MGFNL Season 2026 - Round 5 Preview

Mirboo North v Foster

One of the leagues two undefeated teams, Foster, make the trek to Mirboo North this week for the Gippsland FM game of the round. Foster, pre their round four bye, knocked over Thorpdale by near on ten goals and with Thorpdale accounting for Mirboo North last week to the tune of ninety-seven points things appear pretty grim for the Mirboo North coach Damien Tuner and his teammates.

Mirboo North, who will be wearing pink socks in support of Breast Cancer research, tend to grow a leg on their home deck though and after a week of soul searching will be much tougher competition for Foster than the gap may appear.

One area where Mirboo North can absolutely compete with Foster is in the ruck and if they can win or at the very least break even with big Mitch Allott they will go half way to stopping the supply that the likes of Eddy and Best need to kick a winning score.

Not that the Foster goal scoring threats are limited to the two big names, who have kicked a staggering two thousand, one hundred and nine career goals between them. Shaun Chaseling and Jack Flavelle are also going at better than two goals a game this year and will provide Mirboo North with the odd headache across the course of the day.

Turner, who labelled his sides clash with Foster “another big challenge” will know he cannot afford to get into a shoot-out with Foster, so play is likely to be directed to the bottom side of the Rec Reserve and those in attendance can expect plenty of stoppages should the home side get things on their terms.  

Foster, who have now had a few years to get around the unique angle of Saturday’s match will undoubtedly set up to come high side and look to by-pass half forward and get the ball deep into their front half. If they can manage that it is almost impossible to see them not kicking a big enough score to continue on their wining way. 

Aside from the battle in the ruck between Allot and Brooks, who will likely call on Pat Lewis for some assistance, a head to head clash between Hudson Kerr, who has been in stellar form for Mirboo North and Tom Schnieder comes under the heading of “must watch”. Unlike Kerr who is going better than two gaols a game to go with his midfield dominance Schnieder is yet to hit the scoreboard this year.

The problem for Mirboo North comes in the back up that Schnieder has at his side. The in-season inclusion of Luke Tapscott and the recruitment of Jack Weston at the start of the season provides a class edge to a Foster midfield that already owns the 2025 Premiership Cup.

Foster to get the win and to blow the margin out after three quarter time.

Hill End v Thorpdale

Coming off one of their best home and away wins for some time Thorpdale travel to Hill End in a battle that sees the leagues fourth and sixth placed teams go head to head. Thorpdale have shown every indication this year they are going back to the finals at seasons end and Hill End have done everything right to suggest they are worthy of joining them so this game promises to be a belter.

Gav Low, of Thorpy, and Tom Johnstone, from Hill End, are both leaders in their respective sides so the pair will look to stamp their authority from the very first bounce when they go head to head in the ruck. Low has been under rated by many for several years now while Johstone comes to the league with vast experience in both the Gippsland league and the VAFA. This battle alone would be worth the $12.

Both sides have deep midfields and plenty of experience around the spine with Thorpdale arguably better served with goal kickers in their front half. Hill End have a wonderful mix of youth and experience to counter that and their speed may worry Thorpdale with the likes of Riley and Hermanus owning what the cool kids call “serious wheels” and are what those of us born prior to the turn of the millennium would call really fast.

The use of the feisty Bailey Sword for Hill End will be interesting as well. He has been used as a stopper in recent times and one has to wonder where Tom Hallinan may use him this week. He might just be the perfect opponent for the mid field weapon Thorpdale are rumoured to be unveiling for the first time in season 2026 this week. Where ever it is he is deployed, rest assured his opponent will know he is about.

In the most intriguing game of the round tipping is almost impossible, but on the basis they managed to get over Mirboo North by close to Bradman’s average last week I think Thorpy get the result.

Morwell East v Boolarra

If you want to see two sides play a Round Five game like it is a final head along to Vary Street Saturday. Ben Marks and his East crew have a solitary win to their name which is one more than Brendan Mason’s Demon line up. Both sides will look at this as a game they not only can win but must win and with that sort of mentality you can expect nothing short of a cracking contest.

Lachlan Tactor in the ruck against Boolarra’s Tim Dowe will be an interesting watch with two distinct styles at play, one a high leaper the other more of a grappler. It might be a case of win the ruck and win the game with both sides looking to be equally adept though the middle of the ground.

Their respective front halves both appear to lack a key target with East losing Chris Wangman in the off season and Boolarra yet to unveil Matt Hebbard for season 2026 so the small forwards and mid’s will need to hit the scoreboard. Bailey Galante has done this well in his two games for the East but like a few of Boolarra’s Darwin recruits only seems to be available periodically.

In their absence it might be a case of Brendan and Joel Mason needing to kick five between them while keeping a player the pair know all too well in Cain Iorangi quiet in the East front half.

Without knowing the final sides until game day it is almost impossible to tip a winner so I will go with the outsider, Boolarra, to get the job done and chalk up win one for the year. 

Stony Creek v MDU

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the rivalry between Stony Creek and MDU let me set the scene.

I had the fortune to be in the social rooms of one of these team’s post-game on a Saturday night two seasons ago. As the scores from the other games were read out the light hum of background conversations turned to absolute silence as the results got to their nearest and dearest rivals scores- and when it was announced, with much enthusiasm, they’d been defeated you’d swear the club Powerball ticket had just cashed.

In short, with the utmost respect, these two crews haven’t got much time for each other in a competitive, on-field sense.

So, do we expect the unexpected, a tight tussle and a close win to MDU who are clearly going better than the Creek are so far this year? Or do we give the completely unexpected a look in and the home side get the chocolates? Gee that would be a decent sort of cheer in the rooms when the scores get read out after the match!!

For what it is worth I think MDU get the job done relatively comfortably.

Toora v Yinnar

Forget the ladder positions of these two sides, Toora at home is never a “gimme” and when the leagues two Magpie’s cross paths, Toora and Yinnar, the feathers may well fly.

Coming off a solid win over Stony Creek Sam Yinnar coach Sam McCulloch said during the week he was “looking ahead to the big challenge of Toora on their home ground”. As several sides found in the run to the finals last year this is not often a happy hunting ground for visitors.

With the home side smarting after a disappointing result last week the locals will be up and about this week looking for a big response from their chargers. Mick Bezzene and his mates in the front half will have to make every opportunity count as their paltry return of five goals from forty-five forward fifty entry’s last week (stats courtesy of Gippsland FMs Sam Crane) will not cut the mustard against an undefeated Yinnar line up.

And plenty of interest will be centred on that line up with Jesse Bowe not in the side last week and regular senior back man Tom Robertson being best on ground in the lunch time league game. Regardless of their selected side Sam McCuloch said he was “aiming to produce a four quarter performance” and if they do that you suspect the travelling Magpies will return to their nest with the four points. 

Fish Creek v Newborough

The league’s highest scoring side, Fish Creek, welcomes Newborough to town this week in what looms as a bit of a blow-out. While Newborough have had two wins, they have come over two of the bottom three sides, while Fish Creek have been racking up monster scores all over the league.

It is no secret in the MGFNL anymore that Fish Creek have a dominant midfield and powerful front half so it will be interesting to note what Newborough coach Pat Frendo does to stop their centre forward style of footy. Once the Fish Creek mid’s get the ball going forward they have a raft of goal kicking options that only Foster have managed to curtail thus far.

For Frendo and the travelling Dogs it might be a case of trying to drag the game down to a stop start, stoppage and contested ball battle to minimise the damage early and then try to switch things up late to kick a score and pinch a result.

Tarwin with the bye.