Ben Evans, Osca Riccardi among 16 guns set to shape GDFNL finals race
The Geelong and District league’s finals race is well and truly alive - with a handful of star players set to play big roles in their club’s premiership pursuits.
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The Geelong and District league has dished up another largely competitive season – any club able to knock another off on their best day.
That uncertainty makes for an intriguing final sprint for finals, even in the face of clear breathing room between fifth and sixth.
Inverleigh and Anakie sit best placed outside the top 5 to push the status quo in the final rounds but will need to reel in Bell Post Hill’s two-game buffer, Bannockburn and Werribee Centrals are mathematically in it but still a long shot while Winchelsea, Geelong West and Corio will look towards 2026.
A Hawks win and Panthers’ loss on Saturday could bring the gap between fifth and sixth back to one game to close out a split round 13 by the end of the weekend, with five games then sitting between clubs and a potential finals berth.
We take a look at which players could have the biggest say in their club’s bid to play finals.
Ben Evans (Belmont Lions)
The ladder-leading Lions are a better side when Evans is up and running in the forward line.
Evans has kicked 23 goals in nine appearances this season, including a hot patch of 18 majors across four games, though was held to just one across his last two matches.
A key target, his work is also crucial in getting the ball to ground for the Lions’ crafty small-to-medium sizes forwards including Ben McPherson and Jesse Stapleton.
John McIntyre (East Geelong)
The Eagles could take top spot this weekend with a win over North Geelong, with their captain a vital piece to his side’s home-and-away form.
A contested, ball-winning beast, McIntyre is central to the Eagles’ ability to get on top in the midfield.
Osca Riccardi (North Geelong)
The former Cats rookie offers a bucket load of class with ball in hand, while he brings high scoreboard impact both with his ability to get the ball inside 50 or hit the scoreboard himself.
Missed last round with concussion, and whether or not he returns to the Cats’ VFL ranks is yet to be seen but you’d expect to see the 20-year-old remain a central figure in the Pies’ line-up towards the back-end of the season.
Jordan Camm (Thomson)
The Tigers’ big man becomes a crucial asset in the run home considering recent injuries to fellow talls Darcy Troop (shoulder) and Lucas Boyd (quad), with the club undoubtedly hopeful of getting both right for finals.
Camm was the Tigers’ best last round following Boyd’s departure from the game, the premiership player offering a strong marking presence in a forward line then lacking for it, while he is just as strong in the ruck with strong follow up play.
Beau McNamara (Bell Post Hill)
The premiership fullback might have only played one game so far this season, but his inclusion in the back-end of the season could prove fruitful in the Panthers’ pursuit of a return to final.
While the Panthers’ defence is one of the best in the league, conceding just 73 points per game, McNamara only strengthens that line with his experience – making for an ever scarier proposition for opposition forwards to figure out.
Dalton Grundell (Inverleigh)
The Hawk missed his side’s run home last year due to injury, the club falling two points short of a chance to defend their 2023 flag.
With a greater mix of experience and youth in the Hawks’ ranks this season, Grundell’s presence on field is vital for both his experience and star power.
The premiership forward is both a strong contested mark and central to facilitating his side’s scoring powers.
Oscar Barter (Anakie)
The Roos’ big man has turned his attentions to filling a ruck void this year, but he remains an equally damaging forward when he chops out inside 50, with 13 majors to his name, including a season-high four against Bell Post Hill in round 9.
When up and firing, is a true game-changer across all thirds of the ground.
Bailey Kelly (Bannockburn)
The Tigers might be long shots to make finals, but Kelly has taken his game to another level in his second year in yellow and black.
Has already equalled last year’s return in front of goal (27) with six games up his sleeve, and could easily cash in the Tigers’ run home – with four fixtures against bottom 6 sides – if his teammates can get the ball in his hands.
Michael Culliver (Werribee Centrals)
Another side who needs absolutely everything to go right to factor in the finals race, with their skipper central for the Centurions if they’re any chance of scoring a scalp over top Bell Post Hill and East Geelong in the next fortnight.
A prolific ball-winner, Culliver arguably needs others to step up alongside him, but can set a strong tone in the midfield battle.
Michael Murdoch (Belmont Lions)
Belmont’s best contested ball-winner, the Lions will need Murdoch to keep to his strengths in the run home.
The Lions let reigning premier Thomson bully them around the ball early in last week’s loss, but Murdoch and his midfield showed they could get back on top in parts of the game.
Will need to push on and provide that consistency in the face of an injury-hit Lions’ line-up.
Andrew Steele (East Geelong)
While the perennial BFNL goalkicker hasn’t racked up the goals since joining the Eagles, Steele’s presence in the forward line seems to have an positive flow-on effect, with Zac Smith firing with 47 goals to sit second in the league.
Steele, who is second at the Eagles for goals behind Smith with 18, came up clutch in their recent one-point win over Bannockburn, his match winning goal from the pocket showing he can deliver in pressure moments.
It’s something that will arguably come in handy for an Eagles side desperate to atone for consecutive straight set finals exits of 2023 and 2024.
Tom Schwennesen (North Geelong)
Schwennesen brought up 100 senior games earlier this season, with his growing experience showing as the midfielder takes his game to new levels year-on-year.
Central to the Magpies’ ability to get on top of the contest with his ball-winning abilities and pressure intent, while he can get to work both behind the ball and pressing forward.
Ben Kamaric (Thomson)
The GFNL recruit offers both a strong body and class through the Tigers’ midfield. While he’s worked back from recent injury-plagued seasons, as well as some niggles this year, his most recent game against Belmont shows his impact despite the attention he draws from opposition.
What’s scary is coach Paul Lynch predicted Kamaric would only get better as the season wore on.
Felix Jones (Bell Post Hill)
Jones might be new to the GDFNL but he brings with him plenty of big-game experience from his time with perennial Hampden league finalists North Warrnambool Eagles.
A hardworking and explosive high-half forward whose impact is central to the Panthers’ scoring powers, Jones seems to be forming a damaging scoreboard partnership with brother Zane, who has moved inside 50 in recent weeks, in a significant boost for an attack which ranks eighth in the league.
David Peel (Inverleigh)
The ex-VFL player managed just nine games last year with injury, before returning to put together a strong, and uninterrupted, 2025 campaign.
A contested ball-winner with strong marking capabilities and ability to work both ways, like Grundell (above), Peel will prove to be a steady head for his younger teammates as the pressure ramps up in the final six weeks.
Luke Dahlhaus (Anakie)
The ex-AFL talent will be a leading figure for the Roos if they’re to break a nearly 30-year finals drought this season.
Stepping up as co-captain this year, Dahlhaus continues to deliver week-in-week-out with his ball-winning abilities in the contest while he is pivotal to getting the ball in the hands of his forwards.
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Originally published as Ben Evans, Osca Riccardi among 16 guns set to shape GDFNL finals race
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