Meringur ends winless streak with Harrow Balmoral losing for the first time in years
Tom Hawkins produced a starring performance while Alastair Clarkson watched on as his former side grabbed its biggest win in years. See it in our country footy wrap.
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The start of winter might be here but it didn’t stop country footy with glorious weather around the state.
And ex-AFL stars were on show, headlined by Tomahawk making a second appearance in country footy this year.
Here are the talking points from the weekend.
Longest winning streak over
Harrow Balmoral’s two-and-a-half year winning run is over after losing to Noradjuha Quantong in the grand final replay in the Horsham District league.
Entering the contest the Kangaroos had won their previous 42 games, stretching back to the 2022 preliminary final.
Unbeaten seasons in 2023 and 2024 followed before six straight wins this season helped to create the longest streak in local footy in Victoria.
But the Bombers had the final say on it, winning by 35 points, 13.9 (87) to 8.4 (52).
Noradjuha Quantong won the contest in the second term, kicking six goals to one to open up a 27-point lead at the main break.
Despite the Kangaroos trying to bounce back in the third term, it was to no avail, as the streak ended.
Judah Hobbs kicked seven goals for the Bombers to be the best player on the ground.
Murchison Toolamba, in the Kyabram league, now holds the longest unbeaten streak title in local footy.
Hawkins stars for the Crows
Tom Hawkins kicked four goals for Beaufort as the Crows won for the second time this season in the Central Highlands league.
The Geelong superstar played for Beaufort as part of the Carlton Draft, which sees ex-AFL stars play for struggling country footy clubs.
You can read how Hawkins went here.
Meanwhile, Dunnstown ended the first half of the season as the team to beat, winning its eighth straight match.
The Towners defeated Waubra by 67 points with Brad Whittaker kicking seven goals.
Dunnstown’s last premiership came in 1999 so the team will be hoping to continue the form in the second half of the season to end the drought.
Clarkson inspires Bulldogs win
Alastair Clarkson spent the AFL bye weekend for North Melbourne back home at Kaniva to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the club’s last premiership.
Clarkson, who as a 17-year-old, played in the grand final and kicked six goals was one of 16 past players from the success to turn up.
The four-time AFL premiership coach held a junior coaching clinic on Friday before a sportsman’s dinner later that night.
He then was part of the premiership celebrations on Saturday as Kaniva Leeor United played Pimpinio.
Wearing special Bulldogs jerseys, in tribute to Kaniva, the Cougars smashed the Tigers by 89 points in one of the club’s best wins since joining the league in 2020.
Brothers Jacob and Lochie Eats combined for 12 goals with Jacob kicking nine.
The win puts the Cougars right in the finals race.
Can he crack the century this season?
Former AFL player Josh Mellington was unlucky to miss out on kicking 100 goals last year but is on track to make amends this year.
The former Fremantle player kicked 16 for Bears Lagoon Serpentine in the a 131-point win over Newbridge.
It was his second highest goal tally in one game for the club and the fifth largest haul of goals by a player in country footy this year.
Mellington last year kicked 93 goals in nine games before injury ended his season.
Should he stay fit, he’ll break the magic 100 milestone later this year.
He has 43 goals in five games.
Classic for milestone match
The Ballarat Swans held off a last quarter comeback from Redan to win the 200th game between the two sides by a point at City Oval. The Swans and Lions became the third rivalry to notch 200 games against each other in the Ballarat league — and the Swans claimed bragging rights, winning 14.11 (95) to 14.10 (94). Ballarat led by 23 points at the final break before Redan kicked six last quarter goals to set up a grandstand finish. The Swans stayed in the top-six with their fourth win of the season. Ex-AFL player Biggie Nyuon kicked three goals for the Swans.
Kangaroos end two year drought
There were plenty of celebrations for Meringur as the Millewa league side ended a two-year winless drought. The Kangaroos defeated Gol Gol by three points for their first win since Round 11 in 2023. Up by 21 points at three-quarter-time the Kangaroos held off a late charge from the Hawks to win. The win was more impressive with Meringur forced to play with reduced numbers on the bench for a large part of the game. Harrison Pinyon and Dylan Wellard, who both kicked one goal each, were among the best for the Kangaroos.
Can the Saints end eight years of no finals?
For the past eight years all but one team has made the finals in the South West District league and the last team, Branxholme/Wallacedale, could be about to end its drought.
The Saints defeated Westerns by 32 points for their fourth win of the season.
The victory put them in fifth on the ladder and on track to make the finals for the first time since 2017.
Brandon Newton kicked six goals for the Saints as the team led from start to finish.
Panthers make statement
Since winning the premiership in 2019, Lavington has not made a dent in the Ovens and Murray league, missing finals from 2022 to 2024.
But 2025 could be the year the side bounces back to finals, led by former AFL player Adam Schneider.
He’s been coach since 2022 and has worked hard over the past few years to rebuild the club from within.
And it’s starting to pay dividends.
Lavington defeated the Wangaratta Magpies on Saturday by 22 points for its most impressive win this season.
A strong second half, kicking 10 goals to four, helped the Panthers turn around a 15-point halftime deficit.
Tim Oosterhoff kicked six goals in the win, which puts them fourth on the ladder, with four wins and three losses.
There is a log-jam of teams on 4-3, taking up positions four to seven on the ladder, but the Panthers are in the fight.
Playing with your hero
Charlie Jellie lived out his dream of playing with his hero for North Warrnambool on Saturday.
The young gun, who is part of the Greater Western Victoria Rebels under-16 team, played his second senior game for the Eagles in their 17-point win over Terang Mortlake.
And he played alongside ex-AFL player Michael Barlow who was playing his second game of the year. Eight years ago the two were photographed together as Charlie got a photo with his hero. On Saturday another photo was taken with both of them as teammates. It’s sure to go on the wall in the Jellie household. Meanwhile, Barlow had a day out, breaking the Hampden league record for most disposals in a game. He got 56 including 31 contest possessions and added 15 clearances. The win over Terang Mortlake kept the side unbeaten in the Hampden league. Former AFL premiership player Nathan Vardy also had a day out kicking four goals.
Then there was one
Kyabram is the only team unbeaten in the Goulburn Valley league after the Shepparton Swans lost to Echuca on Saturday.
After winning the first seven matches, the Swans lost to Echuca by 17 points, 7.8 (50) to 4.9 (33).
The contest was over in the first half with the Swans kicking one points as Echuca got on top in a tough contest.
Cameron Valentine kicked four goals for the Murray Bombers.
Kyabram won its eight straight match this season with a nine point win over the Shepparton Bears.
Originally published as Meringur ends winless streak with Harrow Balmoral losing for the first time in years
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