Round seven

As the MGFNL fast

approached the halfway mark of the season, it was becoming evident that there were three distinct groups forming.

Foster, Fish Creek, Yinnar and MDU, were looking like the top four spots on the ladder were theirs for the taking, then a group of six more teams closely followed for the remaining two spots that made up the top six, which made the weekend's round absolutely crucial for all teams involved.

Boolarra v Thorpdale

After a dream start to the season, the reality of a tough competition had set in on Boolarra.

The Demons were three and zero and looking the goods, but entered round seven with three successive losses in the rear vision mirror and a quiet desperation to get back on the winners list.

Hosting a ferocious Thorpdale side was always going to test the home ground D's and it did, Boolarra 8-9-57 going down to Thorpdale 13-8-86.

Daniel Taylor, Thorpdale coach “Another good team performance in what was a pretty even contest all day, I thought Boolarras work rate and their ability to transition the ball was really good early on. We lifted our work rate after quarter time and the game was turning into a real grind. We probably had fifteen minutes of dominant play towards the end of the third and the start of the fourth quarter which was probably the only difference all day. 

Everyone contributed to the win but I thought Lachie Wallace's composure and decision making and Jesse Patullo's performance down back were big contributors in the result.

The Blues now sit in fifth position on the ladder, with their destiny in their own hands, mind you with a long way to go.

Boolarra, somehow and somewhere have to find something extra, but a start would be just to have their best twenty or so players available. 

Brendan Mason, Boolarra coach “With the revolving door at the selection table again seeing multiple changes the boys played a decent first half against an opposition that was also seemingly below full strength. To Thorpdales credit they played the full four quarters and found themselves deserved five goal winners.

Tim Potter was in everything for us and the Mason boys too can hold their heads high in what was an otherwise disappointing second half fade out.

If we are to return to the firm that saw us start the year 3-0 we simply need to return to playing a positive style of footy and capitalising on our forward fifty entries."

Now with four losses in a row, the Demons have fallen from top couple to a concerning tenth, and work to do, however signatures are still being sought, players are slowly becoming available and there is a quiet confidence that the best of the Demons is still ahead of them.

Mirboo North v Stony Creek

Sitting in seventh position but within striking distance of a couple of teams above them, Mirboo North were well aware of the importance of victory as they welcomed an equally desperate Stony Creek side.

The Lions were coming off a bye, and with fresh legs were expected to take right up to the home ground Tigers, which they did, but eventually falling just short.

Mirboo North in a thriller, 9-9-63 to Stony Creek 8-8-56.

Damian Turner, Mirboo North coach “Huge win in the context of our season. We were out on our legs late, Credit to Stony creek for pushing hard and basically owning the contested ball in the last! But, our boys found something when it counted. A grind. But super pleasing. We’ve had a few of these close games now, although it can be frustrating at times as a coach, it’s such a good learning for our young group.

So now we roll into the double bye (regulation and King's birthday)!and at the perfect time. Plenty of sore bodies needing a rest and a great opportunity for us to take a breather, reset and build for the next block of games."

It is a credit to both coach and club that they have remained strong when the going was tough, especially in 2024, but that  support from club to coach is certainly starting to pay off.

Stony Creek are so close to being where they need to be, it's not funny, but these close losses are no consolation when a coach is trying to build confidence. 

Troy Shepardson, Stony Creek coach “We travelled to Mirboo North and had a very tough hit out against a well drilled discipline side, and off the bye we couldn't get going until the last quarter, when we came home with a wet sail, but had to much to do to get the win." 

Given the evenness of the competition, it seems sides can't be off their game even for the shortest of periods, without risk of it having a dramatic impact on the result.

Make no mistake, there are blue skies ahead for the Lions, and clubs will feel their wrath, but the moons will need to align and there can be no slow starts if they are to make their move up the ladder from their current position of ninth. 

Morwell East v Toora

The importance of success in this clash could not be overstated, Morwell East hosting Toora for a rare opportunity for one to grab premiership points.

The Hawks have been a shell of their former selves, and were desperate to turn their fortunes around, the Magpies winless as they prepared for their round seven clash away from home, but of the belief this was to be their best chance.

In the end, Morwell East were beaten comfortably by Toora 7-4-46 to 13-17-95, the result terrific for Toora, but has many at Morwell East scratching their heads.

Jay Acardi, Toora coach “Really good to get our first win on the board against Morwell East in a tough contest. Was fairly blustery conditions and I think we were able to adapt to them quite well." 

The win a real filip for the club, who off field are one of the strongest in the competition, the camaraderie something to behold, but winning on field is something that although rare can now be celebrated by the whole community.

Morwell East has lost its mojo and whether it can be found again this season remains to be seen, but if it is to be the players that take to the ground have to do so, like their lives depend on it, and that certainly was not the case on the weekend..

Paul Henry, Morwell East coach “We are a long way off from where we need to be to compete at this level. Toora were set for their first win and that they did. We were never in the game."

Coach Henry is not one to ever even consider throwing in the towel, but this, one would suggest, be one of the toughest periods of his footballing life, and it doesn't get any easier in the week ahead as he prepares his side for a Stony Creek side who themselves are fighting for survival in 2025. 

Tarwin v Newborough

There was nothing between these two teams on the ladder as they prepared for their round seven clash.

The Blues and Newborough looking for the right result to secure a spot in the top part of the ladder.

Unbelievably, the result wasn't actually determined until "after" the final siren sounded!

Tarwin in the closest clash of the weekend 12-14-86 defeating Newborough 13-6-84.

Lachie Jones, Tarwin coach “A solid response from our boys today. We knew coming in how crucial this game was and we implemented a few things that helped us come out on top. I was particularly happy with our attack in the contest and team discipline to stick to tasks and seek reward.

We are finding some continuity to what is a fairly new playing group. Newborough kept coming all game but worked through those tight moments in games.

I thought our forwards stood tall and were rewarded."

It is in matches like this when players and coaches alike look at moments in games, decisions made, players chosen and think, could we have done it any differently.

Pat Frendo, Newborough coach “Went down in a close one against Tarwin out at the Shark park on the weekend. They got off to a flyer kicking the first three or four goals in ten minutes. Managed to fight our way back into it and took the lead early in the last quarter. Was a real back and forth all day and unfortunately we missed a shot on goal after the siren to win the game. Really proud of the boys today, extremely undermanned and had every right to give up, but kept on fighting until the very end."

Thorpdale sit fifth and Newborough sixth, both with a pack of teams chasing them from below, and one in particular from above in the shape of Yinnar that will plan to trouble the Bulldogs after suffering two losses in a row themselves. 

Yinnar v Foster

This was a mouth watering clash that had been set up on the back of an unbeaten side in Foster having to travel to Yinnar to take on a Magpies side that were looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season just a week prior.

It appeared for a lot of the afternoon that Yinnar would get the points, but slowly and surely Foster reeled in Yinnar to win by ten points, 10-11-71 to 9-7-61.

Sam Davies, Foster coach “Huge win for the group - they jumped us, we lost a forward in the first and we had our backs against the wall when the score was 40-9 in the second but we got the game back on our terms from then on. It was a real team effort and buy-in to keep grinding away and we backed our fitness to outrun them late. We kicked crucial goals when it mattered and it’s a game we can refer back to throughout the year when the going gets tough."

The Tigers best win of the year, keeping their unbeaten run in place has them firmly in top spot and ready to take on the world, while for Yinnar it was a game in which no premiership points were taken home but certainly lessons were learnt. 

Sam McCulloch, Yinnar coach “We came out and started the game with a high intensity and took advantage of the breeze. Midway through the second Foster got on top and maintained that for a large portion of the game. We certainly still had a chance to win late in the game, but couldn’t get the job done. 

We’ve learnt a lot about ourselves over the last two weeks and will get to work over some areas we need to work on."

For Yinnar, it's not the end of the world to have two losses in a row, but this is where you see the best of good teams and the challenge of Newborough next week at the Kennel is the perfect location for a test that should bring out the Magpie's best.  

MDU v Fish Creek (to be played on Kings Birthday weekend, Saturday June 7.)

Bye: Hill End