With Rob Pobblestone
ROUND 15
Dees gain back some momentum
MDU 14-10-94 v Yinnar 10-5-65
Round 14, Meeniyan Rec Reserve
MDU started the day fourth on the league ladder but just a game clear of ninth placed Newborough. The problem for the Demons was having to host a Yinnar side who sat third but were on the rebound from a loss the week prior.
The Magpies were in the game at the first break, but were beaten from there on in.
The Demons win was possibly their best of the season and has them back into premiership discussions.
Rhett Kelly, MDU’s coach said it "was great to get back on the winning list. I was really proud of how the lads responded after a couple of challenging weeks. We identified a few areas of our game that needed quick attention. Those areas were a big focus for us during the week and yesterday's game, and to the guys' credit, they got it done, playing a solid four-quarter game. Yinnar is a quality team, and we knew that we had to be at our best to beat them.”
Sam McCulloch, Yinnar’s coach reckoned “MDU certainly came to play and were out to redeem themselves after a loss last week. We struggled to get our game going and were out worked for a large portion of the game. Credit to MDU for the way they applied themselves and their attitude for four quarters.”
Sharks inaccuracy cuts deep
Tarwin 7-13-55 v Thorpdale 8-8-56
Round 15, Tarwin Lower Rec Res
As with every clash in round fifteen, seasons were on the line at the home ground of the Sharks. Fifth-placed Thorpdale made the trek to Shark Park to take on Tarwin who sat seventh and just a game behind the Blues. A win could all but Sshore up one team’s finals aspirations while killing off those of the opposition.
The clash was a one point thriller, with Thorpdale’s accuracy the difference.
Daniel Taylor, Thorpdale’s coach said he was “Wrapt to get the win in what was an important game for both clubs. Tarwin had some ascendancy in different stages of the game but let us off the hook with some inaccurate kicking. To the boys credit we embraced the contest, we hung in there all day and found a way to win in the end which was very pleasing.”
Deep into the season and with finals just weeks away, the opportunity for a deep breath and freshen up is like gold for some sides, while for others such as the Sharks, there is no time to rest and no room for error as they find themselves in eighth position and just a game from a coveted top six spot.
Lachie Jones, Tarwin’s coach called it a “really tough loss to swallow. Credit to Thorpdale, they just played with great determination all game. We missed opportunities to build scoreboard pressure and didn’t take our chances in front of goal when it counted. Again we couldn't question our effort and endeavour but just lacked some composure and polish and that was the difference."
Tigers rain on Toora’s parade
Toora 6-6-42 v Foster 15-15-105
Round 15 at Toora Rec Reserve
Having clawed their way into finals contention, Toora were now forced to face perhaps their biggest challenge of the season in order to secure a firmer grip on an unlikely finals position.
The top of the table Tigers came to town however, with the intention of both continuing their winning streak and in doing so, putting an end to the feel good story of the league.
Sam Davies, Foster’s coach said it was a “Hot start down at Toora, putting the game to bed very quickly. We battled away and had some really good moments mixed in with some scrappy patches for the rest of the game. We won every quarter which was pleasing and our work rate was good for a lot of the day.”
The loss hasn't halted the Magpie's shot at finals, but it did showcase just how good the top of the table Foster side is.
Jay Acardi, Toora’s coach said: “Foster certainly came to play and unfortunately we were well off the pace early and we got shown what good sides do to you when you are not up for the challenge. To the boys credit we didn’t shy away from the challenge and had a real crack in the second half.”
Like a few others, Toora remain just one game behind the sixth placed Mirboo North, and Toora's upcoming round sixteen clash against Boolarra looms as a defining moment of both teams' seasons.
BYE: Fish Creek, Newborough and Stony Creek.
ROUND 14
Against the odds loss for Dees
MDU 9-8-62 v Newborough 12-5-77
Meeniyan Rec Reserve
MDU were perfectly placed in fourth position prior to their clash with Newborough, but just one game from fifth, and knew that anything short of a win would likely end their hopes of finals, given the strength of opposition that still awaited them. The final score, a fifteen point win for the Bulldogs, was a victory against the odds, and destroyed the notion that MDU have fourth position locked away!
Rhett Kelly, MDU’s coach said: “The weekend's performance has got us asking questions about where we stand as a team. There are still plenty of positives. We need to look at tidying up a few areas of our game, which will put us back on track. Credit to Newbrough, who came to play and has now beaten us twice this year. One huge positive to take away is our younger players stepping up and playing their roles well for the team. They have shown plenty of promise and are looking to cement their spots as senior players.”
The Demons loss has them just a game ahead of the teams behind them, the Bulldogs win has them within a win of breaking into the top six.
Pat Frendo, Newborough’s coach said: “It was a really good win against a top four team in MDU. Having played them in round 1 we had a bit of an understanding of their game plan and worked hard during the week to negate their foot skills and run and carry game. There was essentially a kick in it the entire game until we slotted the first couple of the last to give us a 20 point barrier. Extremely proud of the boys now they’ve managed to string together a couple of close wins in a row.”
Fighting Lions look to next year
Stony Creek 3-5-23 v Boolarra 5-9-39
Round 14, Stony Creek Racecourse
Two sides who have been on the wrong side of more close finishes than they would like to admit, met with the knowledge that this clash would be their best chance of victory in many weeks. The Demons, desperate to keep their season and finals hopes alive, did just that.
Brendan Mason, Boolarra’s coach said: “After a week of significant reflection on a horror loss last week the focus was on a fast start for us. We were welcomed by conditions that would’ve seen kite flyers being plucked from Bass Strait. So with a fast start in mind Aiden Sheers jagged the opener inside a minute to set the scene. But Stony Creek's vice skipper Cody Loughridge stepped up with a huge tackle and goal to wrest momentum back for the home side. Confidence was high at the quarter time siren which gave us a 2 goal lead. Throwing Bailey Flanagan into the ruck it was hoped the Demons could dominate to the scoring end in the second term but it was Stony Creek who managed a pair of goals to peg the margin back to ten points at the main change. After a goalless third quarter that those in attendance will do well to forget, Stony Creek got back to an even goal difference on the scoreboard at the last change. With four players injured, it was club president James Holmes that stood up and played out the last quarter on one leg to give us the full compliment. In an arm wrestle of a last quarter that saw more stoppages than kicks that hit targets it took eleven minutes for the first, and only goal to be kicked. And it was Boolarra’s Lachy Smith who kicked truly after a sizzler of a pass from his skipper Joel Mason.”
The review from coach Mason gives a great insight into the game. For his opposition, it is short and sweet.
Troy Shepardson, Stony Creek’s coach, said that the “Boys dug deep in very trying conditions and we missed a number of key players. But unfortunately, we fell short again. Looking forward to a week off and hopefully reset for the last three games of the year.”
Magpies take crucial win against Sharks
Tarwin 9-9-63 v Toora 10-10-70
Round 14, Tarwin Lower Rec Res
The Magpies win against the odds has them now just a game from the top six, the loss for Tarwin sees them dropping to seventh on the MGFNL ladder.
Lachie Jones, Tarwin’s coach, called it “a really tough game and loss at the hands of Toora on Saturday. It was a really physical game and credit to them - they just wanted the contest more.
We were down two key players from the quarter time break onwards which didn't help the cause and our guys fought it out to the siren but we fell away in some basic fundamentals that proved costly. We will reset and go again next week against Thorpdale where our season likely hangs in the balance.”
The Toora train has really been chugging along in the past month or so, and from nowhere the Magpies now find themselves very much in the thick of the action.
Jay Acardi, Toora’s coach, called it a “ripping match down at Tarwin in really tough conditions.
It took nothing less than a huge team effort to get points and once again the boys stood tall when it mattered most. The job now definitely doesn’t get any easier as we take on Foster in what will be another chance to see where we are in terms of the better teams in the competition.”
Revenge tastes sweet: Fish Creek coast to victory
Yinnar 5-6-36 to Fish Creek 9-7-61
Round 14, Yinnar Rec Res
Last year's grand finalists had already met in round one in the clash to kick off the 2025 season. That result saw last year's runners up, Yinnar, get one up on the reigning premiers Fish Creek. This time round, Fish Creek squared the ledger, making it one a piece in the home and away season on the weekend.
Jarrad Walker, Fish Creek’s coach said he was “really happy with the team yesterday. We spoke pre game about wanting to have four quarters of effort and pressure and I feel we gave that. Solid contributors all over the ground with everyone prepared to get their hands dirty. As always Yinnar spread the ground really well when they had the ball and made us defend really hard. A great atmosphere as well with a big turnout in the crowd from both teams.”
Sam McCulloch, Yinnar’s coach said it was a “disappointing loss and to miss out on the opportunity to get the double chance. Fish Creek got on top through the middle and were a lot cleaner with ball use. Certainly couldn’t fault our effort, but turnovers and decision making cost us dearly. A couple of missed opportunities to gain some momentum at important stages didn’t help. The loss gives us the chance to narrow our focus and get to work on some areas of our game which we need to sharpen up on.”
BYE: Hill End, Foster and Mirboo North.
