mansfield FNC 16.7 103 to 16.6 102. As the season nears its end it’s great to report that a couple of longstanding losing streaks have come to a halt, namely the 13 game losing run of the Horsham Demons FNC in the Wimmera FNL and a run of 10 consecutive losses by Hepburn FNC in the Central Highlands FNL.
As with last week, we had 14 forwards walk away with bags of 10 or more goals from the weekends work, headlined by 14 from Lismore Derrinallum FNC’s Lachie Constable in the Mininera and District FNL who now sits on 99 with one round to go and twin hauls of 13 goals by Thurgoona FNC’s Luke Gerecke and former Docker Josh Mellington for Bears Lagoon Serpentine FNC.
Eleven goals from Bridgewater FNC’s Lachie Sharp helped him reach the 100 goal mark for the year, finishing with a total of 109. He was also joined on the centurions list this weekend by Neerim South FNC’s Mason McGarrity who kicked 7 to reach 106 while Allansford FNC ‘s Robbie Hare snagged 8 to get to 106 for the season so far. On the unlucky list was Tungamah FNC’s Ned McKeown who kicked 10 but finished the last home and away game with an overall tally of 98.
Birchip Watchem FNC’s Ben Edwards jumped into second place overall after kicking 11 goals and joined former Demon Michael Newton in equal second place with 116 goals, still behind Longwarry FNC’s Jason Wells who still leads the way with 129. Sharp’s day out in front of goals has moved him to third place overall with 109, one ahead of former Blue and Roo Aaron Mullet from Wandin FNC who has 108. With the last few rounds to play we could see another seven hit the 100 goal mark in the next couple of weeks.
