Dandenong Stingrays 11.15 (81) defeated Murray Bushrangers 9.7 (61)

GOAL KICKERS:
Dandenong: K. Gray 2, K. Downie 2, B. Dale 2, R. Fischer , J. Tomkins , S. Geurts , J. Holden , M. White
Murray: B. Webster 2, J. Clarke , K. Ellis , B. Pritchard , L. Leeds , D. Metzner , M. Waite , L. Middleton

BEST:
Dandenong: D. Moloney , M. White, K. Gray, A. Pawel, B. Mullane, M. Cox
Murray: T. Holman, M. Waite, B. Sharp, C. Brown, D. Mennen, K. Ellis

Dandenong had a much needed win to give themselves breathing space against a weakened Murray Bushrangers, who remain just outside the top eight but ready to strike as they get their state representatives back.

Dandenong maintained a buffer of around two goals for most of the game but it was a tight contest for the most part. A third quarter blitz from Dandenong, where they kicked a wasteful 5.7 to 2.0, put the spirited Murray side away, who couldn’t come back from the 44 point three quarter time deficit.

Mitch White continued his good season for the Stingrays, pumping the ball out of the middle, and he was well supported by Daniel Moloney and Blake Mullane. Meanwhile, Kieran Ellis had the ball on a string for the Bushrangers.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal Votes:

5. Blake Mullane (Dandenong Stingrays)
4. Kieran Ells (Murray Bushrangers)
3. Bailey Dale (Dandenong Stingrays)
2. Mitchell White (Dandenong Stingrays)
1. Nathan Drummond (Murray Bushrangers)

Sandringham Dragons 14.6 (90) defeated Bendigo Pioneers 6.4 (40)

GOAL KICKERS:

Sandringham:  B. Maynard 3, J. Clayton 2, D. Atkins 2, T. Wilkinson , J. Wallace , W. Fordham , R. Iudica , N. Pavlou , T. Thompson , M. Neiwand
Bendigo: D. Davie 2, J. Mangan , L. Barrett , J. Chisari , M. Chisari

BEST:
Sandringham: T. Grace, T. Laumets, M. Neiwand, T. Wilkinson, B. Maynard, J. Clayton
Bendigo: D. Davie, C. Barrett, J. Ryan, M. Pickering, L. Barrett, S. Simmons

Sandringham piled on more misery for the Bendigo Pioneers with a resounding 50 point win on Sunday. After a taking a four goal lead into the quarter time break – restricting the Pioneers to a single point – Sandringham had their tails up.

However, a second quarter fight back from Bendigo saw the margin reduced to just ten points at half time, as the likes of Sam Simmons and Cam Barrett lifted their work rate and began to really influence the game.

But after half time the game turned again, as Sandringham showed their class and ended up outscoring Bendigo by a massive 40 points over the second half.

Taylor Grace was fantastic for Sandringham, compiling 36 disposals, while Tom Wilkinson and Malcolm Neiwand were among the other major contributors for the Dragons.

Barrett, Simmons and Daniel Davie were good players for Bendigo, but they didn’t have enough class to defeat the Dragons on the day.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal Votes:

5. Taylor Grace (Sandringham Dragons)
4. Tom Wilkinson (Sandringham Dragons)
3. Brayden Maynard (Sandringham Dragons
2. Malcom Neiwand (Sandringham Dragons)
1. Daniel Davie (Bendigo Pioneers)

North Ballarat Rebels 8.11 (59) defeated Geelong Falcons 6.5 (41)

GOAL KICKERS:
North Ballarat: M. Johnston 3, T. Templeton , J. Wheelahan , T. Taurau , J. Palmer , O. McDonald
Geelong: M. Patten 2, B. Beardsell 2, A. Christensen , H. Kol

BEST:
North Ballarat: R. Marshall, B. Simpson, O. McDonald, M. Johnston, S. Bennett, T. Templeton
Geelong: C. Curnow, H. Kol, M. Augerinos, B. Beardsell, H. Veale, B. Remmos

North Ballarat continued their winning run, picking up another win over the highly rated Geelong Falcons on a miserable day in Warrnambool. It was a tough slog for both teams, as the cold, rainy conditions turned the game into a contested scrap.

It was the Rebels who dealt with the conditions better early, racing to a 30 point quarter time lead after a 5.1 to 0.1 first quarter. The second quarter was a dour affair with just one goal scored but in the third, Geelong piled on four of their six goals to make it a tight game heading into the last quarter.

Luckily for the Rebels, they were up for a fight and managed to come away with an 18 point victory: however, it was a tight contest and one that could certainly have gone either way.

Goal sneak Matt Johnston continued his good form for the Rebels, booting three goals while Rowan Marshall starred in the ruck.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal Votes:

5. Rowan Marshall (North Ballarat Rebels)
4. Matt Johnston (North Ballarat Rebels)
3. Harrison Kol (Geelong Falcons)
2. Max Augerinos (Geelong Falcons)
1. Tom Templeton (North Ballarat Rebels)

Northern Knights 17.10 (112) defeated Eastern Ranges 9.11 (65)

GOAL KICKERS:
Northern: R. Mckenzie 10, W. Murphy 2, J.Short 2, Z. Ballard, D. Jarvis, J. Gresham
Eastern: B. Mitchener 2, R. Phillips, A. Mabior, J. Parsons, D. Crocker, O. Adams, J. Smith, L. McDonald

BEST
Northern: R. McKenzie, J. Gresham, B. Jordan, Z. Ballard, J. Short, K. Malone

Eastern: A. Cotte, L. Hannon, B. Hardwick, M. Burt, J. Collins, S. Wright

It was all about Reece McKenzie. The son of 1987 Carlton Premiership player Warren, McKenzie firmly asserted himself as one of the better key forwards this year, with a dominant 10 goal, 13 mark performance against an undermanned Ranges squad.

The key forward had already kicked a bag of ten a few years ago for Marcellin, but this dominating performance put himself back into recruiters’ minds after a year where he had struggled with inconsistency and injury.

The Knights had 50-0 registered on the scoreboard at quarter time, and the game continued along in the same fashion. McKenzie was clear best on ground with 10.4, 18 disposals and 13 marks, eight of which were contested.

Jade Gresham continued his form with 29 disposals and 11 tackles. Zach Ballard finished with 19 disposals and Jayden Short finished with 25 disposals and nine marks to round out the best Northern performers.

Aaron Cotte finished with 31 disposals for the Ranges while captain Luke Hannon battled all day with 24 disposals and nine tackles.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal Votes

5. Reece McKenzie (Northern Knights)
4. Jade Gresham (Northern Knights)
3. Jayden Short (Northern Knights)
2. Zach Ballard (Northern Knights)
1. Aaron Cotte (Eastern Ranges)

Western Jets 9.11 (65) defeated by Calder Cannons 10.9 (69)

GOAL KICKERS:
Western: P. Manivong 3, B. Coletta 2, R. Stuhldreier , C. Menadue , B. Myers , B. Monk
Calder: R. O”Brien 2, N. O”Kearney 2, H. Kerbatieh 2, T. Davies , J. Cauchi , R. Schraven , Z. Wunhym

BEST:
Western: M. Orr, L. McMahon, P. Manivong, B. Monk, C. Menadue, J. Hickey
Calder: R. Smith, T. Nilsson, M. Kovacevic, M. Conn, R. O”Brien, N. O”Kearney

A tightly contested battle between two similarly matched teams always proves to be interesting. There was never more than 15 points difference between the Cannons and the Jets on the day, with the Jets always finding a reply when Calder tried to kick on.

The man mountain for the Cannons, Mark Koracevic, had one of his better games with 18 possessions and 31 hitouts giving him a slight edge over his Western counterpart Mark Orr. Having said that, Orr finished with 17 disposals, eight marks (six were contested) and 25 hitouts. The duel in the ruck ultimately decided the game.

Classy Jets midfielder Connor Menadue finished with 18 disposals, six tackles and one goal and Pele Manivong finished with 3.2 and 16 disposals in one of his better games.

For the Cannons, it was underage prodigy Nick O’ Kearney with 34 disposals and his partner Zak Wunhym gathering 30 disposals that did most of the damage in the midfield.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal

5. Nick O’ Kearney (Calder Cannons)
4. Mark Koracevic (Calder Cannons)
3. Mark Orr (Western Jets)
2. Zak Wunhym (Calder Cannons)
1. Connor Menadue (Western Jets)

Gippsland Power 10.4 (64) defeated by Oakleigh Chargers 12.16 (88)

 GOAL KICKERS

Gippsland: A. Di Ciero 3, T. Papley 2, D. Keilty 2, N. Holmes , J. Patullo , S. Skinner
Oakleigh: K. Answerth, A. Urban, T. Carter-Taylor, T. McLean, M. Rivett, F. Pearce

BEST
Gippsland: A. Carr, S. Skinner, B. Dessent, C. Ambler, T. Papley, A. Di Ciero
Oakleigh: K. Answerth, A. Urban, T. Carter-Taylor, T. McLean, M. Rivett, F. Pearce

Despite losing Jordan De Goey to Vic Metro and Jordan Cunino and Lukas Webb to Vic Country, this game had plenty of interesting players putting on a show.

The second quarter ultimately decided the game, as Oakleigh kicked eight goals to two and had the matched wrapped up early.

Toby McLean continued to show why his x-factor is unmatched, kicking 3.2 amongst his 30 possessions for the Chargers. Midfield guns in Alex Urban and Kade Answerth didn’t do their draft stocks any harm either, racking up 40 and 27 disposals respectively.

Oakleigh ruckman Marc Pittonett finished with 39 hitouts and 14 disposals.

For the Power, Ashley Di Ciero finished with 19 disposals and 3 goals, while Alex Carr also had 19 disposals.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal

5. Toby McLean (Oakleigh Chargers)
4. Alex Urban (Oakleigh Chargers)
3. Kade Answerth (Oakleigh Chargers)
2. Marc Pittonett (Oakleigh Chargers)
1. Ashley Di Ciero (Gippsland Power)