Hampden: Ladder leaders North Warrnambool lose one-point thriller to Warrnambool

The Hampden league again underlined its status as the most even competition in the state in 2025. See the latest shock results.

The Hampden league lived up to its billing as the state’s most even competition this season with the top two teams on the ladder and grand finalists of the last two years, South Warrnambool and North Warrnambool, beaten on Saturday.

Ladder leaders North Warrnambool lost to third-placed Warrnambool by one point and South Warrnambool crashed to its second loss in the space of three matches to Koroit by 28 points.

Warrnambool’s Zac Dwyer comes into spoil North Warrnambool’s Jarryd Lewis on Saturday. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Warrnambool’s Heath Morgan-Morris booted the winning goal for the Blues on the same day the league’s leading goalkicker Luke Cody kicked another six.

Warrnambool has been a permanent fixture inside the top five despite being without former North Melbourne star Ben Cunnington all season due to injury.

Ninth-placed Cobden, which beat South in round 10, produced another upset in downing Terang-Mortlake, which has left the Bloods a win and percentage behind fifth-placed Koroit.

Veteran Michael Barlow takes a mark in his second match this season for North Warrnambool against Warrnambool. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The gap between Koroit and Terang-Mortlake could widen next week when the two teams meet.

Warrnambool also plays South Warrnambool next round.

Carlton star Sam Walsh was on hand to watch his original club, Cobden, beat Terang-Mortlake.

Key forward Michael Koroneous booted five goals for Cobden in a feat matched by Terang-Mortlake’s Ash Moloney, who was swung forward in the second half.

After recording only one win in the opening four rounds, Koroit is making a mid-season charge with four successive wins.

The latest victory over the premiers of the last two seasons is the most significant.

The Saints took control in the third term, opening a 25-point lead at the final change, as Lachlan Rhook, Mac Petersen, Tyler Stephens and Geelong league recruit Ben Miller played crucial roles.

North Warrnambool’s Liam Anders flys over Warrnambool’s Jordan Dillon. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

LODDON VALLEY

Bears Lagoon-Serpentine sent reigning premiers Marong tumbling to its second successive loss with star forward Josh Mellington playing a major role in the upset on his return from injury.

Mellington played his first match in a month and booted six goals as Bears Lagoon-Serpentine took control in the third term.

Trailing by two points against the premiers of the last three seasons, Bears Lagoon-Serpentine slammed on six goals to three to open a 24-point lead before holding to win by 12.

Mellington missed a month with a hamstring injury after a more serious hamstring injury that put an end to his season.

He has kicked 48 goals from seven games with 16 in round 8 his best.

Nash Kemp, Tyler Miles and Zac Kemp also played important roles for Bears Lagoon-Serpentine that sit in fourth spot on the ladder.

Marong lost to second-placed Bridgewater last round.

OVENS & MURRAY

Lavington rebounded strongly from its last round loss to reigning premiers Wangaratta Rovers to beat North Albury by eight points.

The Panthers remain second on the ladder after holding out North Albury, which hit the lead in the final term after trailing by 21 points late in the third term.

Key forward Tim Oosterhoff put Lavington back in front and one of the recruits of the season, Ed Perryman, followed up with another goal soon after.

North Albury squandered two late set shots to peg the margin back, but the class of Jack Costello, Nick Newton and the Glanvill brothers, Will and Jack, proved too much.

The Panthers piled on five unanswered goals in the third term to take control.

North Albury regained Josh Murphy from VFL duties and Archer Gardiner from a shoulder injury, but was still missing key forward Josh Minogue and onballer Ben Rigoni.

Wodonga’s finals hopes are dashed after losing to Wangaratta by 10 points.

The Bulldogs slipped two wins and percentage behind fifth-placed North Albury.

Albury, which sits sixth, is in danger of missing of finals after stumbling to Corowa-Rutherglen by 50 points with Roos forward Kaelan Bradtke booting a season-high eight goals in a best-on-ground performance.

Originally published as Hampden: Ladder leaders North Warrnambool lose one-point thriller to Warrnambool