MGFNL Season 2026 - Round 8 Review

Thorpdale v Yinnar

An irrepressible Yinnar overcame inaccuracy in front of a goal and a fast starting Thorpdale to run out convincing winners 14-21-105 to 8-5-53 at the Thorpdale Rec Reserve Saturday afternoon. Coming off a shattering loss the week before expectations were high for a fired up Thorpy to come out swinging and the healthy crowd in attendance were not disappointed with the home side kicking five goals to two in the first term to lead by thirteen points as the siren sounded. It was not all the home team early though with James DeVirgilio, he who played for Thorpdale in season 2025, slotting the first of the day from an errant Thorpy kick in.  As if needing to expunge his successful return to their home ground Thorpy countered immediately through Heath Ferguson who snapped truly to level the ledger. This was followed by some classy Yinnar play that saw Mick Geary find his regular partner in crime Kane Grinstead Jones in the forward fifty. Grinstead Jones then lasered a pass to Lachlan Pratt who marked and goaled and those expecting an easy Yinnar win were on pretty comfortable terms with themselves. Fast forward to the end the first term and Thorpy had kicked four in a row and the upset was on. Firstly, it was Falla who sharked the loose ball front and centre from a marking contest and snapped from thirty. Then Shannon Pickering intercepted a Yinnar pass, played on and kicked truly from outside fifty. When Jerimiah Jones, who was excellent for Thorpdale early, soccerred a loose ball through form a goal mouth scramble and Ferguson out-marked Tom Robertson before kicking truly from thirty the locals rushed to the quarter time huddle to hear all about it. And I am sure coach Thorpdale Daniel Taylor would have heaped praise on his defenders as whilst his side led well they trailed the inside fifty count twenty to eleven and were it not for the excellent work of Cougar Milsom and Ben Britten who seemingly marked everything that came their way things might have been vastly different. After the change Yinnar changed tact slightly. They went into a high possession short kick and mark style of play and the results came quickly. The Pies also tidied up, somewhat, their delivery in into the front half but the one thing that didn’t need to change was effort, it was there all game. And as if to highlight the point it was effort that led to their first goal of the second half with Geary laying a huge tackle to start proceedings. He goaled from the subsequent free and the wheels were in motion. Next it was some brilliant stoppage work from James Jacobsen who found Schill, definitely one of his sides’ best, who made no mistake from his set shot from forty. Nixon Hall then followed up with a snap from the boundary and when Jaxon Notman, also a fine contributor all day, goaled late in the first half it was an inaccurate Yinnar by fifteen points at the main change. With nine of the elven goals coming at one you could be excused for thinking there was a wind advantage to one end but there was actually none to speak of. An so it was proved after the main break where Yinnar continued on their merry way with another half a dozen majors whilst keeping Thorpdale to a solitary major. The home sides goal came via Shannon Pickering who took a handball receive and set sail from fifty. HIs efforts were all in vain though with Jacobsen and youngster Harvey McKay playing the roles of providers to Grinstead Jones and Will Robertson for Yinnar who went bang bang. Even Dean Linton, who must have lost his GPS , found himself on the goal kickers list after a surge forward. After Linton was relocated from whence he came normal services resumed with Geary hitting Pratt who goaled and then Notman found Jacobsen who added his name to the goal kickers list too. And when big Jesse Bowe wrapped his mits around the Sherrin in the goal square and goaled on the three quarter time hooter the visitors were up by a neat eight goals at the final change. Thorpy didn’t deserve a flogging based on their effort and when they slotted the first of the last term via Trav Pattern who dobbed one from fifty on the run hopes were high that a come-back of sorts was on the cards. And when they kicked the second of the term with a kick off the ground to Mitch Gorman the lads at the bar found voice. Sadly, though for them, it was not to be with Pratt and Will Roberston countering out those two goals with one each for the visiting side. And after Yinnar stopped missing shots on goal the siren sounded to see them fifty two point winners. Perhaps however looking at it as though they won thirty-five scoring shots to thirteen is a little more accurate. Or as recorded by Gippy FM stats man Sam Crane they won eighty-six to forty-one based on Inside Fifty’s. Best players to my eye for Yinnar were Schill, McColl and Mills, all, interestingly enough, twenty-one and under and all home grown talents. Bowe was good in the ruck against Low and most others chimed in as required with Jacobsen, JDV, Geary and Hall perhaps down on numbers of possessions but it is fair to say when they use the ball it tends to stay with their side. For Thorpy Jones was good early, Rosato, who appeared troubled by injury gave a huge contest, Trav Pattern had plenty of it as did the Patullo lads. Pickering keeps on doing what he does and Milsom was tidy in the back half. Post game coach Daniel Taylor said of Thorpdale’s result that it was a “disappointing day after a positive start.” On that fast start Taylor said “we were winning it out of the midfield and playing a bit of surge footy which meant we were able to hit the scoreboard”. He continued however that “after quarter time it was all one way traffic with Yinnar’s leg speed, spread, overlap run off half back and ball use the major difference between the two sides”. The coach added that he “could not question the boys effort” and that his team was “out played by a very good side”. Yinnar coach Sam McCulloch also referenced Thorpdale’s fast start saying “we knew Thorpdale would respond strongly after last week and come out with plenty of intensity” noting that “they made the most of their early forward entries, capitalised on their opportunities, and took a handy lead into quarter time”. The Yinnar brains trust got together at the break and in McCulloch’s words “made a few adjustments and were able to gain control of the game in the second quarter, carrying that momentum through the second half”. The coach was “very pleased with the way the group steadied and adapted when challenged” adding that they “generated plenty of scoring opportunities, although our conversion in front of goal is an area we'll continue to focus on over the coming weeks” in reference to their final total if just fourteen goals from thirty-five scoring shots.

 Foster v Newborough

Anyone who has played footy at any level will know how hard it is to get a kick sometimes. Many of us would have left the field with barely a handful of possessions, and on a rare good day some of may have even kept a straight face as we lay claim to having “around twenty or so touches” if we added enough “mayo” to our real tally of thirteen or fourteen touches. So, imagine having a day out where you had as many as eighteen kicks- in a single game? Now imagine all eighteen of these kicks were goals. You know eighteen goals, the number you once claimed to have kicked in an entire season back in the fourths- the year you actually managed to kick twelve. The mere notion of it is absurd to most of us. Right, eighteen goals in a game, as if. Well not to Brett Eddy. That’s right Eddy helped himself to eighteen majors in his sides huge 190 point win over Newborough. The reigning premiers kicked a stupendous 35-11-221 to Newborough’s 5-1-31. An effort of which coach Jake Best noted was “a great four quarter game for us” before deferring to his next match.While Best may not have gone into too much detail make no mistake this is something people will talk about for years to come. Generations to come in fact. Eddy has of course kicked close to 1300 career goals and has played footy at levels most of us only ever get to see on TV but eighteen in a game, any game, is crazy. Footy is a team game and whilst Eddy managed to kick over half of his sides thirty five goals someone has to get him the ball. And whilst he deservedly gets most of the accolades for the day Jack Rathjen and reigning league medal winner Angus Norton were noted as second and third best on. And somewhat scarily the next three guys on Fosters best players list all have experience in and around AFL clubs with Tom Schnieder, Luke Tapscott and Jack Weston filling spots fourth, fifth and sixth best. Wow, what a performance and what a list of talent. Oh, and Jake Best will return to the fold shortly too…… Newborough were best served by Anthony Daley, Matt Heywood and Liam Fitzpartick. Last week’s hero Jack Robinson managed two of his sides five majors and was the only multiple goal kicker for the Dogs. And as much as the Dogs would like to forget the game in the short term I can’t help but get the feeling they too will tell the tale in the years to come of the day they played against a bloke called Brett Eddy who kicked eighteen in a game.

MDU v Boolarra

In the battle of the Demon’s, it was the home side, MDU, who were to the fore racking up a forty-five point win over Boolarra 18-6-114 to 10-9-69. MDU started quickly and had four majors on the board before Boolarra had even troubled the scorers. They finished the first term with an accurate five goals straight while Boolarra, as has been their want all year, continued to burn their chances finishing with two goals, three behinds from the same number of shots.  After the first break MDU put their foot down kicking the games next four gaols and stretching their lead out to forty-five points before Boolarra kicked a late goal to get the margin back to thirty-nine points at the long break. With the game all but gone Boolarra stuck with their higher ranked opponents in the second half kicking seven goals to eight over the course of the third and fourth quarters. Pat Kerr again led the way for MDU with half a dozen with Trent McRae, Steve Forrester and Sam Wilson joining Kerr among the better players for MDU. For Boolarra it was Matt Devon again leading the charge with the little big man slotting four of his sides ten for the day. It wasn’t enough to earn him a spot in the Demon’s best though with co-captains Mason Porykali and Joel Mason joining coach Brendan Mason as the better performers for the runners up. Post match Mason commented that he was “really happy with the way the boys responded from our game last week” before adding that he felt his side was simply “outclassed” on the day by an opposition that “took all their opportunities in front of goal kicking eight straight before kicking their first behind.” Mason also noted he was somewhat hamstrung by injury on the day being “down to one on the bench after half time with defender Joel Rasmus injuring a hamstring and Tarmah Litle looking to have done an ACL”. His counterpart on the day, Rhett Kelly, commented after the match “it was another great day for football, and I am pleased to get back on the winners' list”. It was not all smooth sailing for the winning side though with Kelly adding “Boolarra pressured us at different stages of the game, and we didn't adjust as much as I would have liked when the momentum had swung their way” adding that his side “allowed them to move the ball too easily at times.” Kelly noted he was “extremely pleased with the even contribution from the lads over the last few weeks” which he feels is a sign that “we are not reliant on only a few”. When asked what his focus would be over the league bye Kelly was quick to respond “we will continue to focus on our defence across the entire ground.” In a sign last year’s fourth placed side is far from the finished product in season 2026, yet. 

Mirboo North v Morwell East

In a tightly fought contest Mirboo North prevailed over Morwell East 8-11-59 to 6-10-46. In a game were neither side was able to assert their superiority for long periods the home side overcame a slow start to get the win. East may well rue their early inaccuracy that saw them only kick two goals from their five first quarter scoring shots and keep Mirboo North well and truly in the contest. And when Mirboo North banged on four goals to one in the second term to take a five point lead to the sheds at half time the Hawks would have been kicking themselves. Mirboo Norths’ second term saw four individual goal kickers do the damage with Riley Oddy, Joe Brooks, Hayden Potts and Tobias McDuffie all getting amongst the action. Once they found the front Mirboo North didn’t give up the lead but couldn’t quite shake off the persistent East. Potts and Oddy kicked three and two respectively with Beau Peters, Hudson Kerr and Hayden Barnes their better players. For East Cain Iorangi was the only multiple goal kicker for the day with John Conquest in only his second game for East, Bailey Galante and Eric Semler their best. Ben Marks, the East coach, aid post-game that despite “a few momentum swings during the day we fell short which was very disappointing.” On a more positive note however he was happy to acknowledge his side was “improving week on week which is the pleasing part.”  His opposite number Damian Turner referenced East’s fast start saying “Morwell East really came out of the blocks and established an early lead” before adding that he was pleased his side “remained composed and stuck to the process” with “discipline and effort” the keys to the narrow advantage the home side had at the long break. At the break Turner “moved a few magnets” and with his side “capitalising on moments and maintaining pressure” they were able to produce their better football in the second half.Turner finished up by saying “it was fantastic to welcome back three players from long-term injuries. Getting valuable minutes into them and seeing them come through unscathed was a huge positive”.

 Stony Creek v Toora

A fast finishing Toora gave up too much of a start to run down the home side Stony Creek in a cracking contest. Stony Creek chalked up win number two for the season 10-5-65 to 9-4-58 in a clash that went right down to the wire. With just a straight kicks advantage going into the third term the home side put the foot down and skipped out to a twenty-five point lead at the last break after keeping Toora scoreless for the term. But with Tex Dyson firing up front, he finished with three, and Nick Quint and Jake Smart slotting a pair each the Pies got back within seven points in a nail-biting final term. Lachi Smart and Josh Halsall were among the Pies best in a gallant but ultimately fruitless effort which sees them slip to last spot on the ladder. For Stony Creek it was again Luke Firth leading the way with three majors while Tully Bernaldo kicked two. Young gun Angus McInnes was best on for the winners with Liam Harrington and Tyler Neal also among the stronger contributors. Stony Creek coach Troy Shepherdson said after his sides win “we had a very determined Toora come to town today. They came ready to play, and with early injuries we really had to dig deep to hold on.” Shepherdson continued that he was “very proud of the boys battling through with no bench after half time” and that the win was “reward for effort” for his team. 

While the rest of the league takes a break next week for Charlie’s big day Tarwin will welcome Fish Creek to town for what promises to be a ripping standalone clash. Those unable to attend can catch all the action of Gippsland FM from 14:00 or there abouts.