The Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 campaign recommences after a three-week break, with competition set to intensify with the regular season now condensed to 16 rounds.
With Rounds 8 and 9 lost due to the state’s latest lockdown, the action resumes from Round 10 – with all clubs scheduled to play a further nine matches in the home and away campaign.
This weekend’s fixtures conclude the opening half of the regular season, with the Round 10 scheduled matches including:
• Northcote Park vs Greensborough at Bill Lawry Oval
• Macleod vs North Heidelberg at De Winton Park
• Montmorency vs Hurstbridge at Montmorency Park North Oval
• Heidelberg vs Whittlesea at Warringal Park
• Bundoora vs Greensborough at Yulong Reserve
Continue below for a review of each club’s performance across the opening seven rounds, as well as a look forward to what is to come across the final two months of the home and away season.
BUNDOORA
Ladder position: 5th
Win-loss record: 4 wins, 3 losses
Percentage: 128.11
Best performance: Hard to go past the 36-point win over Heidelberg in Round 4. The Bulls trailed the then unbeaten Tigers by 33 points midway through the second term but rallied with 14 of the last 17 goals to secure a 15.15 (105) to 10.9 (69) triumph at Yulong Reserve.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Nathan Thomas (18), Hamish Shepherd (16), Kain Proctor (15)
Leading goal kickers: Sam Lloyd (23, leader), John Jorgensen (13), Jesse King (11)
Players used: 32
Played every game: (14) Bailey Thompson, Ben Young, David Mitchell, Isaac McMillan, James Sekulovski, Jesse King, John Jorgensen, Kain Proctor, Kyle Green, Nathan Howard, Nathan Thomas, Sam Lloyd, Tristan Brown, Zane Barker
Remaining fixture: Greensborough (H), Whittlesea (A), Heidelberg (A), Northcote Park (H), Hurstbridge (A), Macleod (H), Greensborough (A), North Heidelberg (H)
GREENSBOROUGH
Ladder position: 1st
Win-loss record: 6 wins, 1 loss
Percentage: 176.90
Best performance: The Boro pipped West Preston-Lakeside by a point in a Round 2 classic at Greensborough War Memorial Park. In the first meeting between the clubs since the 2019 grand final, they produced arguably the game of the season. West Preston-Lakeside led throughout the opening half before Greensborough stormed ahead with a six-goal third quarter. The reigning premier fought back in the last to level the scores late before Boro youngster Ben Fisher kicked the winner deep in time on to seal a famous victory.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Thomas Brindley (32, leader), Tom Bell (20), Jack Johnston (17), Ben Pannam (17)
Leading goal kickers: Ben Fennell (10), Thomas Brindley (8), Jake McNamara (7), Tom Bell (7), Zac McCubbin (7)
Players used: 32
Played every game: (9) Adrian Cataldo, Ben Pannam, Ben Fennell, Billy Bedford, Brody Tickell, Jack Johnston, Michael Croxford, Rayden Garrard, Thomas Brindley
Remaining fixture: Bundoora (A), Macleod (A), Hurstbridge (H), Whittlesea (H), Montmorency (A), North Heidelberg (A), Northcote Park (H), Bundoora (H), Heidelberg (A)
HEIDELBERG
Ladder position: 4th
Win-loss record: 4 wins, 3 losses
Percentage: 140.60
Best performance: Heidelberg has recorded wins by 97 and 87 points, however arguably their best victory came against Macleod on Anzac Day. The Tigers trailed throughout the opening three quarters but ran rampant in the final term to win by 26 points. They booted the opening six goals of the final term to secure their third-successive win to start the campaign.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Matthew Smith (25), Tom Schnerring (22), Lachlan Wilson (14)
Leading goal kickers: Josh Minogue (21), Samuel Wright (12), Tom Schnerring (10)
Players used: 33
Played every game: (11) Ben Nikolovski, Daniel O’Dwyer, Jesse Kane, Jordan Sutterby, Joshua Daniel, Joshua Minogue, Kieren Andrew, Matthew Cecchin, Sam Gilmore, Samuel Wright, Tom Schnerring
Remaining fixture: Whittlesea (H), Hurstbridge (A), Bundoora (H), Montmorency (H), Macleod (A), Northcote Park (A), North Heidelberg (A), West Preston-Lakeside (A), Greensborough (H)
HURSTBRIDGE
Ladder position: 7th
Win-loss record: 3 wins, 4 losses
Percentage: 70.32
Best performance: Hurstbridge’s biggest scalp came in its most recent match, with the Bridges upsetting Bundoora in Round 7. Having lost their four previous matches to top-five sides by an average of 65 points, few gave the Bridges a winning chance to topple the Bulls at Yulong Reserve. The match was an arm-wrestle, with no more than a goal separating the sides at the end of any quarter. Joel Naylor’s five goals provide pivotal in the five-point win.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Bailey Jordan (17), Tyson Old (13), Tom Grimes (12)
Leading goal kickers: Joel Naylor (22), Bailey Jordan (14), Nick Milne (8), Tom Grimes (8)
Players used: 29
Played every game: (14) Angus Butterfield, Bailey Jordan, Ben Beaven, Bryce East, Ethan Taylor, Jack Stewart, Joel Dale, Joel Naylor, Mitchell Hymus, Nicholas Milne, Riley Reading, Tom Grimes, Tyron Loader, William Cookson
Remaining fixture: Montmorency (A), Heidelberg (H), Greensborough (A), North Heidelberg (A), Bundoora (H), West Preston-Lakeside (A), Montmorency (H), Northcote Park (A), Whittlesea (H)
MACLEOD
Ladder position: 8th
Win-loss record: 2 wins, 5 losses
Percentage: 82.42
Best performance: For the second-successive year, the Roos campaign began with four-consecutive losses. They managed to end the run of outs with an 18-point win away to former coach Garry Ramsay’s Montmorency. Trailing during the final term, the Roos piled on four goals in a row midway through the quarter to notch their first win of the year.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Justin White (14), Ned McKeown (12), Liam Wanders (10)
Leading goal kickers: Patrick Martin (13), Hayden Gill (9), Jose Miliado (7), Shane Doherty (7)
Players used: 34
Played every game: (10) Anthony Da Silva, Jack Bianchin, Jose Miliado, Justin White, Kobe Brandt, Ned McKeown, Patrick Flynn, Patrick Martin, Rhys Gleisner, Sahand Ghasimzadeh
Remaining fixture: North Heidelberg (H), Greensborough (H), Northcote Park (A), West Preston-Lakeside (H), Heidelberg (H), Bundoora (A), Whittlesea (A), Montmorency (H), Northcote Park (H)
MONTMORENCY
Ladder position: 6th
Win-loss record: 4 wins, 3 losses
Percentage: 102.51
Best performance: The Magpies looked headed for a heavy defeat when they conceded the opening five goals in their Round 3 clash with Greensborough at War Memorial Park. What followed was one of the club’s best performances in recent years, resulting in the Magpies handing Greensborough its first home loss since 2018. Montmorency kept the Boro to just one major in the middle two quarters and then overcame a late fightback from their host to score a famous three-point win. The win was secured by an outstanding goal by Pat Fitzgerald out of a ruck stoppage in the final minutes. In his senior debut, 17-year-old draft hopeful Darcy Wilmot dazzled off half back.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Jesse Donaldson (26), Sam Binion (22), Jai Robinson (17)
Leading goal kickers: Patrick Fitzgerald (21), Bronson Hill (10), Jesse Donaldson (8)
Players used: 38
Played every game: (9) Billy Jenkin, Blake Murphy, Jai Robinson, Joshua Mills, Michael Fitz-Gerald, Patrick Fitzgerald, Sam Binion, Stephen McCallum, Vincent Loccisano
Remaining fixture: Hurstbridge (H), West Preston-Lakeside (A), North Heidelberg (H), Heidelberg (A), Greensborough (H), Whittlesea (H), Hurstbridge (A), Macleod (A), West Preston-Lakeside (H)
NORTH HEIDELBERG
Ladder position: 3rd
Win-loss record: 5 wins, 2 losses
Percentage: 114.62
Best performance: North hosted Bundoora in a highly anticipated top of the ladder clash in Round 6. In tough conditions, the Bulldogs looked to be in a spot of bother when they trailed by 12 points deep in the third term. They managed to kick two late goals to level the scores by three quarter time. In a tight final term, North Heidelberg got its nose in front courtesy of top-poke goal from Braidyn Hirt. Ahead by five points when the siren sounded, the Bulldogs’ celebrations had to wait, with Bundoora forward Sam Lloyd taking a set shot after the final siren. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, the long-range shot faded. Ironically, the Bulldogs fell from first to third on the ladder, despite securing the victory.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Jesse Tardio (31), Billy Hogan (14), Brent Harvey (13), Shane Harvey (13), Liam Nunan (13)
Leading goal kickers: Shane Harvey (15), Billy Hogan (13), Curtis Howden-Crhak (10)
Players used: 29
Played every game: (15) Anthony Daw, Billy Hogan, Braidyn Hirt, Brandon Bailey, Brock Perichon, Corey McKay, Curtis Howden-Crhak, Jared Crosbie, Jesse Tardio, Jordon Bulman, Kyle McDonald, Liam Nunan, Mitchell Dillon, Ryan McGhie, Shane Harvey
Remaining fixture: Macleod (A), Northcote Park (H), Montmorency (A), Hurstbridge (H), West Preston-Lakeside (A), Greensborough (H), Heidelberg (H), Whittlesea (H), Bundoora (A)
NORTHCOTE PARK
Ladder position: 10th
Win-loss record: 0 wins, 7 losses
Percentage: 47.11
Best performance: It has been a tough start to the year for Northcote Park, with the Cougars anchored to the bottom of the ladder, without a win to their name. They have shown glimpses across quarters but have not yet been able to string it together across an entire match. Against Montmorency in Round 1 the Cougars were goalless in the opening half before roaring back into the game with a six-goal to zero third term. They produced an equally impressive second term against North Heidelberg the following, when they booted five goals to one.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Ben McNiece (8), Matthew Perry (8), Matthew Grocott (6)
Leading goal kickers: Michael Amad (8), Matthew Grocott (7), Jack Sammartino (6)
Players used: 36
Played every game: (8) Alexander Phokos, Cameron Simpson, Liam McErlain, Michael Amad, Nick Carter, Nikolas McNiece, Oliver McEwan, Reed Jepson
Remaining fixture: West Preston-Lakeside (H), North Heidelberg (A), Macleod (H), Bundoora (A), Whittlesea (A), Heidelberg (H), Greensborough (A), Hurstbridge (H), Macleod (A)
WEST PRESTON-LAKESIDE
Ladder position: 2nd
Win-loss record: 6 wins, 1 loss
Percentage: 160.43
Best performance: West Preston-Lakeside had not won at Warringal Park since 2000 and had lost their past six home and away games against Heidelberg. The Roosters’ hopes of ending their long drought away to the Tigers was made more difficult with skipper and star forward Ahmed Saad sidelined. However, Matthew Vincitorio stepped up to lead a makeshift forward line. His four goals helped the reigning premier to a gritty 18-point win, with the final margin not indicative of how close the scoreboard was for much of the day.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Jackson Clarke (19), Alex Federico (18), Liam McVeigh (18)
Leading goal kickers: Ahmed Saad (23, leader), Jaylon Thorpe (9), Matthew Vincitorio (9)
Players used: 33
Played every game: (10) Alexander Federico, Christopher McCabe, Ethan Penrith, Jackson Clarke, Liam McVeigh, Matthew Harman, Matthew Vincitorio, Max Dreher, Michael Ercolano, Mitch Tobin
Remaining fixture: Northcote Park (A), Montmorency (H), Whittlesea (A), Macleod (A), North Heidelberg (H), Hurstbridge (H), Bundoora (A), Heidelberg (H), Montmorency (A)
WHITTLESEA
Ladder position: 9th
Win-loss record: 1 win, 6 losses
Percentage: 62.90
Best performance: Whittlesea pulled off one of the upsets of the season when they defeated North Heidelberg in Round 5. The Eagles were winless and were up against the competition’s only undefeated side when the sides met at the Whittlesea Showgrounds. The Eagles made a great start and were able to just edge past the Bulldogs in a close affair, winning by 13 points. The move of Paul Higgins to the forward line proved a masterstroke, with the reigning club best and fairest booting six of his side’s 10 goals.
Coaches MVP leading vote winners: Xavier Dimasi (15), Blake Watson (11), Paul Higgins (10), Zach Molloy (10)
Leading goal kickers: Clancy Bland (10), Paul Higgins (7), Blake Watson (6)
Players used: 32
Played every game: (9) Blake Watson, Clancy Bland, Lachlan Beattie, Max Dyson, Mitchell Andrews, Nathan Stefanile, Thomas Falls, Xavier Dimasi, Zach Molloy
Remaining fixture: Heidelberg (A), Bundoora (H), West Preston-Lakeside (H), Greensborough (A), Northcote Park (H), Montmorency (A), Macleod (H), North Heidelberg (A), Hurstbridge (A)
