Sunday Spotlight: Kyneton closes in on finals, Sunbury snatches sixth, De La Salle’s revival continues and more

The Local Footy Sunday Spotlight brings you up to date with the biggest talking points from Saturday’s football across Melbourne.

Kyneton looks set to hold off teams including Gisborne to play finals. Picture: Josie Hayden.

THIS week’s Sunday Spotlight puts Bacchus Marsh’s crucial slip up, a wayward haul from a gun small forward, Kyneton’s decisive finals move and more under the microscope.

WRFL: Hoppers makes a wayward statement

After registering 34 scoring shots to 16, some would say Hoppers Crossing should have beaten reigning Western Region Football League premier Deer Park by more than 73 points on Saturday. The Warriors are the competition’s in-form side on the eve of finals, but will want to improve in front of the big sticks after slotting 16.18 (114) to 5.11 (41) on Saturday. Small forward Jordan Mead was the main culprit, finishing with 4.11.

BFNL: Kyneton makes its move in finals race

Kyneton has all but ended its finals drought in the Bendigo Football League after a 41-point triumph over Castlemaine. The Tigers have not played finals for 12 years, but took a major step toward a top-five finish by overrunning the Magpies. Kyneton is two games clear of Castlemaine, Gisborne and Kangaroo Flat with two rounds remaining.

Kyneton looks set to hold off teams including Gisborne to play finals. Picture: Josie Hayden.

BFL: Sunbury takes advantage of Bacchus slip up

Sunbury coach Rick Horwood declared last week his side could only play Ballarat Football League finals if Ballarat did it a huge favour and beat Bacchus Marsh. The equation was simple enough for the Cobras — win their final two games under Cam Richardson and they would play finals for the first time since 2001. But Sunbury’s remarkable finals run looks like continuing after it propelled itself into sixth by beating Sebastopol, while Bacchus Marsh lost to Ballarat by 53 points.

VAFA: Unbeaten run puts De La Salle in reach

After nine rounds of the Victorian Amateur Football Association Premier season, De La Salle looked more likely to face the drop than play finals. But a win over Beaumaris in Round 10 has proved the start of a season-salvaging run of seven games without a defeat. De La Salle sits two points behind fourth-placed Old Carey with two rounds remaining as it looks to cap its remarkable revival with a top-four finish.

De La Salle has improved in the second half of the VAFA season. Picture: Stuart Milligan.

SFL: St Kilda City springs a surprise

Any hope Mordialloc had of finishing inside the Southern Football League Division 1 top three vanished in a 31-point loss against St Kilda City. Saints coach Mark Tasiyan went out on a high, booting six goals after halftime before announcing his retirement as a player and coach after the match. President Rod Gamlin described Tasiyan’s performance as “nothing short of sensational”.

Wandin is cruising toward a perfect home-and-away season. Picture: Brendan Francis.

YVMDFL: Wandin’s form rolls on

Another week of football, another win for Wandin. The Bulldogs are steamrolling their way toward Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League finals, easily accounting for Monbulk in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday. Kire Talevski snagged six goals as Wandin moved a step closer to completing a perfect home-and-away campaign, a feat it can achieve with victory over Olinda Ferny Creek this Saturday.