The Weekly Wrap | The race towards finals took another significant step this weekend, with two Victorian competitions wrapping up their home-and-away seasons while several premiership contenders received timely reality checks.
Off the field, a long-running league transfer saga finally reached its conclusion, while on the field another extraordinary scoring weekend saw eight teams eclipse the 200-point mark and the highest statewide average winning margin of the 2026 season.
The biggest off-field story of the week came from Gippsland where, after four attempts, Morwell East FNC has finally been granted permission to leave the Mid Gippsland FNL and join the North Gippsland FNL from the 2027 season. It's been a move the Hawks have pursued for several years, with previous applications falling short before members finally received the news they had been hoping for.
We have our first finals series for the 2026 season as the Omeo & District FNL and Upper Murray FNL both completed their home-and-away seasons this weekend and now turn their attention towards finals football. Elsewhere, a pair of premiership favourites were brought back to the pack with upset defeats. In the Ballarat FNL, fifth-placed Sunbury FNC stunned premiership contender Sebastopol FNC by three points, while seventh-placed Albury FNC produced one of the biggest shocks of the Ovens & Murray FNL season, defeating Wangaratta Rovers FNC by 12 points.
If there was any thought winter football would slow scoring, the numbers continue to suggest otherwise as we had another huge scoring weekend. For the fourth consecutive week, Outer East FNL Division One recorded an average winning margin above 100 points. Remarkably, eight of the competition's 16 rounds this season have now averaged triple figure winning margins.
Across Victoria, eight clubs cracked the 200-point barrier. Bridgewater FNC produced the standout performance, piling on 42.19 (271) against Mitiamo FNC in the Loddon Valley FNL. The total ranks as the seventh-highest score recorded anywhere in Victoria this season, while the 233-point victory again underlined Bridgewater's premiership credentials. Wallan FNC also joined the list with 38.25 (253) against Lancefield FNC in the Riddell & District FNL, the tenth-highest score recorded in 2026.
Despite some incredibly low scores at the opposite end of the scale, the statewide average winning margin climbed to 64.23 points, making it the highest-scoring round of the season.
While some teams couldn't stop scoring, others struggled to register a single goals as Yarra Junction FNC managed only 0.2 (2) against Pakenham FNC's 34.23 (227) in Outer East Division One, while Lindenow South FNC closed out its Omeo & District FNL season with just 0.5 (5) against minor premier Bruthen FNC.
Among another weekend of big margins there were several nail biters. Competition leaders Carisbrook FNC survived a major scare in the Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL, edging fifth-placed Newstead FNC by a single point, 9.5 (59) to 8.10 (58). While a further three matches couldn't be separate when the final siren sounded. At Catani, inaccurate kicking cost Yarragon FNC the chance to finally snap an 11-game losing streak, finishing with 6.14 (50) in a draw against Catani FNC's 7.8 (50). The Colac & District FNL also produced a draw after Westerns Eagles FNC squandered numerous opportunities, kicking 9.15 (69) against Otway Districts FNC's 10.9 (69). Meanwhile in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean FNL, Dromana FNC's 11.10 (76) was matched by Mt Eliza FNC's far more accurate 12.4 (76).
Unbeaten runs came to an end with another undefeated season disappearing over the weekend. In the North Central FNL, top-of-the-table Wedderburn FNC suffered its first defeat of 2026, going down by 62 points to fellow flag contender Sea Lake-Nandaly FNC. The Ellinbank & District FNL also produced a major upset, with Trafalgar FNC ending Neerim-Neerim South FNC's 12-game winning streak in a low-scoring contest, 8.11 (59) to 6.4 (40).
There were also celebrations for a couple of clubs. Dunnolly FNC recorded just its second victory of the season, snapping an 11 game losing streak with an incredibly accurate 28.5 (173) against Campbells Creek FNC while across In the Bendigo FNL, history was made. Kangaroo Flat FNC finally defeated Golden Square FNC for the first time since 2001, ending a run of 48 consecutive meetings without a win with a convincing 36 point victory.
Former AFL players again made their presence felt around the state. Returning from injury, former Collingwood and Adelaide forward Ben Crocker announced himself in style by kicking 10 goals for Moe FNC. Former Port Adelaide forward Brett Eddy continued his remarkable season with another 10-goal haul for Foster FNC in the Mid Gippsland FNL. Ex Carlton defender Tom Williamson also finished with 10 majors for Ararat FNC in the Wimmera FNL.
The race for Victoria's leading country goal kicker has a new leader. Bridgewater FNC spearhead Lachie Sharp produced the biggest individual haul of the season so far, finishing with an extraordinary 25 goals to leapfrog everyone into first place on the statewide leaderboard. Pyramid Hill FNC's Jhye Baddeley-Kelly wasn't far behind with 15 goals, enough to become the latest player to crack the 100-goal mark for the season. Strathfieldsaye FNC's James Schischka rounded out the top three with 14 goals, while another 13 forwards kicked double figures across Victoria. There was also one bag of 13 goals, three hauls of 12, one bag of 11 and eight players who finished with 10 goals.
Lachie Sharp's remarkable 25 goal performance has seen the Bridgewater spearhead storm into outright top spot.
Lachie Sharp (Bridgewater FNC) – 125
Keenan Hughes (Cowwarr FNC) – 103
Jhye Baddeley-Kelly (Pyramid Hill FNC) – 102
Guy Telford (Kiewa Sandy Creek FNC) – 102
Tim Rinaldi (Carisbrook FNC) – 98
With Tim Rinaldi sitting just two goals shy of the century, while Tom Barnes (93) and Christian Howlett (92) are also closing rapidly, the race to join the 100 goal club promises to be one of the major talking points over the coming fortnight as finals edge ever closer across country Victoria.
