MGFNL Season 2026 - Round 16 Preview

After some recent feedback the tone of the Friday preview will change between now and the end of the home and away season. It seems at least one person has found it of value me listing the ramifications of each game in terms of final ladder positions so that will continue over the next few weeks.

See one person can make a difference, so all you had to do was ask and you’d probably have gotten whatever you wanted all along 

MDU v Thorpdale

The battle between these two is pivotal. They currently sit fourth and fifth on the ladder and if they stay that way will play each other in the first week of finals. So preferred room and home shorts are on the line as a minimum here!

But it goes a touch deeper than real estate and attire as Hill End can slide in front of the loser of this match if they roll Mirboo North.

And the difference between finishing fifth and sixth is large as whomever winds up in sixth spot will take on Fish Creek who it would be fair to say have had most sides measure over the course of the year.

MDU have a winnable game versus Boolarra after this week’s clash but then, as luck would have it cop Fish Creek in Round Eighteen. Must win this one for Rhett Kelly and his lads.

Thorpdale have Newborough and Yinnar on their run home, so both opponents will be still playing live games making this one must win for Thorpy too.

Might be worth getting along to this match! And if you can’t throw the radio on Gippsland FM, 104.7 on the FM dial, to hear all about it.

Mirboo North v Hill End

Another win never hurt anybody at the back end of the year, but the outcome of this match is far more meaningful for one club than the other.

Unless MDU and Thorpy draw (please, no!!!!) a win here for Hill End sees them jump to fifth. This of course sees them avoid Fishy in the first week of the finals and besides that who doesn’t want to finish as high as they can?

For MN the win would be nice, it will make the post-game refreshment taste a little sweeter and perhaps make recruiting easier next year but ultimately they won’t make finals and they won’t drop too far between now and seasons end.

Hill End finish their season in the worst possible manner playing the top two sides after this week but at least they can control their own destiny, assuming they get the job done over MN this week.

Stony Creek v Fish Creek

Stony Creek are a little like Mirboo North in this game, the win would be great- huge even given the opponent- but in terms of ladder position it means little.

Fishy on the other hand will be desperately hoping Yinnar slip up between now and the finals so they can slide back into the second spot on the ladder they have held for most of the year.

And given a Yinnar slip up would mean percentage dictates who finishes second Fishy are likely to go pretty hard in this match.

After this week Fishy have the bye followed by what is likely to be a do or die clash for their opponent MDU in Round Eighteen.

Toora v Foster

Bottom plays top here so unless we are ignoring fifteen weeks of footy and a fair degree of common sense the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion.

A Foster win would guarantee them top spot, which as nice as it is is no different to second spot when all is said and done. So, Foster will, one way or the other, have a double chance to defend their title as premiers.

Foster finishes their season with a bye in Round Seventeen before saddling up for the road trip to Hill End for what will likely be a last ditch effort for the Hillmen to secure a finals berth. Gee the green and gold will be on full display that day, and who know maybe the cow bells may even make a long awaited come back!!!!

Yinnar v Morwell East

Yinnar took care of Morwell East comfortably when they last met around a month ago and with the double chance up for gabs there is little to no reason to see them not doing the same again. The Pies are likely to welcome back a key player or two and are coming into the clash the only side to have beaten Foster all year.

As much as East would love to upset their apple cart it is hard to envisage.

East did what they needed to last week to avoid he spoon, short of a late season miracle. 

So Yinnar win and retain their strong hold on second spot before heading into game against Hill End and Thorpy, both of whom will be playing for their season when they meet up.

Newborough have a bye, which of course secures them four points. And those points will see them land just two points shy of the loser in the MDU and Thorpy game and could see them equal with Hill End should they lose to Mirboo North.   

The Dogs finish their season with matches against Thorpdale and Stony Creek and absolutely remain a live chance of the post season.

Tarwin too collect four points for the Bye but are now in the “mathematically possible” category. This means they need results to go their way but given they play Toora and Boolarra in the run home they would fancy their chances of obtaining twelve points which, coupled with their good percentage, could see them sneak in.

Boolarra have been good the last two weeks against sides that are in the finals mix. Not sure if that makes them happier or sadder to be honest. The Dees finish their season with MDU and Tarwin and could yet have a big say in who does and doesn’t play finals.