Country footy’s top goalkickers 2023: Dominic Dare, Anthony Zelencich and Ethan Redcliffe lead the way
The home and away season has finished in many leagues and so has the race to be the leading goalkicker in the state. See who finished on top.
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Alvie’s Dominic Dare has finished the 2023 season as the leading goalkicker in country Victoria.
Dare, who brought up his century earlier this month, has ended the home and away rounds 113 goals — one ahead of Carisbrook’s Anthony Zelencich, who came with a rush late by kicking 33 goals in his last three games including a season-best 17 in the second last round.
Dare and Zelencich will also be playing finals unlike the third placegetter, Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe, who finished the season on 110 goals.
Two players — Cora Lynn’s Nathan Gardiner and Echuca United’s James Harney — last round joined the list of century goalkickers this season.
Gardiner joined Marong’s Brandyn Grenfell on 103 and Harney finished with 102.
The only player inside the top-20 goalkickers in the state, who can add to his list on Saturday is Strathfieldsaye’s Lachlan Sharp.
He is presently on 87 goals and would need to replicate his feats of a fortnight ago when he kicked 14 goals to reach another ton.
Srathfieldsaye plays Kyneton in the last round and the last time the two teams met, Sharp booted 11.
AUGUST 8: TON UP FOR LEADING TRIO
The ranks of country footy century goalkickers this season could double in the countdown to finals.
Three players reached the magical milestone in the last round, Alvie’s Dominic Dare, Marong’s Brandyn Grenfell for the second successive year and Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe for the first time in his career.
Dare leads the statewide list with 104, with Grenfell and Redcliffe one back on 103.
But attention has turned to who could join them.
Cora Lynn’s Nathan Gardiner has 92 with two matches left, against Warragul Industrials and Koo Wee Rup in the West Gippsland league.
He booted a combined 10 goals in the two earlier matches against the Dusties and Koo Wee Rup.
Next on 91 goals is Echuca United’s James Harney, who last Saturday became the player to boot the most in a match in the state this year with 25 goals against Rumbalara.
The previous player to kick 100 goals in the Murray league home and away was another Echuca United player, Josh Mellington, with 129 in 2019.
Echuca United plays Deniliquin and Cobram in the last two games with Harney managing three against Cobram in round 5 and only one against Deniliquin in round 12.
Carisbrook’s Anthony Zelencich, who is on 89, could overtake Gardiner and Harney.
Carisbrook plays bottom team Campbells Creek next round and Zelenchich booted nine when they played in round 2.
In the final round, Carisbrook plays another team out of finals contention, Dunolly.
Zelencich kicked five goals against Dunolly in round 3.
AUGUST 1: A BUCHAN BEAUTY
Buchan forward Reagan Kyle’s huge haul of 24 goals has become the biggest individual statewide total of the season, eclipsing the previous best of 20 held by two Tallangatta and District league players.
In his first match for two months last Saturday, Kyle feasted on a depleted Swan Reach in a match the Cavemen needed to win to qualify for finals.
His total was one short of the 25 kicked in 2015 by Buchan player Dylan Bolton.
It is also four shy of the Omeo and District league record of 28 kicked by Benambra’s Craig Martin in 1995 against Ensay.
Ensay folded after the round 4 match against Benambra, which kicked one of the league’s highest scores, 52.24 (342).
Bruthen’s Bob Southen also kicked 25 goals against Swifts Creek in 1987.
Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe and Yackandandah’s Casey George jointly held the record for most goals this season with both bags of 20 coming against Wahgunyah in rounds 14 and 4 respectively.
Redcliffe is one of three players who could bring up a century of goals on Saturday.
His four goals in a team tally of six against reigning premier Chiltern last round has put him on 96 for the season.
Mitta United plays Rutherglen, which sits one spot above Wahgunyah on the ladder, with Redcliffe kicking nine goals the last time the two teams met.
Alvie’s Dominic Dare and Marong’s Brandyn Grenfell are one short of the century.
Meanwhile, the first two goalkicking awards of the season have been settled.
Swan Reach’s Max Solomon won the Omeo and District league award with 59 and Cudgewa’s Adam Prior claimed the Upper Murray honour with 58 including a season-best 11 in the final round against Corryong.
JULY 25: DARING TO DREAM
Alvie’s Dominic Dare is poised to become the first full-forward in the state to kick 100 goals this season on Saturday.
Dare rocketed into second place on the leaderboard with 18 goals against Apollo Bay to have 96 goals for the season.
He sits three behind leader Brandyn Grenfell, but Grenfell’s club, Marong, has a bye this week.
Grenfell needed six goals to bring up the century on Saturday and had five before halftime against Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, but didn’t add to his tally in the second half.
Dare’s 96 goals betters the 94 he kicked last year.
The other player to move within sight of 100 goals is Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe, who dined out on struggling club Wahgunyah for the second time this season.
Redcliffe booted 16 against Wahgunyah in round 3 and last Saturday went four better with 20.
He sits on 92 goals for the season.
Yackandandah’s Casey George also kicked 20 goals against Wahgunyah this season.
Mitta United plays Chiltern this round with the reigning premier keeping Redcliffe to only three goals when they last met.
It has been 18 years since a Mitta United player kicked 100 goals with Shaun Harper achieving the feat in a premiership-winning season.
JULY 18: PRIOR ON FIRE
Cudgewa’s Adam Prior is well placed to become the leading goalkicker in a third league with only two matches remaining in the Upper Murray this season.
Prior was a three-time leading goalkicker in the Ovens and Murray league before kicking a career-best 103 goals to win the Hume league goalkicking award playing for Culcairn in 2019.
He came out of retirement this year to play for Cudgewa after booting 20 goals for Culcairn in the Covid-shortened 2021 season.
He has kicked 47 goals from nine matches for ladder leader Cudgewa with the Upper Murray having the shortest season in the state due to only four clubs competing following the demise of Federal.
Prior won the Doug Strang Medal for three different O&M clubs, North Albury, Wodonga Raiders and Lavington with his best being 79 goals twice for Raiders and Lavington.
He also kicked 11 goals for the O&M in an interleague match against Hampden in 2014.
Cudgewa is undefeated from 10 matches with Prior one of its four players among the top five leading goalkickers.
Coach Drew Cameron is second on 38, Nick Brockley fourth with 24 and Ben Hall one back on 23.
The only player in the top five not from Cudgewa is Bullioh’s Ashley Murray, who booted 14 goals against bottom team Corryong last Saturday.
Murray has kicked 35 goals from four matches after playing for Quambatook last year.
The state’s leading goalkicker, Marong’s Brandyn Grenfell, is poised to bring up his second successive century of goals in the Loddon Valley league.
He needs only six after kicking a season-high 13 last Saturday.
JULY 11: EDDY ON TARGET FOR TRARALGON
Former Port Adelaide forward Brett Eddy has powered Traralgon to a massive win in the Gippsland footy league with a bag of 11 against Maffra at the weekend.
In the Maroons’ 96-point win over the Eagles, Eddy was the best man on the ground with 11 out of Traralgon’s 23 goals while also keeping them in a four-way fight at the top of the Gippsland footy league table.
The big bag takes Eddy’s season tally to 45 for the year, four goals ahead of Wonthaggi’s Cooper McInnes as the league’s leading goalkicker.
Eddy had a commanding first season with the club after booting 71 goals last year as the Maroons lost to Sale in the first semi-final by only three points.
In the Colac and District league, Alvie forward Dominic Dare feasted once again, slotting 14 goals against the Western Eagles.
In a 130-point win, Alvie tied his season-best tally, booting more than half of the side’s goals.
The massive performance also draws Alvie within striking distance of Marong forward Brandyn Grenfell who kicked four goals in his side’s 120-point drubbing of Pyramid Hill.
The match was a top-of-the-table contest, but the Bulldogs were left to lick their wounds and regroup before the sides potentially meet again in the finals.
Mitta United forward Ethan Redcliffe has surged up the leaderboard and into sixth after a bag of 10 goals against the Wodonga Saints.
Redcliffe’s double-digit performance helped Mitta Mitta to a 74-point win and placed the club seventh on the ladder and in the thick of a tight battle for a Tallangatta and District finals berth.
JULY 5: MARONG’S BRANDYN GRENFELL BOOTS 10 AGAIN
Marong star full forward Brandyn Grenfell has surged ahead as country footy’s leading goalkicker this year after a 10-goal haul at the weekend.
A massive 138-point win for Marong strengthened its position at the top of the Loddon Valley ladder, as Grenfell booted 10 of the Panthers’ 28 goals.
A 65-0 opening term set the tone for the afternoon, with Grenfell named in Marong’s best alongside Matthew Willox and Matthew Riordan.
Grenfell took full advantage against bottom-placed Newbridge this weekend, especially as many different leagues across the state had a mid-season bye.
Leading contenders Anthony Zelencich, Tim Looby, Dominic Dare, Nathan Gardiner, Charlie Burrows, Dylan Weir and Jack Sutherland’s season tallies remained unchanged thanks to their respective byes.
A pair of familiar faces climbed back into the ranks of the top 20 with Frazer Judd bagging five goals in Greta’s 82-point win over Goorambat.
Judd’s season tally is now 53.
Boisdale Briagalong’s Caleb Calwyn kicked three goals in the club’s 15-point win against Orbost, taking his season tally to the half-century.
JUNE 27: MULWALA MARVEL BAGS 17 AGAINST RUMBALARA
Mulwala Lions forward Jack Sutherland has surged into the top 10 country footy top goalkickers this season after booting 17 goals last weekend.
In a one-sided affair, Sutherland kicked 17 of Mulwala’s 37 goals as they piled on the pain in a 215-point win against Rumbalara.
The performance takes Sutherland’s season tally to 56, in a three-way tie for sixth, and 11 goals behind Marong’s Brandyn Grenfell.
In a 119-point win against Inglewood, Grenfell kicked another eight goals, taking his season tally to 67, three ahead of Strathmerton’s Tim Looby.
Looby raced up the leaderboard this week, climbing from tenth to second thanks to his bag of 15 goals in Strathmerton’s massive 273-point win against Berrigan.
Looby’s 64 goals so far this season are tied with Carisbrook’s Anthony Zelencich who kicked nine goals, helping his side to a 10-goal win against Newstead in the Maryborough Castlemaine District.
Elsewhere across the state Alvie’s Dominic Dare was held to just two goals in a 15-point loss to Irrewarra-Beeac in their Colac and District clash.
JUNE 20: MARONG’S BRANDYN GRENFELL BOOTS 10 AGAINST MAIDEN GULLY
A familiar name has returned to the top of the statewide goalkicking table.
Marong’s Brandyn Grenfell booted the most goals of any player in Victoria last year when he kicked 143 goals in the home and away rounds for the Lions and capped off a brilliant season with nine in the grand final.
Grenfell kicked 10 on Saturday against Maiden Gully to move to 59 as Marong remained undefeated and on track to win back-to-back premierships in the Loddon Valley league.
He has also played one game this season for Nyah Nyah West United in the Central Murray league and booted five goals.
Grenfell leads Alvie’s Dominic Dare by two with Waaia’s Charlie Burrows one further back on 56.
Also joining the list of players with 50-plus goals this season after the weekend were Carisbrook’s Anthony Zelencich and Bright’s Cooper Thomason.
Katunga’s Daniel Campbell rocketed up to 48 goals for the season with 11 in the Picola and District league.
Strathfieldsaye’s Lachlan Sharp also booted 11 in a big win against Kyneton.
The Storm, which lost the grand final to Gisborne last season, was a slow starter this season and had not won at home until round 7 against Kangaroo Flat.
JUNE 13: ISAIAH IGNITES ROBINVALE-EUSTON
Robinvale-Euston’s dangerous small forward Isaiah Johnson has kicked clear in the Sunraysia league goalkicking race.
Johnson booted his second bag of eight goals last Saturday as the ladder leaders torched lowly South Mildura by 168 points.
He has 40 goals for the season, seven more than former West Coast and GWS player Jarrod Brander, who didn’t play at the weekend.
Johnson and Robinvale-Euston teammate Ricardo Liparota combined to kick 15 goals between them with the latter’s bag of seven goals following six the previous week.
Johnson has entered the race to be the state’s leading goalkicker with him placed only 16 goals behind the leader, Charlie Burrows, who plays for undefeated Picola and District league club, Waaia.
Also halfway to a century of goals are Alvie’s Dominic Dare (55), Cora Lynn’s Nathan Gardiner (53), Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe (52), Swan Reach’s Max Solomon (51) and Merrivale’s Dylan Weir (50).
A big mover at the weekend was Strathmerton’s Tim Looby, who kicked 12 to be on 48 goals.
JUNE 6: TRIO BRING UP HALF CENTURY OF GOALS
Mark Doolan has booted a career-best 15 goals for Chiltern as he attempts to squeeze in another premiership before retiring.
The 39-year-old had to wait until last season before he eventually played in a flag with the Swans, who won their first premiership since joining the Tallangatta and District league 20 years ago.
Doolan was a five-time best and fairest in a career spanning more than 200 matches with Wodonga Raiders in the Ovens and Murray league before joining Chiltern.
His 15 goals came against TDFL whipping boys Wahgunyah, which lost to Chiltern by a whopping 294 points.
Chiltern kicked 16.5 alone in the third quarter against Wahgunyah.
Doolan has 33 goals for the season with his previous biggest bag being eight against Mitta United in round 4.
Doolan has previously kicked 50 and 51 goals in a season for Chiltern, which is presently sitting fourth on the ladder behind Kiewa-Sandy Creek, Yackandandah and Beechworth.
Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe is the league’s leading goalkicker with 47 goals, including 15 against Wahgunyah early in the season.
He was the leading goalkicker in the state early in the season, but has been overtaken in the race to 50 by three players, Waaia’s Charlie Burrows and Cora Lynn’s Nathan Gardiner, who lead the way on 52. The duo is one clear of Swan Reach’s Max Solomon on 51.
MAY 30: GOALS GALORE IN WARRNAMBOOL DISTRICT LEAGUE
Merrivale spearhead Dylan Weir has leapfrogged another Warrnambool District forward into the top 10 goalkickers in the state.
For the second time this season, Weir has kicked 10 goals or more in a match with 13 in a crushing 145-point win against Dennington last Saturday.
His previous best haul was 12 against Old Collegians in round 2.
Weir joined Merrivale from Hampden league club South Warrnambool this season.
He has 43 goals for the season to be sitting seventh on the list of top goalkickers, ahead of rival forward Robert Hare from Allansford on 35.
There is a three-way tie for the lead on 47 goals between Carisbrook’s Anthony Zelencich, Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe and Swan Reach’s Max Solomon.
After not playing the previous week due to his involvement with the “Dreamtime at the G” match between Essendon and Richmond, Solomon returned to kick a season-high nine against Bruthen.
His teammate Alex Saunders booted 10 in the same game.
Zelencich kicked his third bag of eight goals for the season against Avoca to also move into a share of the lead.
Redcliffe managed only one against Yackandandah.
MAY 23: WENTWORTH RECRUIT MAKES HIS MOVE
Former AFL player Jarrod Brander has moved into the state’s top-20 goalkickers in his first season with Sunraysia league club Wentworth.
Brander was delisted by Greater Western Sydney at the end of last season following four senior matches with the club.
He previously played 22 matches for West Coasts Eagles who drafted him in 2017 and at one stage was tipped to take over from club champion Josh Kennedy in the goalsquare.
Brander booted six goals for his new club, Wentworth, against Imperials last Saturday.
But his biggest bag of goals this season was 13 in round 2 against South Mildura.
Wentworth coach Wade Hancock also booted five goals in the win against Imperials in only his second outing this year.
Wentworth is sitting second on the ladder behind undefeated Robinvale-Euston.
Brander has 31 goals for the season with Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe remaining on top of the table with 46 despite the club have a bye last weekend.
The biggest bag of goals for the round was kicked by Winchelsea’s Leigh Ellis, who booted 16 in the Geelong and District league last Saturday.
Alvie’s Dominic Dare was the big mover with his 14 goals in the Colac and District league moving him into second spot and only one behind Redcliffe.
Swan Reach’s Max Solomon was second, but didn’t play against Omeo-Benambra last Saturday.
MAY 16: SOLOMON AIMING AT ANOTHER TON
Swan Reach’s Max Solomon is on target to repeat his 2017 feat of kicking 100 goals in an Omeo District league season.
Solomon has moved into second place on the statewide goalkicking table with six goals last Saturday against the club he helped win a premiership with last season, Lindenow South.
He has 38 for the season, second behind Mitta United’s Ethan Redcliffe, who bounced back from two quiet games in losses to Chiltern and Tallangatta to kick nine against Rutherglen.
Redcliffe has 46 goals for the season.
He is yet to kick 10 goals or more in a match, but has averaged more than six goals a game in the six rounds played.
The Omeo District league is a 15-round season with Swan Reach certain of playing finals as it sits on top of the ladder equal on wins with second-placed Swifts Creek, which lost the grand final to Lindenow South last year.
MAY 9: MAGIC MILESTONE FOR RENNIE CHAMP
Rennie full-forward Chase Strawhorn has joined a select group of players to kick more than 1000 goals in their career after booting three goals in a big loss to Deni Rovers on Saturday.
Strawhorn brought the four-figure target within reach when he booted 13 goals in the opening round, but has taken another five games to achieve the feat.
The majority of his 1000 career goals have come for Rennie where he is also a four-time premiership player and dual best and fairest winner.
Strawhorn has booted 648 goals for Rennie with another 256 at Murray league club Mulwala.
He kicked 79 goals for Picola and District league rival Jerilderie.
Strawhorn also played eight games for Yarrawonga and booted 12 goals.
“I knew it was coming up and it’s good to get it out of the way,” he said.
“I haven’t set out to achieve it and it’s just something that has happened.”
His biggest haul in a match is 13.
On Saturday in the Hampden league, Jason Rowan also kicked his 1000th career goal in a Port Fairy victory that ended a 29-match losing streak dating back to the early rounds of 2021.
Russell played at Port Fairy in a career that also included stints at South Warrnambool and Koroit.
Other players to kick more than 1000 goals in country football include Bendigo’s Ron Best, Dick O’Bree, who played with Lake Boga and Euroa, and Ovens and Murray league duo Steve Norman and Stan Sargeant.
Two players who have reportedly kicked more than 2000 goals are Chris Stuhldreier and Shane Loveless.
APRIL 28: RECRUIT MAKES EARLY IMPACT
Mitta United star recruit Ethan Redcliffe is well on the way to becoming the club’s first century goalkicker in almost two decades.
Redcliffe joined the Tallangatta and District league club this season from Wodonga and has kicked 33 goals in the first three rounds including 16 against Wahgunyah last week.
It followed 11 against Dederang-Mt Beauty the previous round and six on debut against Wodonga Saints.
The last player to kick 100 goals for Mitta United was Shaun Harper in 2005 when the club was piecing together four premierships in a row.
Harper played in three of the four successive flags.
The addition of 21-year-old Redcliffe and Ovens and Murray league best and fairest winner Jarrod Hodgkin have been two major factors in Mitta United’s resurgence this year.
But Mitta United and Redcliffe face their biggest challenges of the season on Saturday when they come up against reigning premier Chiltern.
“We’ve made a good start to the season and he’s made a good start to the season also,” Mitta United coach Luke Hodgkin said.
“But we come up against the best side in it this week.
“It’s where you sort out the really good forwards from those that aren’t at the same level.
“He’s a good footballer and I’d be surprised if he didn’t have an impact.”
Mitta United lost to Chiltern by 195 points in round nine last year.
The most number of goals kicked in a match this season is 19 by Jerilderie’s Mitchell Conlan against Yarroweyah in the Picola and District league.
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Originally published as Country footy’s top goalkickers 2023: Dominic Dare, Anthony Zelencich and Ethan Redcliffe lead the way
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