Local footballers lay claim to mark of the year

Contenders emerged for local footy’s mark of the year throughout last weekend but some efforts were undone by the camera, including one compared to Ashley Sampi’s all-time hanger. It’s all in Quick Kicks.

Ashley Sampi takes one of the greatest grabs ever taken at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Here at Quick Kicks we look at the lighter side of local footy.

Whether it be a funny exchange, a good stat or an action that’s laughed about after the game — it’s all here.

‘GIVE HIM THE CAR!’

If only local footy leagues gave out the keys to a brand new set of wheels for pulling in ‘Mark of the Year’.

Two fresh contenders would be eyeing the big prize following the weekend after soaring for some of the best marks you’ll see.

In Division 2, Waverley Blues young gun Sonny Doherty climbed a few storeys to pull down this absolute screamer against Wantirna South - with Field of View Photography capturing the moment frame-by-frame.

Waverley Blues' Sonny Doherty soars for a screamer. Picture: Field of View Photography

Meanwhile, in Division 4, Chirnside Park’s Paul Thatcher - no stranger to high altitudes on the footy field - flew sideways to claim this absolute beauty:

‘WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FOOTAGE?’

Spare a thought for Old Xaverians gun Charlie MacIsaac. The VAFA star took what has been described as one of the marks in the year in his side’s win over Uni Blues but the moment hasn’t quite been captured by the cameras. The video footage goes blurry as MacIsaac sits on top of his teammates head in a “Sampi-esque mark” according to VAFA commentator Paddy Grindlay. Then there’s the issue of the photo. A teammate was directly in line with the shot the photographer. Poor Charlie, we’ll trust your word the mark was a special one.

Sampi-esque from Charlie MacIsaac today!

A defender in the foreground away from footy pic of the year by the @OldXavsFC snapper… pic.twitter.com/QF2epouKjE

— Paddy Grindlay (@pad_nauseum) May 24, 2025

THE FLYING UMPIRE?!

Former AFL umpire Michael Pell showed off his acrobatic side in Hadfield’s loss to Glenroy. The Hawks’ number 2 flew onto the back of his opponent in the middle of the ground before dishing it off to a teammate. Even his opponent enjoyed a little laugh.

HE’S BACK

That’s the Marto we know. Kyle Martin has stuffed many stat sheets in his time and he returned to similar territory with a bang on Saturday. The Springvale Districts midfielder produced his best game as a Demon after following good mate Jackson Sketcher to Newcomen Rd from Noble Park this year. He gathered your everyday 38 possessions, 18 clearances and two goals against Cranbourne. Welcome back, Marto.

BIG NUMBERS

It was a stats explosion in the Southern league on Saturday. Check out these: Jack Lonie had 45 touches, kicked two goals and had 17 score involvements. Alec McComb racked up 36 touches and slotted four goals, Dylan Weickhardt 30 touches, 17 of them contested, plus 10 clearances. And Harry Edwards had 20 disposals and 55 hit outs. And the kicker? They are all from the same team, Cheltenham. Good luck giving the votes in that game.

MUDDY TO MAGNIFICENT

They say a week is a long time in footy, but what about 34 years? Veteran local footy photographer Andrew Batsch ventured out to Upwey Tecoma on Saturday to snap some pics. He was pleasantly surprised with what he saw, given the last time he was at the ground — in 1991 — the oval was a mud-heap. Batsch’s photo of Upwey’s muddy ground in ‘91 made the front page of the Free Press newspaper at the time, under the headline: “Is this the worst ground in Melbourne?” How things have changed! There’s not a speck of mud nowadays, just lush green grass.

Andrew Batsch's 1991 front page photo of Upwey Tecoma's muddy ground.

DAD BEHIND THE GOALS

Bit of commotion in the Edi-Asp-Dromana game last Saturday, with Ty Vickery’s dad John in the middle of it. John was behind the goals when Ty’s set shot was adjudged a point. Ty thought it was a goal, and clearly so did John, who got a bit animated, causing a halt in play while umpires got together for a discussion.

TIMELY TEXT MESSAGE

The local coaching fraternity stick together. After a rugged start to the season, one coach finally tasted a win on Saturday — and on Sunday morning he woke to a text message from a rival coach along the lines of, “well done mate, you’ve turned them around before and I knew you’d do it again’’. Good stuff.

WELL, THAT’S NEW

Even the best players can cop a spray sometimes — even if it is unwarranted. We’re told one team’s best, perhaps ever, was issued a stern spray from his coach in a loss on Saturday. The player was in a new role in defence and was screamed at to fulfill his role by actually defending. The issue was, he was standing the mark at the time. Perhaps he wasn’t holding his arms high enough.

CAMEO SUCCESS

It wasn’t Dane Swan or Brendan Fevola but 12-game former Essendon defender Jason Ashby helped delivered exactly what Old Paradians wanted on Saturday - four points. The Raiders secured Ashby for what is likely to be a one-off appearance, given he lives in Byron Bay and was just in Melbourne for the weekend and had a connection through a club sponsor. The 31-year-old had 18 disposals and several intercept marks across half-back as Old Paradians pipped Watsonia by one-point in a nail-biting relegation battle. While it might be just one game this year, the club is hopeful he might be a more regular inclusion next year.

UMPIRE PAIN

It wasn’t a good day for goal umpires in the Mornington Peninsula league on Saturday. At Mt Eliza, Rodney Young was transported by ambulance to hospital after being k’od in an accidental collision with a player. Further down Nepean Hwy, at Seaford, fellow flag waver Frank Witting copped the full force of a footy in the face, causing a nasty gash. Get well, lads.

THE RICHIE VANDENBERG AWARD GOES TO ...

Epping legend Steve Bawden wound back the clock to lead the Diamond Valley Legends to a thrilling two-point win over the North Heidelberg All-Stars in Sunday’s Beyond Blue charity match. The burly full forward is said to have taken the return to the field very seriously and bagged six goals in a best-on-ground performance. The match pitted some of the league’s modern greats against each other at Shelley Park. Fearing a loss, the All-Stars even drafted in reigning NFNL Division 1 leading goalkicker - and current Wangaratta Magpies spearhead - Parker Heatley in a bid to over-run the Legends but fell agonsingly short. On a good day for footy, plenty of money was also raised for a good cause.