Photo courtesy of Ashleigh Wong.

Geelong Falcons 13.12 (90)
Calder Cannons 4.12 (36)

Geelong goals: B. Remmos 2, J. Bennett 2, R. Mathieson 2, C. Curnow, C. Farrell, B. Blair, M. Diamond, N. Connors, Z. Zdybel, L. Donne.
Calder goals: N. O’Kearney, S. Stewart, B. Meyers, H. Kerbatieh.
Geelong best: R. Mathieson, B. Remmos, L. Donne, C. Curnow, Z. Zdybel, H. Kershaw
Calder best: N. O’Kearney, O. Magbegor, H. Kerbatieh, T. Gawthrop, B. Meyers, C. Moore

Geelong Falcons continued their strong season with a 54-point win over the Calder Cannons under lights at Simonds Stadium. There were 10 individual goal scorers for 13 goals as the Falcons reduced the Cannons to just four goals for the match. The score was made somewhat more respectable with the Cannons booting three goals to two in the last quarter to more than double their score in that quarter alone. AIS member Rhys Mathieson was the clear best on ground with 36 disposals, nine marks, four tackles and two goals, while Nick O’Kearney was the best for the Cannons.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal:

5 – Rhys Mathieson (Geelong Falcons)
4 – William Sexton (Geelong Falcons)
3 – Nick O’Kearney (Calder Cannons)
2 – Baden Remmos (Geelong Falcons)
1 – Harry Kershaw (Geelong Falcons)

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Queensland 13.6 (84)
Gippsland Power 13.7 (85)

Queensland goals: J. Brown 4, W. Buzza 2, J. Allison 2, M. Chol 2, B. Keays, J. Licht, D. Budarick.
Gippsland goals: H. McKay 3, D. Costigan 2, R. Hearn 2, T. Papley 2, T. Marsh, J. McMahon, K. Renooy, A. Ferreira.
Queensland best: D. Budarick, B. Keays, R. William, J. Brown, C. Wagner, J. Allison
Gippsland best: S. Skinner, N. Holmes, D. Costigan, H. McKay, J. McMahon, B. Dessent

Gippsland Power overcame a five-point three quarter time deficit to defeat Queensland in the sunshine state by a solitary point. Both teams had chances to win and were reasonably accurate, booting 13 goals each. Queensland’s Josh Brown booted the most with four, while Harrison McKay booted three for the Power. While Gippsland had a number of workmanlike performances, Dyson Budarick and Ben Keays had the ball on a string with 34 disposals each. Nash Holmes and Sam Skinner continued their strong seasons to be the top players for the Power once again.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal:

5 – Dyson Budarick (Queensland)
4 – Ben Keays (Queensland)
3 – Nash Holmes (Gippsland Power)
2 – Sam Skinner (Gippsland Power)
1 – Josh Brown (Queensland)

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Eastern Ranges 9.8 (62)
Dandenong Stingrays 12.11 (83)

Eastern goals: S. Weideman 5, B. Hardwick 2, K. Doueal, J. Nolan.
Dandenong goals: J. Freeman 2, Z. Roscoe 2, M. La Fontaine, J. Battle, T. Young, J. Di Pasquale, D. Warke, S. Gladman, L. Williams, B. Rice.
Eastern best: A. Fenton, B. Batty, S. Weideman, R. Harvey, A. Cotte, A. Brolic
Dandenong best: J. Rouse, J. Freeman, K. Collins, J. Lovett, M. Cox, J. Di Pasquale

Dandenong Stingray’s defence matched Eastern Ranges offense with a 21-point win at Box Hill on the weekend. Eastern Ranges’ Top draft prospect Sam Weideman booted five, while Blake Hardwick assisted with two, but it was the 10 individual goal kickers for the Stingrays that saw the result swing towards them. Kieran Collins was once again resolute in defence showing why he’ll be highly sought after at the end of the year, while Jake Di Pasquale was impressive around the ground. Bryce Batty and Ryan Harvey also found plenty of the ball on the day.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal:

5 – Sam Weideman (Eastern Ranges)
4 – Kieran Collins (Dandenong Stingrays)
3 – Jake Di Pasquale (Dandenong Stingrays)
2 – Bryce Batty (Eastern Ranges)
1 – Ryan Harvey (Eastern Ranges)

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North Ballarat Rebels 18.15 (123)
Northern Knights 7.6 (48)

North Ballarat goals: J. Cowan 3, J. Hopper 3, M. Johnston 2, B. Lusby 2, T. Templeton 2, E. Frank 2, J. Symons, C. Wellings, T. Taurau, N. Hausler.
Northern goals: M. Ercolano 2, B. Jordan, C. Dalgleish, C. McKay, I. Soldo, K. Malone.
North Ballarat best: J. Hopper, B. Lusby, T. Templeton, J. Symons, M. Johnston, H. Dawborn
Northern best: J. El Moussalli, J. Gresham, B. Fiorini, M. Ercolano, K. Malone, T. Leonard’s

North Ballarat Rebels flexed their muscles on the weekend with a thumping 75-point win over the Northern Knights. As per most weeks, James El Moussalli, Braden Fiorini and Jade Gresham racked up the ball, but it was the finishing prowess of Jacob Hopper, Ben Lusby and Tom Templeton that prevailed. The Rebels got out of the blocks strongly and booted 10 goals to three in the first half to all but end the contest. A five goal to two third quarter had some at the ground wondering if the margin would exceed three figures, but a tighter final quarter, in which the Cannons booted two goals, but restricted North Ballarat to three held the margin to 75 points.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal:

5 – Jacob Hopper (North Ballarat Rebels)
4 – Ben Lusby (North Ballarat Rebels)
3 – James El Moussalli (Northern Knights)
2 – Braden Fiorini (Northern Knights)
1 – Tom Templeton (North Ballarat Rebels)

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Western Jets 10.13 (73)
Bendigo Pioneers 7.10 (52)

Western goals: Q. Butt 2, J. Hickey 2, M. Norton, B. Coletta, L. Knight, J. Bertollo, L. Spiteri, J. Volpato.
Bendigo goals: S. Simmons 2, R. Free, B. Edwards, J. Ryan, M. Higgs, L. Tardrew.
Western best: J. Volpato, L. Knight, D. Foley, W. Berry, M. Norton, J. Hickey
Bendigo best: L. Tardrew, M. Chisari, J. Muscatello, B. Edwards, J. Harvey, D. Hanley

Western Jets earned their first points of the year by winning the battle of the winless teams and beating Bendigo by 21 points on Saturday. The match was a tight affair, with little separating the two teams. However after half time the Jets managed to pull away, mostly thanks to the efforts of Jackson Volpato and Lachlan Knight. Western’s defence was rock solid in the second half and restricted the Pioneers to a solitary goal after the long break which proved pivotal in a low scoring affair.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal:

5 – Lachlan Knight (Western Jets)
4 – Jackson Volpato (Western Jets)
3 – Lachlan Tardrew (Bendigo Pioneers)
2 – Mitch Norton (Western Jets)
1 – Sam Simmons (Bendigo Pioneers)

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Murray Bushrangers 9.7 (61)
NSW/ACT Rams 4.7 (31)

Murray goals: J. Schache 3, L. Smith 2, L. Middleton 2, T. McMullan, J. Battista.
NSW/ACT goals: J. Cornell 3, H. Himmelberg.
Murray best: N. Coughlan, M. Waite, J. Schache, M. Canfield, D. Mennen, R. Sharp
NSW/ACT best: H. Himmelberg, J. Cornell, C. Bance, H. Macreadie, M. Flynn, R. Hebron

A wet day in Albury greeted these two teams as NSW/ACT looked to continue their good form ahead of the National Championships. It was not a day for talls and this looked like it may hurt the Bushrangers who featured a formidable forward line with the likes of Schache, Minogue and McMullan floating around their forward half. However it did not seem to hurt them early, kicking the first and only two goals of the first quarter to lead by 12 points at quarter time.

The ball spent a lot of time in the Rams forward half but they couldn’t take advantage as the Bushrangers defenders, led by Nick Coughlan and Lachie Tiziani rebounded beautifully. The slingshot footy of the Bushrangers was great to watch when they could get out into space, and was highlighted by a great team goal starting with Coughlan in the back pocket and culminating in a flying Josh Schache pulling down a great contested mark over three others. At the other end, Jock Cornell finished off some hard work by the Rams by running into an open goal to kick their only major of the half.

The third quarter started much the same as the first two. The Rams were getting their hands on the ball in the middle, through Matt Kennedy and Charlie Bance, but couldn’t score. Jock Cornell kicked his second with a great pick up and snap at goal but after that it was all the Bushies. Dave Mennen went into beast mode and Murray piled on the goals, kicking four unanswered goals to go into the last quarter with a 30 point lead.

Cornell started the final quarter with a much needed goal for the Rams, but he was proving to be the only man capable of keeping them in the game, as no other Rams looked likely of kicking a goal with their man target Harrison Himmelberg being well held by Brady Sharp. Himmelberg managed to slip away from Sharp to kick a nice goal over his shoulder to get the Rams back within 19 points but the Bushrangers managed to hold on and survive a barrage of attacking thrusts from NSW/ACT. When Levi Middleton kicked two goals in two minutes it was all over for the Bushrangers and they came out winners by 30 points in an entertaining game that was much closer than the final score suggested.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal:

5 –Nick Coughlan (Murray Bushrangers)
4 – David Mennen (Murray Bushrangers)
3 – Ryley Sharp (Murray Bushrangers)
2 – Charlie Bance (NSW/ACT Rams)
1 – Josh Schache (Murray Bushrangers)