A PERFECT day for football and netball saw plenty of interesting results around the region.
Riddell District Football Netball League
Wallan are back in the hunt for the double-chance ahead of a must-win game against Kyneton at home this week, taking care of Woodend-Hesket by 45 points at Gilbert Gordon Reserve.
The Magpies led by nine points at quarter time, but really put its foot down in the second term, kicking six goals to two to increase its lead to 36 points by the main break.
Wallan did enough to answer any of the Hawks’ challenges in the second half to end up victorious, kicking 18.14 (122) to 11.11 (77).
Cameron Cloke was back to his best, kicking six goals for the victorious Magpies, while Jordan Port’s influence after a four-week layoff was crucial. Steven Boyall, Victor Micallef, Jake Carlisle and Shaun Stewart were also named in the best players.
Romsey has slipped back in the race for a spot in the top five with a 58-point loss to Riddell.
A seven-goal to three burst in the first term meant Romsey was on the back foot for the balance of the day, despite an even second quarter which saw the Redbacks kick three goals to keep pace with the reigning premiers.
However, four goals to one behind in the final term meant that Riddell earned the chocolates, kicking 16.10 (106) to 7.6 (48).
Darcy Lockens kicked three goals, while Corey Pertzel, Matt Burkett, Nathan Rayment, Jack Jedwab and Samuel Wilson did what they could to keep the Redbacks in the game.
Lancefield had a bye, and return to action by hosting Macedon next week.
Goulburn Valley Football League
Seymour had its chances, but was unable to overcome Echuca at Victoria Park, losing by 36 points.
Echuca got the jump in the first term to lead by 18 points, and increased its lead, albeit with inaccuracy, to lead by 27 at the long break.
Seymour enjoyed much of the play in the third term, and had multiple opportunities at goal, but could only kick 2.7 in the third term, and while winning the quarter, the margin was still 16 points at the final change.
Echuca kicked away in the last term to kick four goals to one to eventually win 10.15 (75) to 4.15 (39).
Nathan Beattie, Jack Murphy, Lewis Lubeck, Darcy Giles and James Wooster were named in the best for the Lions.
The loss sees the Lions drop out of the top six, with a difficult task against Kyabram to come.
Northern Football Netball League
Kilmore threw everything at Laurimar for three quarters, but ran out of gas in losing by 22 points at Laurimar Reserve.
The Power got the jump on the Blues early on, kicking the only two goals of the first quarter to lead by 13 points at the first change.
But Kilmore had its best quarter of the day in the second term, kicking three goals to one to draw the scores level by the main break.
In a tightly contested affair, it was goal-for-goal in the third term as Laurimar led by one point at the final change.
The Power had to draw on everything to get the win, doing so by getting their act together and kicking five goals to two in the last term to deliver a hammer blow to the Blues’ finals hopes, with the final score Kilmore 7.7 (49) to Laurimar 10.11 (71).
Zack Ferguson, Jesse Taylor, Mitchell O’Dwyer, Kye Maher, Mitchell Portoglou and Jared Crosbie were all named in the best for the Blues.
Netball
Wallan took a blow in its chances of getting into the top five, losing by nine goals to ladder-leader Woodend-Hesket.
The Magpies were right in it going into half time, trailing by just one goal, but Woodend-Hesket started to flex its muscle in the third term, extending the lead to four goals by the final change, before eventually clearing away to win 49-40.
Maeve Donegan scored 23 goals, while Rebekah Konstantopoulos scored 12 goals.
Romsey were no match for Riddell, losing by 27 goals.
The Redbacks held on for much of the first half, and trailed by 11 goals going into the main break, but Riddell started to clear away in the second half, leading by 14 goals at the final change, before adding 23 goals to 10 in the last term to eventually win 70-43.
In the Northern Football Netball League Friday night competition, Kilmore had a mixed night, taking four wins from nine matches, which included a matchup between Kilmore 4 and Kilmore 6 which resulted in an entertaining game, with Kilmore 4 taking a six-goal win.
Broadford took two wins from their three games, including a 45-34 win over Montmorency in the division four competition.
