All the talking points in country footy for last weekend

There were several droughts ended across country footy at the weekend while there were other standout talking points across Victoria. Here are 10 talking points from the weekend’s action.

Ben Crocker has been dominating in country footy. Photo by Mike Owen/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

It’s been another dramatic week of country footy in almost perfect conditions.

There were upset, premiership statements made and some more outstanding individual performances.

Here are 10 things we learnt this week in country footy

Sandhurst sets the standard

Sandhurst’s Lachlan Tardrew earlier this season. The Dragons have set the standard this year in the Bendigo league. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

To win the Bendigo league this season you’ll need to beat Sandhurst. The Dragons dispatched another premiership threat on Saturday in devastating fashion, beating South Bendigo by 77 points. In the battle for the annual Graeme Wright Memorial Cup the Dragons kicked 11 goals to two in the second half to remain unbeaten this season. Tom Campbell, Nicholas Stagg and Matthew Wilkinson kicked three goals for the reigning premiers. Sandhurst has a chance to go 7-0 in the next two rounds and put one hand on the minor premiership with games against Gisborne and Eaglehawk.

Kyabram are the real deal

Kyabram sent a statement in the Goulburn Valley league on Saturday by beating the powerhouse team over the past three years in convincing fashion. The Bombers ended Echuca’s 21-game unbeaten run with a 35-point win at home. It came in a final quarter take-down. With scores level at three-quarter-time, Kyabram kicked seven final quarter goals to two to overpower the Murray Bombers. It was the first win for Kyabram over Echuca since the 2019 grand final. Kyabram at the start of the season said it was looking to end Echuca’s run in the competition and stop them winning four straight flags. The Bombers took one step towards making it happen and are now 6-0.

Calder Lions right up there

It took a couple of weeks for the newly merged side to get going but the Calder Lions in the North Central league put in their best performance on Saturday with a 125-point win over Boort. The Lions, after a close first quarter, kicked 21 goals to two in the final three quarters to win comfortably. Jordan Humphreys kicked eight goals. It moves the Lions to 3-2 for the season and on track for finals and a shot at joining the exclusive club of winning a premiership after merging the year before. Calder Lions was formed after Nullawil and Wycheproof-Narraport merged at the end of 2024.

Crocker to win the Gippsland goalkicking award

Ben Crocker, who previously played for Carlton, has dominated for Moe this season. Photo by Mike Owen/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Barring injury, former Adelaide and Collingwood player Ben Crocker is on track to win the Gippsland league goalkicking. He’s kicked 27 goals in five games, including 21 in his past three games. On Saturday against Drouin he kicked eight goals in the team’s 130-point win. Crocker has helped Moe to the top of the ladder after five rounds.

Daylesford the team to beat in Central Highlands

Last year’s premiers have made a flying start to the season in the Central Highlands league. Daylesford are 5-0 and impressively held off rising team Rokewood-Corindhap by five points on Saturday. Led by Andrew Panayi, who has kicked 17 goals in five games, the Bulldogs have continued from where it finished last year. But the big tests are to come. Fellow unbeaten team Dunnstown is the Bulldogs’ next rival on Saturday before taking on Gordon.

Eastern block dominates league

Darley’s Brett Bewley has helped the Devils to become a powerhouse in the Ballarat league. Picture: Andy Brownbill

It looks to be a big challenge for Ballarat teams to win the league this year against those outside of the city. All four of the eastern block teams in the competition currently sit inside the top-five after five rounds with the top three occupied by Melton, Darley and Sunbury. And a couple of them are breaking droughts too. On Saturday, Sunbury smashed East Point by 45 points at home one week after breaking a six-year drought with a win against the Ballarat Swans. Bacchus Marsh also ended a drought, beating North Ballarat at Mars Stadium for the first time in eight years. Melton and Darley at the top is no surprise with Sunbury also meeting its pre-season expectations sitting at 4-1. Bacchus Marsh has joined the trio of teams at the top who will make it a nightmare for Ballarat teams as we head closer to finals.

The new benchmark in footy

Harrow Balmoral, take a bow. The Horsham District league team reached a milestone on Saturday after beating Pimpinio by 22 points. It was the 40th straight win for the club since losing in the 2023 preliminary final. Since then the Kangaroos have won back-to-back premierships and not lost a game in both of those seasons – 18 games The team has been led by ex-AFL player Michael Close and won its fourth game this season to make the streak 40. Another unbeaten season would make it 54, putting them among the top sides in history to have a streak like that.

Allansford makes statement

Last year the Warrnambool District side won a final for the first time in nine years over Dennington and this year are well on the way to going much better if Saturday is anything to go by. For the first time since 2016 the Cats defeated Nirranda, last year’s premiers by 11 points, 15.7. (97) to 12.14. (86). A dominant third quarter, with the Cats kicking five goals to zero, helped the team end the drought. League-leading goalkicker Robbie Ware kicked three goals with Charlie Grist adding four. The Cats are now one of three teams unbeaten this season, winning their opening five matches.

Plenty to celebrate for Undera

The wait was worth it for the Lions on Saturday. Undera ended a 23-game winless streak in the Kyabram District league with a five-point win over Avenel, 9.12. (66) to 8.13. (61). In a close contest all day the Lions led for the first three terms despite the margin not getting out to more than 10 points all day. Daniel Campbell, Anthony Cox and Riley Moon each kicked three goals in the win. It’s the first win for Undera since round 13, 2023, after going through 2024 without a victory.

Sticking it up to the Croweaters

The late Ted Whitten would be proud of Murrayville. In the absence of State of Origin football, for now, the Blues are keeping the tradition alive of beating South Australia. Murrayville is the best Victorian team playing in South Australian competitions and have started the year 3-0 in the Murray Valley Football Netball League after winning last year’s premiership. The past two wins have come by 140 and 100 points respectively with the Blues beating last year’s grand finalists Browns Well by 56 points in round one. Murrayville, located right near the Victoria/South Australian border, has been playing in South Australian competitions for the past few decades. After previously playing in the Mallee Football League from 1994 to 2022 the team joined the MVFNL in 2023, opting to stay playing against SA opposition. Since then the team has been one of the best in the new competition.