2026 MGFNL Senior Football Review - Round 2

Fairer weather certainly resulted in some much higher scoring across the MGFNL on Saturday. And if anyone thought a tough round one battle would put the slows on the last years Grand finalists, they were horribly mistaken. Foster and Fish Creek combined for three hundred and fifty-one points (351) between in their respective clashes with Boolarra and Mirboo North. Hard to argue that the top two sides from last year won’t have a big say in this years’ finals series.

Yinnar V MDU

And anyone who saw sides three and four from last year, Yinnar and MDU, play each other will know they too have improved and will have a large say in where this year’s pennant hangs come seasons end. With both sides taking to the Yinnar Rec Reserve with at least six new faces in their line-ups it was a question of would a match hardened MDU have the advantage over a Magpie side playing their first game of the year or would a fresh and fully fit Yinnar get the better of the Demon side they beat by near on ten goals in last year’s semi-final?

The obvious answer was that we’d know at the end of the game and so it played out. But the truth of the matter is we didn’t really know until literally the very end of the game.

In a game that Yinnar looked like dominating at certain points it was MDU doing a Chataqua impersonation as the final siren sounded, with the hooter declaring the home side four point winners, 13-11-89 to 13-7-85.

The first quarter, that saw Yinnar take a seven point lead to the break, was a real feeling out period. Each side fired the odd jab but none played anything like the footy we would come to see later in the day. In an outcome that shocked nobody Zac Carrol was in everything for MDU. He in particular benefitted from the ruck work of Josh Schelling.

Simply put when Carrol, Corry or Youle kicked the ball it remained in the hands of the Demons. They looked to come inside at all costs and were able to spring the trap more than once and get the ball behind the Yinnar defence.

That defence was led by the returning Sam Walsh who matched his older opponents for poise and skill off half back. Co-captain Blake Van Der Meer too patrolled the back line with aplomb and when he or new recruit James Jacobsen had the footy forward of the middle new power forward Lachlan Pratt provided a great focal point to offset the hard leading of Will Robertson and the goal square presence of Kane Grinstead Jones in the Yinnar front half.

The second quarter however flipped the script and aside from a couple of opportunist goals to MDUs Trent McRae it was all Yinnar. They ran and carried as they liked. The MDU mid’s so sure of foot and precise with short passes in the first term resorted to long bombs and Yinnar ran amok.

Pratt slotted a couple, Grinstead-Jones did too. 100 gamer and co-captain Ben Cheffers kicked one and when Harvey McKay conjured one out of nothing the siren sounded and the scoreboard read Yinnar 10-5-65 to MDU 4-2-26.

To make matters worse MDU had lost Vice Captain Steve Forrester to a game ending shoulder injury. They trudged off the field appearing, to the untrained eye at least, a defeated side.

Post game Yinnar coach Sam McCulloch said he was satisfied to take a “solid buffer into the main change after playing some strong football in the second quarter”.  Conversely his counterpart, MDU’s coach Rhett Kelly was forced to “ask the lads for a big response at half time.” He said he felt “the game was not over” and “knew his side had more to give”.

He continued that he though “we let ourselves down by straying from our structure and system” but was quick to offer plaudits to Yinnar for their “spread from the contest and great front half defensive efforts” when discussing he second term.

All of a sudden there was no doubt; being fresh advantaged Yinnar. Obviously, a week one slog in the slop had burnt MDU. Wasn’t it obvious? I mean how did we not know??

Well fast forward to three quarter time and it was all MDU who piled on the goals to now trailed by merely a tick over three goals and it was game on!

With no wind advantage to speak of MDU had slammed home five majors with Nagel and Kerr all of a sudden looking unstoppable. Shay Walsh found a gear, and plenty of the footy. Carroll broke free of the second quarter tag he had to again be in everything and Schelling kept on keeping on in the ruck.

With Yinnar’s ruckman, Linton, needing some R and R after copping a decent knee to the midsection Schelling faced up to McColl and Tom Roberston in the ruck and took their scalps as well.

Walsh and Van Der Meer were again outstanding for the home side but it says plenty that the best two players for the Pies for the term resided in their defence. On their rare forays forward Yinnar managed two goals which would ultimately prove very valuable indeed. One was through Nixon Hall, the other via first gamer Ben Skinner. If not for kicking this crucial goal all the talk about Ben post-game may have revolved around the fact that at one stage he actually kicked the ball on his right foot.

McCulloch put down this momentum shift to MDU “taking some calculated risks, using the corridor to create their scoring opportunities. Kelly too attributed his sides third quarter resurgence to “controlling the ball through the dangerous areas of the ground and achieving greater ball movement going forward”.

So now it was obvious, clearly the case that a match fit MDU, even down a bench rotation, would have the advantage over a Yinnar side playing their first game for the season. Right?

Well so it looked as MDU did all the attacking in the last term. Kerr again the beneficiary of the midfield work of Carroll and Walsh and with Wayne Stewart stepping up the Demons would surely get the result.

Yinnar it appeared were just holding on, yet still playing it cool, sharing the ball across their backline. And with the margin under two kicks Yinnar got the break they needed. A free kick to Tom Robertson in the middle of the ground. Now it has to be said Tom is one of the best fisherman in the business when it comes to baiting the opposition and as he does he seemingly managed to get under the skin of Nick Nagel.

A quick little tap to the bread-basket by Nagel as he stood the mark and the mid ground free kick was now a shot on goal. And when Robertson kicked truly the margin was back to a goal plus. And the locals could breath. They were the fitter side, they didn’t play last week so they’d run the game out better, right?

Well, MDU did what they’d done all day, they went back to the well one more time and with under 90 seconds to go they got ball forward and got back within a kick. We held or breath, everyone held their breath. And as the siren sounded with the ball on the MDU half forward flank Yinnar had held on. A four point win, and what a win.

Carroll and Schelling, on the side of the vanquished, might well do the impossible and get the three and two votes in the league medal at seasons end so good were they. Walsh, Corry and Kerr joining them in the best to my eye.

Sam Walsh was outstanding all day for the winners. So to Van Der Meer, Jacobsen, the ever green Mick Geary and Pratt.

Post game winning coach Sam McCulloch was “very pleased to begin the season with a win” noting it was “a contest marked by several shifts in momentum”. McCulloch was impressed with MDU citing he likes of Carrol and Youle “who found plenty of the ball”.

On his own side he noted “this was our first match of the season and only our second game together as a group” and felt that “we expect to build further match fitness in the coming weeks.” He finished with “to our credit we steadied late and were able to hold on”.

Kelly, whilst “disappointed with the loss” was “proud of the boys and the way they responded”. He felt the group “showed the coaching staff and supporters that if we do the right things and play our role’s we can play some exciting football”.

And based on what those in attendance saw that exciting football will take the Demons a long way this year.

Morwell East v Stony Creek

A determined Morwell East chalked up win one for the season with a strange sort of 21 point win over Stony Creek. East managed 7-8-50 to Creek’s 4-5-29 and whilst that might sound like a pretty straight forward result the quarter by quarter scores make fascinating reading.

Scores level at one point each at quarter time. East up by 20 points, 4-4-28 to 1-28, at the main break. Scores level at here quarter time with both sides on 4-5-29 with the final quarter seeing the home side slam home four majors to no core to run out winners.

Stony Creek coach, Troy Shepherdson, said in the post-game “East came out and defended really well in the first quarter and set themselves up for the win.” Shepherdson felt his side dominated play in this space but gave full credit to East for not allowing them to convert their control in general play to the scoreboard.

Along with the four premiership points the Hawks last term sees them some much needed belief for the season ahead. A more than competitive first half against Tarwin last week gave the Hawks some hope but nothing drives a playing group like singing the song and celebrating a win with your team mates

Hayden Dywer was best on for the winners along with defender Dylan Field. Also joining them among the better players Brandon Francis who helped himself to three majors.

For Stoney Creek Luuke Firth managed a pair of goals while Cameron Stone was named best in front of Aidan Simmons and Kurt Newton.

Newborough v Tarwin

Pat Frendo’s Dogs slipped to zero and two on the ledger coughing up a strong quarter time lead at the kennel to Tarwin. The Sharks prevailed by six goals, 13-6-84 to the home side’s 7-6-48, despite trailing by three goals at the first change.

The key away win sees Tarwin move to two zip for the season and makes them, early doors, the best of the rest behind the big four. Lachie Jones and Fergus Warren were in the Sharks best with Troy Harley slotting three majors with two each to Cumming, Dal Pozzo and Mahoney.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Sharks however with coach Lachie Jones acknowledging that, “in near perfect conditions Newborough really got the jump on us and placed as under some significant scoreboard pressure early.”

If not for the handy work of Fergus Warren and Mark McCall in the Tarwin defence, who Jones commented were “solid in defence all day” the margin may well have been greater.

Taking he chance to regroup a the first break Jones urged his side to remain composed and placed a real emphasis on “getting our hands on the ball to get our game style going.”

As if to put the coach’s words into effect immediately up stepped ruck duo, Ricky O’Loughlin and Jordan Staley, who Jones said “really lifted and gave us first use of the ball”. This, he continued, saw the game played predominately in the Shark front half after the first break which ultimately led to the Sharks recording win two of their season.

For the Dogs, who conceded twelve goals to three, after the first change Wade Anderson, Matt Heywood and Liam Charles were notable performers. In terms of goal kickers Josh Pearce slotted three and Kyle Jennings two. 

Toora v Hill End

A second trip to south Gippsland and a second win for Hill End. This time the Hillmen got the better of Toora, 10-7-67 to 5-6-36. The win sees Hill End join Tarwin amongst the second chasing pack and with so many new players in their line up you’d expect plenty of improvement still to come.

Hill End coach Tom Halliman echoed these thoughts saying it felt like a game played between “two sides still finding their feet”. Halliman said Toora pressed hard early with the breeze but his back half, led superbly by Jaryd Riddle, “continually intercepted or were able to spoil any marking opportunities”.

Halliman explained his side was able to “open up their forward line” which allowed his side to “capitalise on the clearance work of Tom Johnstone, Brendan Clark and Zach Mills”. He went on to say that he felt his sides “fitness and composure” late were pivotal in the result.

An even spread in front of goal for Hill End saw seven goal kickers with only Justin Morrow managing more than one with three. It wasn’t enough to earn him the votes with Jarryd Riddle, Tom Johnstone and Harry Moore amongst the best for the winners.

For Toora the coach, Jake Smart, slotted two goals and helped him get named as best on. Aron Rhodes too managed a pair of goals with Tex Dyson kicking one.

Smart said he felt “the game was competitive” but “unfortunately we couldn’t put the score on the board.” He lamented his side “letting the ball out too easily across our half forward line”. In terms of better contributors Smart noted Jared Bent, Karl Grift and Jordy French as those that continued well.  

Fish Creek v Mirboo North

After skipping away to an early lead at Fish Creek things could not have gone much worse for Mirboo North after quarter time. A seven point lead for Damien Turner’s boys turned into a 120 point loss as a fired up Fisch Creek ran riot. Whilst slamming on seven, six and eight goals in each of the last three quarters they managed to keep Mirboo North to just the solitary major after the first change.

Turner said he felt “we started well and brought the pressure” but unfortunately for him his side was unable to retain the rage after the first break. When asked about the opposition Turner replied “they have recruited strongly again” which anyone who has seen Fish Creek this year would find it impossible to argue with.

Speaking of Fish Creek recruits the leading goal kicker on the day was Will McTaggart, the recruit come cult hero, who slotted home six to compliment his ruck work. Tom Cameron and another recruit in Jackson Weidemann helped themselves to four each with Wiedemann joined by Brady Mitchell as the best two players afield for Fish Creek.

For Mirboo North it was all singles to Barnes, Conlan, Mahoney and McDuffie with Beau Peters, Harrison Mahoney and Oliver Budd their best.

Foster v Boolarra

Foster sent a warning to the rest of the competition with a huge win over Boolarra. The reigning premiers definitely got Boolarra at the right time with several of the Demons NT based players unavailable and the coach, Brendan Mason, watching on but none he less any time you are racking up a double ton on the scoreboard you are going better than OK.

Mason could have been excused for almost feeling satisfied at the first break with his chargers only trailing by ten points. As he noted “we had the first four scoring shots before Foster hit back.” He continued “it was one of the tougher days I’ve been involved in at this club.” He conceded he knew his side would be up against it but even more so when the opposition can lose last year’s league medal winner and his replacement is previously AFL listed Luke Tapscott who has experience at SANFL and VFL level.

Mason said after quarter time it was “all Foster, Eddy and Best couldn’t miss” and that it is “going to take a very good team to beat them.”

A dozen of the best for Eddy saw him name best on and he had more than capable support in front of the big sticks with Jak Best slotting six along with Jack Flavelle. And speaking of Jack’s, Jack Weston playing his first game at Foster since crossing from Toora last year was named as second best having spent the day picking up the footy at will.

Thorpdale

Thorpdale had the bye and I for one hope the playing group didn’t go and watch next week’s opponents, Foster. The stuff of nightmares that!!