MGFNL Season 2026 - Round 6 Review

After six rounds of the MGFNL the ladder is finally starting to take some shape. Five of the top six places are owned by sides who played finals last year with the single change seeing Tarwin grabbing the sixth spot Boolarra had last season.

Foster look to have a march on the rest racking up some huge scores and remain the only undefeated side in the comp. Such has their scoring been they almost have a two game lead as even if they drop a game, which hasn’t looked likely all year, the second placed side will still need to match their percentage to take top spot off them.

The battle for the coveted second spot remains wide open with up to four sides having realistic claim to the double chance at seasons end. Two of these sides went head to head Saturday just gone and produced the kind of footy worthy of such a position when Fish Creek made the trip to Yinnar. 

Yinnar v Fish Creek

Fish Creek prevailed in an instant classic over Yinnar on Saturday but just five points. The weather and crowd at Yinnar provided a finals like feel and so too did the footy played between these two terrific sides. Despite looking to have the game wrapped up several times Fish Creek had to scrap and fight to the very last second to hold on for the result. In fact, the Creek led at every change and had what could almost be considered a safe four goal lead heading into the last term before holding out a fast finishing Magpie side 16-12-107 to 16-7-105.

The game promised plenty and didn’t fail to deliver despite Yinnar Captain Ben Cheffers consigned to the runners role and Fish Creek’s cult hero William McTaggart not taking the park.

In Cheffers absence it was James Jacobsen who set the tone at the first bounce for the Pies with a huge tackle that saw Yinnar into attack inside the first few seconds. Despite Yinnar having first two scores of the game it was Fish Creek’s Levi Cocksedge who kicked the opener after some excellent work upfield from Jack Davis, who found himself in the best for the Kangaroos for his game. And when a Blake Van Der Meer turnover saw Charlie Wilson pop up for the first of his five for the day the visitors were up and running leading two goals to none early on.

Desperate to open their account it was Mick Geary who snapped truly from a boundary stoppage to get things underway for Yinnar after nearly twenty minutes of toil. And when his partner in crime, Kane Grinstead-Jones, was awarded a fifty meter penalty after a strong mark Yinnar looked to have done enough to lead at the first break.

Enter first gamer Mason Thomson. It is fair to say when he took possession of the ball at the twenty-three minute mark on the last line of defence the last thing on his mind was a goal. After a pair of fifty meter penalties however the young fellow found himself 35 out directly in front of goal. When he kicked truly he was swamped by his teammates and with the siren sounding shortly thereafter the travelling team went to their huddle with their noses just in front.

And what a couple of huddles they were!

They travelled on-masse the Kangas and as per usual the Yinnar huddle was six to eight deep as the locals listened in to coach Sam McCulloch’s address. I suspect McCulloch would have been impressed with the work of Jacobsen early and Sam Walsh who had plenty of it across half back.

At Kangas huddle coach Jarrod Walker surely heaped praise on the Weidemann boys and Luke Williams who were in everything for his side.

In a game that ebbed and flowed between freewheeling footy and absolute brutality at times the second quarter saw Fishy bang on six of the best with Yinnar managing four of their own in a quarter of footy that had it all.

Firstly it was the Kangaroos Luke Williams who goaled, then after a two bounce run from half back McColl, who was named best on for Yinnar, found Geary who kicked his second from a trademark strong overhead grab.

Then Charlie Wilson took advantage of another Yinnar half back turn over to snap truly before Will Robertson finished of the good work of Seb Famularo for another to Yinnar. The sides swapping goals again before Fish Creek went back to back through Wilson and Gavenlock.

The Creek were taking advantage of their centre clearance dominance, they won this eleven to one in the second term according to Gippsland FMs Sam Crane, and were it not for Grinstead Jones slotting a late one for the Pies the damage would have been greater than the twenty-two point margin Fishy took to the main change.

When Grinstead-Jones marked on the goal line to open the third term it looked like the margin would be reduced again and the home side might get a run on. Some ill-discipline however saw a free kick paid behind the ball to Fish Creek before Grinstead-Jones could take his kick.

The subsequent foray forward saw Davis get involved again and slot his second for the day and it was a classic two goal turn around and the lead was as good as five goals.

Yinnar needed to make a stand and what better way to reduce the margin than back to back goals without the ball being bounced.

Tom Roberston, who was excellent all day, kicked a goal and let his opponent Jarrad Walker know about it. Walker wasn’t going to walk away and let Roberston know exactly what he thought of his carry on. Umpire Scotty Baker then let Walker know exactly what he thought of his response to Robertson and awarded

Grinstead-Jones another kick without the ball going back to the middle.

All of a sudden the Pies had the momentum and the margin was back to a manageable one.

When Harvey McKay, who played what may have been his best ever senior game, kicked a goal of the day contender which was followed up by another by Geary the margin was better than manageable and the Pies loomed large.

As if recognising the moment Jack Wiedemann inserted himself into the game. Again. Weidemann who continues to impress week in week out took the grab and goaled to settle the Fish Creek ship after some good work upfield by Gavenlock. This was followed up by a goal to Hicks of Fish Creek who benefitted from the good work of hard nut Williams. And when Jack Wiedemann kicked his second for the term to send the travelling team to the last break with a neat four goal margin to work with they were almost safe.

Almost.

The last quarter was an amazing contest. Players from both sides crashed in. They tackled hard, an amazing forty one laid by the two sides in the last term alone! They ran and they battled it out right until the final siren. No quarter was asked and none was given.

Geary kicked two for the term for Yinnar, Will Roberston got his second and McKay got the second of his goals after smashing into a pack gathering the loose footy and storming into the open goal. The margin was now only two goals and there was time aplenty on the clock.

But you know stepped up when he was needed? Again? Jacko Weidemann, of course. This time he turned provider and set up Wilson who kicked his fifth and final of the day. The margin eighteen points and Fishy were now surely safe. Surely?

Mick Geary said no. He marked thirty-five out, literally ran backwards to save time and kicked truly. Then Lachlan Platt who had been quiet most of the day stepped up and repeated the dose. A rushed behind saw the margin back to five points with around two minutes of game time left.

The final few minutes saw the ball take up residence in the Yinnar front half. So much did they dominate territory they led the inside fifty count twenty-five to eight for the term. 

But as soon as it entered the forward fifty Rhett Weidemann or Jack Hayes, enormous all day in his trademark long sleeve jersey, repelled attack after attack until finally, with Seb Famularo ready to kick it into the Yinnar front fifty yet again, the siren sounded to end a terrific contest.

Fish Creek by five points.

You just hope these two sides see each other gain in the post season, they’ve played some rippers in the last few years, this one as good as any of them. But with the extra spice that comes when finals footy rolls around the next time might just be better again.

To my eye Harry McColl, who swapped between half back and ruck, was exceptional for Yinnar. Geary was elite, Walsh outstanding and McKay played like he was closer to thirty years of age than just eighteen. Flynn Schill too came into the game when he saw some midfield minutes from just before half time.

For Fish Creek Weidemann was awesome. Jacko more so than Rhett but Rhett was bloody good too. Wilson provided the option they were looking for in McTaggart’s absence and Williams was in everything.

What a game.

Boolarra v Newborough

After looking to hit the lead for the first in the second half part way through the last term Boolarra were over run again this week when they went down to Newborough 7-9-51 to 10-13-73. With the Demons players celebrating what they thought was the go ahead goal the umpires conferred to overrule the score and seemingly suck the life out of the home side who coughed up the last five scores of the game to go down by twenty-two points.

With last week’s goal kicking heroes coach Brendan Mason and Matt Devon restricted to a single between them this week it was left to David Kruse to do the heavy lifting in the Dees front half. He managed three in a lone hand effort that also saw him named best afield for Boolarra. Ruckman Tim Dowe and mid’s

Tim Potter and Joel Mason joined him among the better players for the home side.

Coach Brendan Mason said post-game he thought his side “had turned a corner the last couple weeks but unfortunately we fell back into some old habits and Newborough capitalised.”

He lamented not capitalising on his sides fast start that saw them kick the first couple of gaols noting “from the ten minute mark until half time Newborough had all the play moving the ball from defence to attack with ease.”

After half time Mason said his side “wrestled momentum back to get within a kick before Robinson kicked a big goal from the boundary on the siren.”

Of the last term Mason said “We had our opportunities, but couldn’t convert.”

For the visitors it was Nathan Whieldon, who is coming into some serious form, that was best on. Jack Robinson who kicked a pair for the Dogs joined Whieldon among the best along with Matt Rowlings and Brody Young. Josh Pearce helped himself to three goals to join Young and Robinson as the multiple goal kickers for the winners.

Newborough coach Pat Frendo felt his side was “reactive and second to the contest early which gave them (Boolarra) the first couple of goals before a couple of quick adjustments had us swing momentum back our way and take the lead heading into the first break.”

Frendo was less impressed with the second term where he felt “we let ourselves down with our inability to apply scoreboard pressure” before a bit of class by Jack Robinson, slotting a pair from the boundary had us steady the ship and go on to win by 3-4 goals”.

Overall Frendo was “pleased with the result, but win or lose, the boys have been playing the right brand of footy the past month”.

Foster v Hill End

The leagues only remaining undefeated side, Foster, did what they have been doing all season when racking up a monster win over Hill End 27-13-175 to 4-8-32. They are going so well in all aspects of their game that their quarter time score was in fact enough to match their opponent’s efforts for the entire match.

Coach Jake Best who booted ten, to make it seventeen majors over the last fortnight, said after the game that the “first quarter was a really good hit out with Hill End booting the first 2 goals, but then we got the game on our terms”. 

And when those terms include having Angus Norton, Jack Flavelle, who kicked five, and Bailey Angwin as the best trio on the park it is going to be hard for any side to top.

And any doubts about Foster not playing out the game were put to bed with them booting nine and then ten goals in each of the last two quarters.

For Hill End Seth Calway was the only multiple goal scorer with Ambu Uliando, Aaron Fawcett and Harry Moore named their best. They have been competitive with some good sides this year Hill End and are on a steep learning curve but as coach Tom Hallinan surmised post-game he and his boys got “a dreadful reality check” after their visit to Foster.

MDU v Toora

After last week’s loss to stony Creek MDU coach Rhett Kelly referenced “effort” ad-nauseum to anyone who’d listen. So, you just had to know the Demons would come out firing this week. And so it was as MDU bounced back to the winners list with some authority rolling an inaccurate Toora, 20-6-126 to 5-10-40.

They jumped the visiting Toora and kept then off the scoreboard in the first quarter before kicking five goals to three in the second term to lead by the best part of five goals at the main break.

Patrick Kerr, who missed last week’s game, welcomed himself back into the fold with a dozen of the finest to take his seasons tally to twenty-one from just the four games. On Kerr’s game coach Rhett Kelly commented “it was great to see Paddy Kerr get on the end of a few” before adding he was “super pleased with the effort Cooper Quaife gave us after returning to the side following a couple of games in the reserves.”

Kelly also praised Best on Ground Jacob Whiteside and fellow defender Thomas Nevin with the coach saying “Whiteside played a key role in the backline alongside his best mate Tommy Nivan; both had excellent games.”

Overall, Kelly was “pleased to see us back on the winners' list after a disappointing performance last week” adding that his opposition “pushed us at different stages, and the score would have been much closer had they converted more of their opportunities.”

As if to echo Kelly’s words Toora coach Jake Smart said after his sides’ loss “we had plenty of scoring opportunities but we couldn’t quite put the score on the board.” He went on to praise “great performances from Josh Halsall in the middle and Tex Dyson up forward” with Dyson being Toora’s only multiple goal kicker for the day.

Smart himself joined Halsall and Dyson in his sides best three but was quick to point out “the effort from all the boys was great” before lamenting a series of in game injuries that eventually “got the better of us” and killed the contest.

Tarwin v Stony Creek

Tarwin chalked up win number three from their five games to sit a game clear of Newborough in sixth spot. Knowing Stony Creek would arrive full of confidence after last week’s win over MDU the Sharks set an ambush and led 3-4-22 to a single point at the first change.

Post game Stony Creek coach Troy Shepherdson reflected on this fast start noting it “was the difference in the contest, with their fast ball movement and straight kicking setting the tone”.

With the next three quarters seeing Tarwin boot twelve goals to an inaccurate Stony Creeks ten to win 15-9-99 to 10-10-70 it is hard to argue with his assessment.

Remm Dal Pozzo slotted four for Tarwin with Brodie Senior-Gibson grabbing three. Dal Pozzo was joined in the best by Jordan Staley and Lucan Harmer for the winners.

Coach Lachie Jones also commented on the performances of Dylan Garnham whom the coach said “played a great game all round” and Ricky O’Loughlin who “played a selfless game too at full back.” 

Jones continued that he was happy with his sides efforts with his experience telling him “It’s always tricky navigating a week off” but in perfect conditions his message was “that we want to use our skills and run and carry to play our style” and that they certainly did.

For Stony Creek it was a case of what might have been had they turned up ready to rock and roll from the first bounce. After quarter time they out worked Tarwin and had two more scoring shots than the winners.

Tully Bernaldo and Luke Firth got two each for Stony Creek with Liam Harrington and Jai Bright their best.

Thorpdale v Morwell East

Thorpdale did what they needed in collecting the win over a plucky Morwell East 16-11-107 to 8-11-59. As a result of their win the Dales find themselves fourth on the ladder with a two game margin back to seventh.

With scores close at the first change the game opened up somewhat in the second. Both sides hit the scoreboard with regularity, but it was the more poised Thorpy forwards who took advantage of their chances kicking 4-2 to East’s 1-6.

The home side found a gear after the long break and put enough separation between themselves and their opponents to cruise to a comfortable win. Best on ground Ayden Ramm kicked three with a trio of players slotting two. The most interesting of those names is undoubtedly Anthony Rosato who played his first game of the season for Thorpy.

Ramm was joined in the best players list by Shannon Pickering who seems to get better year in year out and the hyphen, James Holland-Burch. 

For East Brandon Francis kicked three and Hayden Dwyer two. Eric Semler, who kicked the last goal of the game was best for the Hawks along with Dwyer and ruckman Lachlan Tactor.

Mirboo North had the bye.