Ellinbank, Hampden and Goulburn Valley: Neerim South on top with 8-0 record

Neerim South was a middle of the road team when the 2021 season was called off, but is firming as flag favourite a year later.

David Johnston

2 min read

June 7, 2022 - 9:15AM

The Weekly Times

Neerim South has seen off another threat to its unbeaten start to the Ellinbank and District league season with a 26-point win against Ellinbank in tough conditions on Saturday.

The Neerim South Cats have started the season with eight successive victories with third-placed Longwarry their next opponent this week.

“The teams everyone believed were going to be the top teams were Ellinbank, Trafalgar and Buln Buln and we’ve now played them all,” Cats’ coach Brent Mounsey said.

Ellinbank’s Shaun Phelan, left, Neerim South’s Josh White battle for the ball. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Last year the Cats were sitting mid-table when the season was called off and then added Korumburra trio Ben Fitzpatrick, Brock Dorling and Alex Johnston to their ranks.

Fitzpatrick was named the Cats best player on Saturday after leading goalkicker Chris Urie was a late omission due to a slight hamstring strain.

Urie’s brother Mick plays for Ellinbank and was its best player.

Neerim South will be further bolstered in the second half of the season with Tom Muir, who has played at VFL and SANFL level, due to a return from a knee injury which has kept him out all season.

HAMPDEN

Warrnambool’s Jason Rowan has the Hampden league goal kicking record in his sights after booting 15 goals against Port Fairy on Saturday.

Rowan’s latest bag of goals takes his career tally to 960 goals and he needs another 61 to break the record held by Tony Russell, who retired in 2001.

Russell played for three clubs, South Warrnambool, Koroit and Port Fairy and was also a regular Hampden interleague player.

Rowan had a four year coaching stint with district league club Merrivale before returning to Warrnambool last season.

He has 49 goals from eight rounds and the 35-year-old looks certain to have to play on for another year to break the record.

Meanwhile, Koroit ended Portland’s undefeated start to the season with a comfortable 57-point win.

GOULBURN VALLEY

Echuca has reached the top of the Goulburn Valley league ladder for the first time this season with a 45-point win against arch rival Rochester on Sunday.

But unlike their first encounter this season when Echuca was docked four premiership points and fined for playing an unregistered player the club will be able to keep its points.

Echuca is level on eight wins with second-placed Mansfield, but has a superior percentage.

Echuca plays another finals contender, Mooroopna, this week.