With the King’s Birthday long weekend many leagues took the opportunity for a mid-season break, leaving only 19 leagues in action across the state.
One important match took place in the Gippsland FNL where Moe FNC and Maffra FNC came together for a match to recognise Neale Daniher and his fight against MND. With Neale present for the match, his son Ben – playing for Moe FNC this year – was named best afield in their 9.19.(73) to 8.4.(52) victory against the Eagles.
Last Wednesday in the AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, Ryan Maric, originally from the Drouin FNC in the Gippsland FNL, was taken with the first pick by the West Coast Eagles. In a whirlwind week, Maric was selected to make his debut on the weekend becoming the 3969th AFL/VFL player to come from a Victorian country footy club. He was also the 294th player from the Gippsland FNL and the 11th VFL/AFL player from the Drouin FNC. After kicking a goal with his first kick in the match against the Adelaide Crows, he also became the 299th member of the ‘1st kick, 1st goal’ club.
This weekend also saw another former number 1 AFL draft pick make a country footy debut. The first pick from 2011, former Giant and Hawk Jonathon Patton, lined up for Kangaroo Flat FNC in the Bendigo FNL. However, his presence wasn’t enough to help the Kangaroos get a win against Kyneton FNC who ran out 38-point winners.
Another former AFL footballer also made a debut for his new club this weekend with former Gold Coast, Fremantle and Melbourne player Harley Bennell lining up for the Wodonga Raiders FNC in the Ovens & Murray FNL, joining former Adelaide and Brisbane player Cameron Ellis-Yolmen. Kicking 4 goals, Bennell was instrumental in helping the Raiders cement their first victory for the year with a 7-point win, kicking 11.11.(77) to Myrtleford FNC’s 10.10.(70).
Speaking of first wins for the season, the number of winless teams reduced from 39 to 37 with the aforementioned Wodonga Raiders being joined by the Hamilton FNC from the Hampden FNL, also celebrating for the first time in season 2023 after defeating 4th placed Camperdown FNC. The number of undefeated teams also reduced this week from 32 to 31 with Yackandandah FNC losing their top of the table clash with Kiewa Sandy Creek FNC who remain undefeated in the Tallangatta and District FNL.
This weekend saw a goal kicking record broken when Port Fairy FNC’s Jason Rowan passed the Hampden FNL league career mark. Entering the match against Portland FNC, Rowan needed only two goals to reach the 1021 mark, but ended the day kicking four to break Tony Russell’s long standing league total of 1020. Russell, like Rowan, completed the record whilst playing for Port Fairy FNC after he began his Hampden FNL career at South Warrnambool FNC.
Only 4 players managed hauls of 10 goals or more this weekend, headed by twin bags of 12, both from the Picola and District FNL where Tungamah FNC’s Cody Crawford slotted his dozen against the struggling Blighty FNC and Strathmerton FNC’s Tim Looby kicked his against the Deniliquin Rovers FNC.
This week saw another 4 players reach the 50 goal mark for the 2023 season, with Merrivale FNC’s Dylan Weir (50), long time 2023 goal kicking list leader Ethan Redcliffe from Mitta United FNC (52), Nathan Gardiner from Cora Lynn (53) and Alvie FNC’s Dominic Dare (55) all reaching the milestone. Both Dare and Gardiner sit second and third respectively on the top twenty list behind Charlie Burrows from Waaia FNC in the Picola and District FNL who leads all comers with 56.
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Image: Border Mail
