WITH a month gone in the Riddell District Football Netball League season, the outlook of the ladder is starting to become clearer.
Wallan negotiated a mid-game Lancefield fightback to eventually record a 65-point victory at Greenhill Reserve.
Both teams had their chances in the opening term, but it was the Magpies who kicked five goals to one to take a comfortable 27-point lead following the opening change, 37-10.
Lancefield, however, fought back impressively in the second term to really make a game of it, kicking four goals to two to reduce the margin to 15 points, trailing 37-52 at the long break.
The Magpies bounced back to ensure they would increase their lead back to 27 by the final change after kicking five goals to two, leading 84-57 at the final change.
A six-goal to nil final term ensured that the Magpies would boost their percentage, taking an 18.17 (125) to 8.12 (60) victory.
The key tall duo of Jake Carlisle and Cameron Cloke were critical for the Magpies, kicking four goals apiece, while Corey Viani, Victor Micallef, Chris Stewart, Steven Boyall and Jesse Davies were also in the best.
Lancefield gave a good account of themselves with a golden opportunity to break their losing run next week at home to the Gisborne Giants.
William Wright, Riley O’Meara, Tom Jackson, Zachary O’Halloran, Max Taylor and Leroy Ristevski were all named in the Tigers’ best, with Jackson playing a lone hand up forward with five goals.
Romsey are up to sixth place after accounting for Macedon in a low-scoring game by 40 points.
The game was won in the opening half, with the Redbacks kicking four goals to one in the first term to lead 25-6, then adding the only goal in the second term to make it a 27-point lead at half time, 36-9.
Macedon kept pace with the Redbacks in the third term to kick a couple of goals, but Romsey held firm in leading 49-22 at the final change, before kicking three of the four goals of the last to win 10.9 (69) to 4.5 (29).
Jack Jedwab kicked four goals to be a point of difference, while Samuel Wilson, playing-coach Nathan Blair, Ash Millane, Kyle Brennan and Kane Brinkhaus were also named in the best.
Other results saw Woodend-Hesket score a 27-point win over Gisborne Giants, Diggers Rest recorded a massive 79-point win over Melton Centrals, while Riddell showed they are still the team to beat with a 48-point win over Kyneton.
In the Goulburn Valley League, Seymour are well and truly back in the hunt for a finals spot after holding out Shepparton United in a thrilling encounter.
The Lions made a flyer in kicking four goals to one in the first term to take a 26-9 lead at the first break.
However, it was Shepparton United’s turn to take over in the second term, hitting the front with four goals of their own to lead 37-33 at the long break.
Seymour again took control in the third term, kicking four goals to two to turn for home with a six-point lead, 59-53.
In a high-scoring final term, both teams put four goals on the board, but it was Ricky Schraven who put the game to bed late in the piece with a goal to ensure the Lions made it two in a row, winning 13.7 (85) to 11.13 (79).
Lewis Lubeck kicked four goals, while Jack Murphy added three. No best players were selected at the time of production.
NETBALL
Lancefield are mounting their case as the surprise packets of the A grade season by scoring a third consecutive victory, this time away to Wallan.
After the Magpies made a good start to lead 12-10 at the first change, the Tigers made their move in the second term to score 12 goals to five to lead 22-17 at the main break.
The Tigers continued to take charge in a high-scoring third term, scoring 14 goals to 11 to increase their lead to eight goals at the final change, 36-28.
Lancefield got the job done in the last, scoring 12 goals to 10 to take a 48-38 victory.
Shanae Brundell scored 31 goals, while Tarnee Hammond added 10 for Lancefield, while for Wallan, Maeve Donegan scored 21 goals and Rebekah Konstantopoulos 12.
The result means the Tigers are one of three undefeated teams, sitting in third position.
Romsey, in the meantime, were no match for Macedon, losing 39-61.
The Cats were too good in the first half, establishing a 15-goal lead by half time, and settling for their 22-goal victory.
The Redbacks added some respectability to the scoreboard in the last term with 13 goals to 11 to reduce the margin slightly.
Emma Grech scored 21 goals and Charlize Bellette 15 for the Redbacks.
