Upper Murray: Reigning premier Cudgewa’s massive win on eve of finals

The four-team Upper Murray league is the first league to complete its home and away season. See what team finished on top.

Cudgewa is perfectly placed to complete back-to-back Upper Murray league premierships for the first time since 2014-15.

The reigning premiers finished on top undefeated and will play Bullioh in the second semi-final after thrashing Corryong by 252 points in the last round on Saturday.

In the four-team competition, Corryong, which has recorded only one win this season, will play Tumbarumba in the first semi-final next Saturday.

Corryong didn’t score until the third quarter with the flag favourites leading by 158 points at halftime.

Guy Telford booted 13 goals for Cudgewa, two better than the 11 he kicked against Corryong in the second round.

Cudgewa after beating Bullioh in the Upper Murray grand final last season. Photo by Wendy Lavis

He has kicked 71 goals for the season in overtaking Adam Prior as the club’s most prolific goalkicker.

Prior finished with 71 goals last year including 13 in two finals matches.

Telford previously played for Kiewa-Sandy Creek in the Tallangatta District league and has kicked 32 goals more than his nearest rival, Bullioh’s Ash Murray.

Cudgewa’s flag hopes were given another boost when Darcy McKimmie returned from Mitta United before the June 30 clearance deadline.

Four-time Tallangatta District league best and fairest Cameron McNeill also joined Cudgewa this season.

Second-placed Bullioh has lost to Cudgewa by seven points or less in three of their four encounters this season including their most recent clash only a week earlier.

BENDIGO

Castlemaine has kept alive its slim chances of making finals this season after upsetting third-placed Strathfieldsaye by 23 points on Saturday.

The Magpies remain one win and percentage behind fifth-placed Golden Square following back-to-back wins against two top-five teams, Eaglehawk and Strathfieldsaye in successive weeks.

Castlemaine had never won at Strathfieldsaye’s home ground and didn’t score in a 2021 match it lost by 213 points.

Bailey Henderson playing for Werribee in the VFL last season. He starred in Castlemaine’s latest victory. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Bailey Henderson, who played for Strathfieldsaye in the 2021 match, has since returned to Castlemaine and played a starring role in the historic victory along with Kalan Huntly and first-year coach Michael Hartley.

Zavier Murley, who was part of Golden Square’s premiership winning team last year before joining Castlemaine this season, was also in the team’s best players.

Castlemaine has the bye next round before starting favourites in its next match against Kangaroo Flat.

It plays likely grand finalists Sandhurst and Gisborne in the last two rounds.

HUME

Osborne firmed as flag favourites with a comfortable 38-point win against Jindera on the same day its biggest challenger suffered a shock defeat.

Osborne celebrated star player Connor Galvin’s 200th senior match in style when it cruised to a win that could have easily been bigger, but for inaccuracy in front of goal.

It was also the second time this season Osborne’s premiership coach from last season, Joel Mackie, had come up against his old club as Jindera coach.

Former Osborne coach Joel Mackie. Picture: Supplied

He coached from the sidelines on Saturday due to a one-match suspension from last round.

But, the shock of the round was CDHBU, which started the round in sixth spot, rolling second-placed Holbrook by 13 points so close to finals.

Holbrook held a 15-point lead at the last chance, but was steamrolled in the final term with Darcy Melksham, Jordan Lavis and James Hanrahan starring for the victors.