MGFNL Season 2026 - Week 2 Preview

Week two of the Mid Gippy senior footy finals sees the big guns roll out on Saturday afternoon when first placed Foster and second placed Yinnar kick off their post season campaigns. On the line is a spot in the following fortnights premiership decider and another week off to freshen up and prepare for the big game.

Sunday will see week one’s two winners, Fish Creek and MDU go head-to-head. The scenario here is just as simple as last week for these two teams, win and you stay in, lose and you’re done for the year. The winner here will return to Saturday footy next week and play the loser of Foster versus Yinnar for the second spot in the Grand Final.

Some cracking footy coming your way this weekend!

Foster versus Yinnar at Tarwin.

These two powerhouses have crossed paths twice in season 2026 with the ledger reading one win apiece. The first game would be in contention for game of the year (so far) and went right down to the wire. It took man of the match Bretty Eddy kicking his seventh goal of Foster’s ten, with only seconds to go for Foster to reclaim the lead they hadn’t had since early in the second term. That lead was a single point, but it may as well have been 100 when the siren sounded.

Fast forward from Round Nine to Round- Fifteen and it was Yinnar on the right side of the result on a wet and windy day down Foster way. The rain rarely abated and in a low scoring affair Yinnar had a convincing win 7-4-46 to 3-9-27.

Whilst no one in Tiger colours made any excuses on the day their inaccuracy combined with a couple of in game injuries and the absence of Brett Eddy, Michael Cooke and Luke Tapscott were floated as potential factors for the result.

Whatever the case it’s nil all on neutral territory come Saturday afternoon and I cannot wait for the game to kick off.

Both sides are going to have heartbreak at selection such is their depth of their lists and sadly the reality is if you are not leaving decent players out of the side at this time of the year you are likely not completing with those that are.

The ruck battle promises to be a ripper with Yinnar having the choice of Brett Chapman or Bobby Linton to back up Jesse Bowe. While selection will tell the tale for Foster with Mitch Allot not being in the late game since Round Thirteen meaning Jack Rathjen has had to shoulder the responsibility more or less one out. One wonders if this is the week Mitch finds himself back in favour given the arsenal Yinnar have up their sleeve?

At ground level both sides have a plethora of weapons. For Foster it is Jack Weston, Tom Schnieder, Luke Tapscott, Bailey Angwin and Angus Norton amongst others. Yinnar have Nixon Hall, James DeVirgilio, Ben Cheffers, Flyn Schill, Clancy Mills, James Jacobsen and Sam Walsh.

None would be out of place in the team of the year and without doing a ring around I’d mount a strong case to say those that haven’t already sone so will do so this year or shortly thereafter!

Now to the fun stuff, the players whose number’s kids wear on their backs- the power forwards. As the saying goes- you don’t get your name in the paper for handballing it to the bloke who kicks the goal but the bloke who kicks it does.

For Foster the names Jake Best and Brett Eddy need no introductions. At last count they had amassed 2,219 career goals between them of which 135 have come this year. And don’t sleep on Shaun Chaseling who has bags of six and seven (yeah the kids, do the hand thing!!), Jack Flavelle who has a five and six goal haul to his name or the vice skipper Mick Cooke. Cooke does the donkey work right up to the wings and can help out in the ruck if Foster go with only Rathjen, so his role becomes twice as important.

At the opposite end Yinnar are far from devoid of weapons themselves with Kane Grinstead Jones, Mick Geary, Will Robertson and Lachy Platt all in team of the year contention. Throw in young gun Harvey McKay and a resting mid or two and the Pies too can shoot the lights out. The selflessness of their front six has been notable this season with everyone ensuring all and sundry gets a lick of the ice cream when it is up for grabs.

So, if offence sells memberships and defence wins premierships how does each side shape up when it comes to stopping their oppositions front halves?

Yinnar have a terrific mix of lock down and offensive defenders. The likes of Chapman, Harry McColl and Tom Roberstron are often seen up the field turning defence into attack while the likes of Mark Stolk, Olly McColl and Pat Kearns have tended to play more the shut-down roles.

For Foster it isn’t uncommon to see Liam Bentley or Brock Cripps take a gallop with the ball under his arm from half back looking to hit up Cooke, Eddy or Best. The reliable cohort of Aaron Rhodes, Craig Wray, Tom Littore and Josh Toner tend to be more content making life as miserable as possible for whomever comes their way on any given Saturday afternoon.

So that’s about as far as my knowledge will take you, to find out who wins get to Tarwin, jump on the leagues YouTube channel, or tune into Gippy FM. Whichever way you to choose to follow along I doubt you will be the least bit disappointed.

Fish Creek versus MDU at Newborough

After coming off a slow start Fish Creek found their groove to record a comfortable week one finals win over Tarwin last Saturday. Their opponent however did it the hard way slamming on five final term goals to get their seven-point result over Thorpy on the Sunday. And so, to this week we go- another Sunday clash for MDU and additional days recovery for Fish Creek.

Looking back over the season Fishy took care of MDU in their first meeting by twenty points but perhaps twenty-four scoring shots to fourteen might better describe the gap between the sides that day? Second time around, only a fortnight ago MDU turned the tables with a sixteen-point win where they were the inaccurate ones in front of goal.

Scratching the surface a little further might reveal the Round Eighteen game was a dead rubber for Fishy, who made seven changes to the side they rolled for their first final, while it was crucial for MDU. But in fairness to MDU you can only beat whomever the opposition roll out and that’s exactly what they did.

But enough about the past to this week we go where a spot in the preliminary final awaits the winner and several refreshing beverages and cricket season (or maybe the spring carnival?) awaits the loser.

For all intents and purposes MDU have the stronger front half in this line up. They have Pat Kerr, Nick Nagel and Trent -I wore my undies on the outside last week- McRae all capable of kicking a bag of goals. Throw in the dangerous little fellas like Shay Walsh and Brayden Sellings and you have yourself a front half that can keep you in many a game.

At the other end Fish Creek revolve primarily around Jai Stefani playing his role as centre half forward and Charlie-I wear my undies on the outside most weeks- Wilson. The remainder of the goals tend to come from their midfield with the likes of Jacko Wiedemann, Blaine Coates and Luke Williams hitting the scoreboard. Tom Cameron too does his thing but given we didn’t see him in the later part of Week One’s final there might be some doubt about him getting up for this week’s match.

Having already touched on Fish Creek’s mids it is worth going one step further and noting they might just have the best middle four, pound for pound, in the comp. They are big bulls who can also cover the ground, and their kicking has to be seen to be believed. With Rhett Wiedemann playing as ruckman he can either be deployed behind the footy to help the defence out or can simply play as an extra on baller around the ground.

MDU too have their own weapons in the middle with Jaimee Youle causing all sorts of dramas last week for Thorpy. He and the likes of Jarvis Lacy and Sam Wilson worked well of the ruck work of Josh Schelling and will need to do so again to combat a fired-up Fish Creek.

For those watching on or listening keep an eye or an ear out for a couple of these players- a few off Broadway that I think can have an influence on the outcome;

Harry Smith for Fish Creek, easy to spot in the long sleeve and usually in plenty of space on a wing. 

Kairon Dorling also of Fishy- an absolute rock down back with great hands

Blaine Coates, the fire starter for Fishy. He plays well Fishy play well.

MDU’s Zak Carrol is quick and strong, uses the ball well and can find a snag every now and again.

Down back Kieran Bohn would have his name on any board in the comp. Good hands, reliable defender.

Tom Kerr was the run and carry off the half back MDU needed last week. Under the radar no longer for him.

This promises to be a cracking game with Fishy going in as favourites but the enthusiasm around MDU after last week’s come from behind win was enormous and could take them a long way in this match-up.

And just like Saturday’s clash if you can’t get to the ground tune in on YouTube or on Gippsland FM 104.7.