The Hanger: Match called off due to painful hip injury, Eltham Collegians end winless run, Dermott Brereton inspires Karingal and more
A MATCH abandoned due to a hip injury, Dermott Brereton’s cameo in the Karingal rooms and Eltham Collegians ends its winless run in the VAFA. That and more in The Hanger.
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AFL YARRA RANGES: Ex-AFL players enjoy a day out
What a weekend it was for Josh Fraser. Before steering his Northern Blues side to victory in the VFL against Collingwood on Sunday, the former Magpies and Gold Coast ruckman pulled on the boots for Seville and dined out with nine goals in a 266-point victory over battling Thornton Eildon. Fraser was outdone by teammate Josh Neal, who bagged 12 majors to move to 31 for the season from nine games. Another ex-Collingwood player, Tarkyn Locker, was the matchwinner with four goals in Gembrook Cockatoo’s 10-point win over Powelltown.
NORTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Creekers hit by injury blow
Diamond Creek is unsure if spearhead Jess Cosaitis will play again after he suffered a horrific leg injury against Lower Plenty on Saturday. Cosaitis broke his tibia and fibula and had to have a 37cm rod inserted into his leg during surgery on Saturday. Cosaitis’ injury is a huge blow for the Creekers’ premiership hopes. He has been the leading goalkicker in Northern Football League Division 2 with 33 majors.
BENDIGO FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Gisborne stalwart reaches 200 games
Much like the rest of his senior career at Gisborne, the build-up to Shaun Comerford’s 200th match was delayed by injury. Comerford has had to overcome knee and calf injuries to reach the milestone and had been due to play his 200th game in Round 6 against Maryborough. He was injured at training two days before the game, but finally chalked up his milestone with a win over Kangaroo Flat on Saturday.
MORNINGTON PENINSULA NEPEAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Game called off due to injury
A painful injury to Frankston YCW’s Luke Paynter caused his side’s clash against Seaford to be abandoned on Saturday. The match was called off in the second quarter after Paynter dislocated his hip in his first game since last year’s grand final. YCW coach Wayne Capp said the injury happened as Paynter tried to change direction and said the player had complained of sore hips before. It was about 90 minutes before he was attended to and the match was called off with Seaford leading 1.5 (11) to 0.4 (4). Kyle Hutchison played his 200th match for Frankston YCW, albeit a short-lived milestone.
VICTORIAN AMATEUR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION: Turtles end wait for success
From an uncertain future at the start of pre-season, Eltham Collegians finally had reason to celebrate when they held on for their first win of the year in VAFA Division 2 on Saturday over Emmaus St Leos. The Turtles will realistically need a minimum of two more victories to pull themselves out of the bottom two, but that equation mattered little in Round 11. Eltham Collegians produced one of their best quarters of the season to lead by 15 points at three-quarter-time and edged to a 10.7 (67) to 8.14 (62) win as the Animals kicked a wasteful 2.5 in the last term. Fraser Cloney kicked four goals and Brayden Meade logged three in the win.
ESSENDON DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Abers drop out of four
Only two of the past five EDFL Premier Division winners have backed up by making finals the next year. The pressure is on reigning premier Aberfeldie to avoid the fate suffered by Keilor (2017), Strathmore (2015) and Greenvale (2014) after a last-minute loss to Pascoe Vale on Saturday caused Abers to fall to fifth. Aberfeldie was beaten 12.10 (82) to 11.10 (76) by the Panthers as a Michael Ross goal 33 minutes into the last term settled an absorbing contest. While Aberfeldie is only two points outside the top four, at least two teams who could count themselves as flag contenders will miss out on finals. Abers still play four of the other top-six sides in what promises to be a tense run home.
MORNINGTON PENINSULA NEPEAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Dermie steals show in Karingal rooms
“Make the most of it.’’ That was the message from Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton to Karingal debutant Lachie Hinde as the Hawks legend presented the first-gamer with his jumper on Saturday. Brereton is a family friend of the Hindes and had seen Lachie grow up. Whether his presence helped or not is debatable, but Karingal produced a ruthless display to defeat Crib Point by 98 points. If Dermie did stick around, he would have been impressed by Matt Stanley, Nathan McDonald, Travis Puntaroni and Andy McInnes, who kicked three goals apiece.
EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Premier dominates grand final rematch
South Croydon enhanced its claims as a back-to-back premiership fancy by defeating Vermont in a rematch of last year’s EFL Division 1 grand final on Saturday. It was a typically hardworking display from the reigning premier, prevailing 8.22 (70) to 8.4 (52) and registering 30 scoring shots to 12. Nick Molnar was herculean for the Bulldogs with 22 tackles, laying 14 of those before halftime.
VICTORIAN AMATEUR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION: Mt Lilydale ends Bulls’ unbeaten run
Mt Lilydale sprung one of the upsets of the VAFA season on Saturday, stopping North Brunswick’s unbeaten run at 10 matches in Division 4. While Mt Lilydale is sixth and two games outside the top four, it produced a stirring second half to clinch a 15.8 (98) to 12.9 (81) win. Daniel Perry kicked four goals for the victors, who had lost their past two games against South Mornington and Eley Park Sharks before the 17-point win. North Brunswick is still two games ahead of St Francis Xavier and Parkside at the top of the ladder.
NORTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Macleod keeps winning streak going
Patrick Martin continued his career-best season for Macleod on Saturday with a four-goal haul in the top-of-the-table clash in against West Preston-Lakeside on Saturday. The Roosters had cut the Roos’ advantage to 12 points when Liam McVeigh kicked consecutive goals in the space of 90 seconds before Martin slotted his fourth in time-on to seal a 14.8 (92) to 11.8 (74) win. Martin now has 27 goals from the first nine rounds of the Northern Football League season and needs just another two goals to better his previous season-best tally of 29, which he kicked last year.
Off-season central: every RDFNL club’s recruits
The new season is just around the corner and Riddell District clubs have been busy bolstering their lists. Check out all the news recruits here.
Recruit tracker: ex-AFL talents join Northern league
OFF-SEASON CENTRAL: It’s a new year and the new local footy season is just around the corner. Check out the latest recruits at every Northern league club here.