Round eight
- robpopplestone29
- Jun 3
- 8 min read
This weekend we got to witness what many believe will be the Grand Final prelude, round eight also put a spotlight on the fight, pressure and even heartache that continues for more than a handful of clubs trying desperately to keep in touch with the top half of the ladder.
With twists and turns at every corner, most scenarios have been considered, not many however with confidence.
Fish Creek v Foster
Two teams in top form clashed for the expected title of premiership favourite.
Foster arrived at the home of the Kangaroos as the only unbeaten side in the competition, ready to take on the back to back reigning premiers.
A clash worthy of the big crowd that attended didn't disappoint, the home side winning in the game of the season.
Fish Creek 7-7-49 to Foster 7-6-48
Jarrad Walker, Fish Creek coach “A gritty win yesterday. A genuine arm wrestle all day with neither team able to kick back to back goals. Both teams defended really well making low scoring affair and we just fell on the right side at the final siren.”
It was one of those games, Foster didn’t lose , they just happened to be behind when the final siren sounded.
The Tigers believe they had their chances, and now the most frustrating thing is they must wait some months before their chance of redemption.
Sam Davies, Foster coach “Just a game that got away unfortunately and a game that we definitely lost from our mistakes rather than they won from playing good footy. High stoppage scrap for a lot of the day and we just failed to execute late which led to turnover or poor decision making. We’ll learn and take a lot away from it, but we need to be better in certain areas.
We need a break and will take the week off to reset before the next block of games.”
Only percentage separates the top three sides of Fish Creek, Foster and Yinnar and the impressive and important win on the weekend, as crucial as it was for Fish Creek does little to help predict which of the trio, are worthy of premiership favouritism.
Hill End v Boolarra
Coming off a bye the week prior, Hill End had time to prepare for a visiting Boolarra side that looked somewhat fragile, given that the Demons had suffered a month of defeats after such a fast start to the season.
The Rovers looking for their first win of the season were out to treat a hometown crowd to something special, and boy, did they get close,
falling short by just thirteen points.
Boolarra 9-20-74 to Hill End 9-7-61
Brendan Mason, Boolarra coach “An important win for us today heading into a two week break. Inaccuracy in front of goal in the second term where we kicked one goal seven behinds saw the game absolutely still up for grabs in the second half. To Hill Ends credit they played the game right out to the final hooter and made us earn the points.
Both the Mason boys hit the scoreboard and had plenty of the footy while down back Porakaylie, Rieske and Daniel Wilson did a great job.
Flanagan was sensational in the ruck and paired well with Potter for many clearances.
The Paul boys, Uliando and Burns had plenty of it for Hill End.”
It was a familiar story for Hill End unfortunately with the Rovers within striking distance of claiming their first victory of the season only to once again fall agonisingly short.
In fact you wonder how many more times the Hillsmen can go so close and not drop their heads in disappointment, but the Rovers are as honest as the day is long and with just a handful more talent a little more time, their day will come.
Adrian Burns, Hill End coach “We should have, maybe could have won the game really, we had our chances, got in front, I don't really dont know what to say, it's a club rebuilding and it won't happen overnight, but we are learning each and every week."
Very little seems to separate many sides and has become quite obvious that any side on their day, if they are in the zone and ready to give for four fulkl quarters are capable of achieving more than they or most could have imagined.
Newborough v Yinnar
The Bulldogs were under no illusions as to the enormity of the task when they welcomed a very good Yinnar side to the Kennel.
The Magpies, as good as they have been, in the early part of the year were coming off successive losses and determined to write some wrongs that showed their faces in those defeats.
Yinnar 24-6-150 to Newborough 9-5-59.
Sam McCulloch, Yinnar coach “Very happy to get a win on the board after a couple of close losses. We came in at quarter time with a 5 goal lead and managed to build on that every quarter. Pleased with our efforts over the course of the game and the way we finished off in front of goal was a credit to the boys.
Looking forward to the week off in what will be a good opportunity to freshen up and work on some areas we need to improve on.”
The. Magpies will hit the halfway mark of the season well placed for an assault on any one of the top three positions.
Their weekend opponents still with work to do, the Bulldogs number one priority to get as many fit men on the park as possible”
Pat Frendo, Newborough coach “Tough day at the office against yinnar on the weekend. We started the game of really well kicking the first couple but it was quickly downhill from there with yinnar bouncing back and kicking the next five or six.The injury bug continues to plague us at the kennel, losing three players in the first quarter and another in the second quarter entering concussion protocols, leaving us with seventeen on the ground for the remainder of the half. No rotations in the second half had our boys absolutely spent. Take nothing away from yinnar, they’re a real class act and genuine flag contenders again this year, well drilled and stacked with talent. Get a much needed week off to recover and hopefully get a few more before heading to south gippsland in back to back weeks.”
With only the one match on the Kings Birthday long weekend, eleven teams in fact will have a much needed mid season break, however then expect the demands of winter weather to be yet another opponent for teams to contend with.
Stony Creek v Morwell East
For most of the season, there has been this expectation that Morwell East were going to bounce back into the sort of form that had them as contenders just twelve months ago.
The Hawks knew this was quite possibly their last chance, all that stood before them was a Stony Creek side that coincidentally was just as desperate as the Hawks.
The Lions killing off the Hawks season even before the halfway mark of the year with a comprehensive win.
Stony Creek 12-16-88 to Morwell East 4-8-32.
Troy Shepardson, Stony Creek coach “Boys bounced back after a disappointing game the week before and really set the tone from opening bounce and didn't let up for four quarters, the week off has come at a good time for everyone.”
For Morwell East a week off to regroup, reassess and plan a way forward cannot come quick enough.
Paul Henry, Morwell East coach “I'm not sure if and when our season is going to turn around and we start playing some decent footy but the weekend against Stoney wasn't it. A week off now before we start the back end of our season. Hopefully the week off we can soul search and come up with something. Mirboo North at home is our next game to hopefully start a good run home.”
Coach Henry refuses to give up on his team, and can only hope they can dig deep enough to find a way back to get something out of the season.
Thorpdale v Tarwin
Two teams that had been as honest and as aggressive as you could hope for clashed at the home ground of Thorpdale, Tarwin desperately needing a victory away from home so as to not lose touch with those teams above them, one of which was their weekend opponent in the Blues.
Thorpdale were most certainly prepared, but just could not shake the Sharks.
Tarwin 14-17-101 to Thorpdale 14-7-91
Lachie Jones, Sharks coach “A really tough and important win over at Thorpdale today.
The game had passages where both sides looked aggressive with their ball movement and it was about who could absorb the pressure and hang tough in the contest.
We played the last quarter and a half with 18 fit players so I was extremely proud of our guys to persist and play for one another to the siren.
We are kicking large scores which is pleasing and the message at the final break was take the game on and take risks. Credit to Thorpdale, they play a tough brand.
We are looking forward to the week off and refreshing”
As much as Tarwin, enjoyed possibly their best win of the season, the defeat was a tough pill to swallow for Thorpdale.
The Blues led at the first and second breaks and by nineteen points at three quarter time.
Daniel Taylor, Thorpdale coach “Disappointing to lose in a game that had alot of momentum swings. The most frustrating thing was giving up two four goal leads through out the day.
We battled to the end but I feel the better team won on the day so full credit to Tarwin. We need to find a way to get ourselves going when the going gets tough, our best has shown we can compete and our worst is no where near the level.”
Thorpdale maintain their position in the leagues top six, but those below are closely quickly, with five teams within just a single win.
The Blues like most will enjoy a week off before they hit the half way mark of the year, a chance to reset, to refresh and to go again in a most competitive race to September.
Toora v MDU
Toora had did what it needed to do to secure its first victory of the season against Morwell East just a week ago, but as they welcomed a quality MDU side, refreshed from a round seven bye, they new the job was never going to be an easy one to go back to back.
The Magpies had the Demons on the back foot early and to their credit responded every time they were challenged along their way to the most unlikely of wins, Toora 11-8-74 to MDU 9-7-61
Jay Acardi, Toora coach “We came up against a strong MDU today that are pretty polished with the ball in hand and are a side that set the ground quite well. To our boys credit we applied pressure for four quarters and were able to get the game on our terms for periods of the match.
The task doesn’t get any easier next up with a game against Foster who are going quite well and are a tough team to play on their home deck.”
The win was unexpected for most, but not from those at Toora, the Magpies now with two wins in a row, and dreaming of even bigger and better things ahead.
On the flip side, the loss is a disaster for the Demons who up until the weekend seemed to be travelling so beautifully, their fourth place on the MGFNL ladder now looking a little fragile.
Rhett Kelly, MDU coach “Disappointing day for us yesterday, full credit to Toora, who started the game full of energy and effort and maintained it for four quarters to get the win. We looked like that at stages we were going to get our game going, but Toora was able to respond at every opportunity and deserved the win.”
The Demons must now prepare for their stand alone game against the “stars of the show” in Fish Creek over the Kings Birthday weekend, their weekend loss against Toora, a dent to the confidence needed to take on the team the quality of the Kangaroos, or the reality check they needed just in time for the leagues toughest challenge?
Time will tell.

BYE: Mirboo North
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