Local and country footy: Victoria’s top goalkickers of 2022 named
As home-and-away seasons draw to a close across the state, local footy’s list of leading goalkickers is being finalised. See who made it.
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The race to get to triple figures is heating up as the home and away season draws to a close.
Five players across the state have now reached triple figures for the season.
Silvan’s Leigh Kimpton became the first player in Melbourne to do so in the Eastern League’s Division 4.
Here’s a look at the leaders across Victoria’s local footy competitions.
METRO
Leigh Kimpton (Silvan, Eastern) — 103
Became the first player in metro footy to reach the 100-goal mark this season after booting seven goals against Chirnside Park on Saturday. Has four bags of double figures this season.
Dean Cachia (Suns, Western Region) — 92
Suddenly leads the goalkicking race in Division 3 after 43 goals in his last 11 games. He’ll be in a direct shootout with Shaun Bittigieg-Clarke for the goalkicking award this weekend with the Suns set to face Braybrook. Every chance to kick the ton come finals.
Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke (Braybrook, Western Region) — 91
Faces a tough task to reach triple figures with just one game against Division 3 contender Suns to come. Kicked a season-high of 15 against Laverton in Round 1.
Jackson Cecil (Laurimar, Northern) — 84
Cecil’s third season with the Power has been brilliant with Laurimar sitting at the top of the Division 3 ladder. He has kicked two double figure bags against strugglers Lalor (14 goals) and Reservoir (16).
Richard Mathers (Frankston Dolphins, Southern) — 79
The Dolphins coach leads all comers in the Southern league. Missed an opportunity to add to his tally when Doveton Eagles, a side he kicked 12 against earlier in the season, forfeit due to Covid issues.
Jarryd McGrath (Lyndhurst, Southern) — 78
McGrath came close to pipping Mathers for the award in the final round after booting nine goals. A key player in Lyndhurst’s premiership hopes.
Liam Montrose (Albanvale, Western Region) — 77
Despite missing three games this season, Montrose has proven to be an outstanding recruit for the Cobras. He has formed a dynamic partnership with Nathan Johnson who has 55 goals of his own.
Josh Covelli (Hillside, Essendon District) — 75
Stepping up from Division 2 has been a seamless transition for Covelli who has been held goalless just once. Sharks coach Charlie Denaro has been impressed with so much more than his goalkicking.
Aaron Cloke (Oakleigh AFC, VAFA) — 73
Clearly the leading goalkicker in all VAFA competitions. Has previously booted a ton when he kicked 110 goals in the 2018 Division 1 season.
Stephen Muller (St Paul’s McKinnon, Southern) — 70
Muller has bettered his first season at the Doggies where he kicked 54 goals in 16 games. He leads the way in Division 1 with Cranbourne’s Marc Holt nine goals behind him.
Josh Abela (South Mornington, Southern) — 69
Abela found his best form of the season in the back half of the year. He finished with 16 goals in his last two home-and-away games.
Jake Parente (Mitcham, Eastern) — 68
Parente finished with 43 goals from 16 matches in 2019 and he has already gone onto better that effort this season. He’s only be held goalless once this season.
Matt Perri (Wallan, Riddell District) — 68
Has found his brilliant best in the last few weeks in an ominous warning for opposition clubs with the finals series just a few weeks away. Has averaged just under five goals a game at 4.86. Teammate Corey Grindlay is second in the goalkicking charts with 57.
Joel Perry (Powelltown, Outer East) — 68
Finished the season 22 goals clear of his nearest challenger in the Division 2 goalkicking charts highlighting his dominance throughout the season.
Paul Tsoucalas (Clayton, Southern) — 68
You’d have to go back to Round 4 against Carrum Patterson Lakes to find the last time Tsoucalas was held goalless. It’s been a remarkable effort from the star forward when his side sits second last on the Division 3 ladder with just three wins to its name.
Steve Tolongs (Murrumbeena, Southern) — 66
Back on the list to finish the season after a bag of six goals against Ashwood. Finished second in the Division 3 goalkicking race.
Justin Ficorilli (Silvan, Eastern) — 65
Not to be forgotten, Ficorilli has enjoyed a fantastic season of his own at Silvan as the Cats chase a premiership. His best effort was 10 goals against Kilsyth.
Matt Clark (Keilor, Essendon District) — 64
Shot onto the list last week as the Blues flexed their muscle in a big win over Glenroy as Clark finished with 13 majors.
Declan Fowler (Masala, VAFA) — 64
Another new name to make his way onto the list after a dominant performance at the weekend where he finished with eight goals. Now has 23 majors in his last three outings.
Ned Gentile (Airport West, Essendon) — 64
Finished the season second on the Division 1 goalkicking charts after a brilliant season for the high flying Eagles.
Clinton Johnson (Wandin, Outer East) — 64
Has excelled since making the move from East Brighton with a series of dominant displays. The equal leading goalkicker in Premier Division.
Jake Richardson (Narre Warren, Outer East) — 64
Has been in dynamic form for the Premier Division ladder leader this season and has found his best footy in recent weeks with 15 goals in his last two outings.
Patrick Fitzgerald (Montmorency, Northern) — 63
Fitzgerald has kicked a goal in every game for the high flying Division 1 Magpies including 10 majors against Hurstbridge. Seven goals in two games against Heidelberg have proven he can also do it against the best.
COUNTRY
Brandyn Grenfell (Marong, Loddon Valley) — 143
An utterly dominant season sees the former Goulburn Valley league big man lead all comers across the state. He even managed to sneak in a four-goal performance for Ballan in the Central Highlands league at one point. Recently set the most goals by any player in a Loddon Valley league season.
Bradley Congress (Bambill, Millewa) — 128
Brought up the ton on the same weekend as Grenfell but did it in just 11 games. Kicked a club record 24 goals against Meringur earlier in the season.
Adam Thomson (Gol Gol, Millewa) — 125
Made headlines earlier in the season when he kicked an astounding 33 goals against Meringur and at the weekend brought up the magical triple figures.
Lachlan Thompson (Benalla All Blacks, Ovens and King) — 105
The fourth man to kick 100 goals in country footy after a resounding 19-goal effort two weeks ago.
Jack Exell (Violet Town, Kyabram and District) — 102
Brought up the ton in his first season at Violet Town following in the footsteps of teammate Josh Mellington who achieved the feat last year.
Danny Brewster (Natte Bealiba, Maryborough Castlemaine District) — 101
A 10-goal haul was enough to see Brewster bring up his 100th goal for the season. Remarkably he was held goalless against Trentham.
Damian Cupido (Girgarre, Kyabram and District) — 101
The Roos coach hasn’t lost his goalkicking ability despite his side having won just seven games for the season and reached the 100-goal milestone on the weekend with 14 against Longwood.
Michael Lockyer (Lismore Derrinallum, Mininera and District) — 101
A 15-goal effort on Saturday got Lockyer into triple figures after hauls of 14 and 18 in the two games prior.
Jake Keogh (Trentham, Maryborough Castlemaine District) — 99
His 10 goals against Newstead mean Keogh will be forced to wait another week to kick his 100th goal. A game against eighth-placed Talbot awaits and you’d expect him to get it done.
When the man above him on this list was held goalless, Keogh finished with three of his own to set up an exciting finish to the competition’s goalkicking award.
Joel Brett (Golden Square, Bendigo) — 89
Brett has continued to kick goals even against the better sides this season. Has kicked 10 goals on two occasions.
Dominic Dare (Alvie, Colac and District) — 88
Has continually bobbed up with bags of goals this season with five lots of two hampering his efforts to reach 100 majors.
Josh Mellington (Violet Town, Kyabram and District) — 88
Missed several games during the middle of the year due to injury and if it hadn’t of been for that he may well have already brought up the ton.
Mat Hebbard (Drysdale, Bellarine) — 87
Hebbard has been a dominant force in the Hawks’ push towards premiership contention. There has been two games where he was held to just one goal.
Jack Musgrove (Rupanyup, Horsham and District) — 86
Musgrove had multiple goals in every game this season until he was held to one on Saturday.
Luke Stanbrook (Bambill, Millewa) — 85
Has formed a dominant partnership with Congress with the pair causing plenty of headaches in the state’s northwest.
William Ford (Bell Post Hill, Geelong and District) — 83
Ford has been a standout during his first season with Bell Post Hill in a season where he kicked 17 goals in a game.
Fergus Lappin (Katunga, Picola and District) — 80
Skyrocketed on the list of country footy’s top goalkickers after booting 23.14 against the lowly Blighty on the weekend.
Jason Rowan (Warrnambool, Hampden) — 80
A 16-goal effort against Port Fairy on Saturday has seen Rowan fly up the list of the state’s leading goalkickers. He has a five-goal advantage heading into the final round.
Robert Hare (Allansford, Warrnambool and District) — 78
Another new name on the list. Sneaks into the top 20 after booting nine against South Rovers on Saturday.
Anthony Zelencich (Carisbrook, Maryborough Castlemaine District) — 78
Finds himself in this position despite kicking just four goals in the first three rounds highlighting his brilliance in front of goal.
Other notable efforts
In metro Melbourne, Ryan Allan has 67 goals for Caroline Springs to lead all comers in Division 1 of the Western Region League.
Sam Grimley of University Blues is leading the way in the VAFA Premier Division with 56 for the season.
Meanwhile James Wilsen from South Croydon is leading the way in the Eastern League’s Premier Division with 62.
Andrew Dean (Rye, Mornington Peninsula) took out the goalkicking award in Division 2 with 74 majors while Jarryd Grant is the leading goalkicker in Division 1 with 46.
Meanwhile, Leigh Williams (Yarrawonga) leads the Ovens and Murray Football League with 58 goals from nine games.
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