IT was a classic wintry day across Melbourne, but that didn’t stop Michael Thompson from his weekly jaunt Around the Grounds.
DIAMO DOES IT AGAIN
It may not be good for the blood pressure and the heart rate of the faithful of Coventry Oval, but Diamond Creek are turning into the kings of the thriller.
Astoundingly, the Demons sit in second position after round 10 – thanks to a win over Montmorency which saw them hang on by one point.
It continues a ridiculous run for the Creekers – a draw in round one, a one-point win over Hurstbridge in round two, a four-point win over Bundoora in round three, two eight-point wins over Eltham and Heidelberg respectively in rounds eight and nine and now a second one-point win. That’s an outrageous run of form in close games.
More importantly, that’s eight points from eight against arguably the best two teams in the competition on paper in Heidelberg and Montmorency.
Are the Demons good enough to go all the way? We’ll be finding out as the grind of a first division one season since 2008 continues…
DESPERATE TIMES
That’s certainly the case for Greensborough, who now sits two games outside the top five after fading away dramatically against Eltham.
Four goals to one in the first term saw the Boro up 22 points at the first change – they could only manage just two more for the day as their scoring issues continue to be laid bare.
They do have some ammunition due in the last few weeks of the season, with Tom Mitchell to make a return to the club, but it is a huge ask for the Boro to make up ground, with big games against Hurstbridge away, Diamond Creek away, Heidelberg and Montmorency in a torrid four-game run.
TIGERS REMIND US WHO THEY ARE
Just the lazy 28 goals, 13 goalkickers and a 157-point win from Heidelberg. The standard response from its first loss in a long time.
North Heidelberg copped the full brunt of Heidelberg off a loss, with Jack Andrew kicking six goals and Jordan Smith adding five.
Quite remarkably, it could have been worse if the Tigers had their kicking boots on in the last quarter – at three-quarter-time, the Tigers sat at a remarkable 22.3 (135) but kicked 6.9 in the last quarter.
So, it’s as we were then, with the Tigers and Montmorency now having a bye ahead of a huge stand-alone match in a few weeks’ time.
A BIG WIN FOR THE REDBACKS
A mammoth result in the division two relegation battle, with Panton Hill battling back from a four-goal deficit at half time to eventually win by 28 points.
Thomastown put everything into this game, securing the services of former Adelaide and Brisbane player Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Melbourne and Collingwood player Lynden Dunn and fellow former Demon Jeff Garlett.
The Bears were 22 points up and looked the goods, but finishing games off has been a significant problem – that’s now three weeks in a row where the Bears have led at the final term and lost – losing each of the last terms by 26 points, 24 points and 38 points respectively.
What it means is that Thomastown are two games behind Panton Hill, with just one win for the season.
LOWER PLENTY SNEAKING UP
Lower Plenty have flown under the radar for a lot of the season, but this was the Bears’ big day, sweeping aside Old Paradians to win by 52 points and making it very clear that they are also not to be trifled with.
Jack Chubb continues to give Darcy Barden’s traditional spot at the top of the goalkicking charts over the last two years some grief with a haul of seven goals against the Raiders, and as a result, it leaves the Bears just percentage behind South Morang in second, while one game behind Northcote Park, who lost to Fitzroy Stars.
LAST YEAR’S GRAND FINALISTS IN TROUBLE
Despite having Barden at their disposal, Macleod continues to struggle and are in danger of dropping to ninth.
A 37-point loss to St Mary’s means finals are just about out of the question for the Kangaroos unless a miracle happens.
This week will be telling for both Macleod and Whittlesea – preliminary final protagonists last year, in need of a win 11 games later just to stay alive in the 2026 finals race.
A BIG RESULT FOR HEIDELBERG WEST
Happy times for both teams on the divide at Beverley Road, with Heidelberg West taking its best win in some time with a strong 42-point win over the previously high-flying Watsonia.
The Hawks have not played finals for 32 years, but after Ivanhoe this week, the Hawks do not have to take on any of the top three – that being the Hoers, Laurimar or Mernda – again.
Results like Saturday’s will give the Hawks enormous belief that they can do it – holding Watsonia to just one goal in three quarters, and two for the day in a mega defensive performance.
Bryce Barnes relished the sluggish conditions, kicking five goals for the afternoon.
EPPING’S YOUNG GUNS STILL IN IT
A much-needed win for Epping keeps them interested, albeit still two games outside the top five, but another three debutants was the word out of Eltham College on Saturday – well into double-digits for the year.
Arguably their best young gun, Daniel Rakhlin, added another six goals on Saturday afternoon, keeping him third in the goalkicking race. He’s alongside some pretty big names – Patrick Fitzgerald on top, Aaron Edwards second, Rakhlin, then Cameron Cloke. Fair company.
RESERVOIR FIRMS FOR FINALS
The Mustangs could even be a threat to crash the top three party, with Mernda still to play Ivanhoe following its bye.
A 101-point victory over Lalor was a good result for the Mustangs, with Edwards kicking six goals and recording 38 scoring shots for their troubles.
A GREAT FINISH
I don’t normally do too much with junior football, but I had to mention this finish, one of the best I’ve ever seen at any level of football.
Went over and helped out at the under 11s clash between Mernda and Whittlesea on Sunday and it was an incredible game between two well-drilled teams full of talented youngsters.
Whittlesea opened up a three-goal break and looked home, but Mernda continued to push in the last quarter, kicking two goals to set up a grandstand finish.
Mernda pushed hard for a winner, and had one last chance with one of their young players taking four bounces from the centre square and streaming into goal… but a fellow young Whittlesea player never gave up on the chase from the centre square, running down his opponent, in a similar vein to Sam Mitchell’s famous chasedown tackle on Shane Tuck some years ago.
The siren sounded mere seconds after that. Incredible. Was well worth the mention.