With finals just around the corner, Round 16 of the Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 season will see teams battle it out and fight for a late-season surge.
Following Round 15, the ladder remained unchanged as all teams held their respective positions, despite some closely contested matches across the board.
An enticing 2024 Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 Preliminary final rematch will take place this weekend with Greensborough inviting Montmorency to War Memorial Park.
The Borough were knocked off their high horse last weekend, as Heidelberg outclassed them in a 59-point defeat and halted their winning streak since Round 8.
Greensborough showed a convincing first quarter as they led by three points, yet it went downhill from there.
Jackson Davies had an impressive best-on performance for his squad, along with Ben Ham who led the Borough in goals.
Nathan Howard also had a notable display, with one goal and his continuous efforts in ruck against the reigning premiers.
Montmorency were successful on Saturday with a dominant 50-point victory to Bundoora, keeping them to nine points until half time.
Corey Sleep was the standout up forward for his team, slotting four goals for the Magpies. Trailing closely, Kieran Keating also nailed three majors.
Nicolas Uzelac and William Jenkin were instrumental against the Bulls, both having an outstanding run of games.
Both teams are eager to assert dominance as finals edge closer, with Greensborough currently sit at second on the ladder, and Montmorency at third.
Back in Round 7, Montmorency capitalised on their home ground advantage to claim a 17-point win, yet Greensborough will be looking to turn the tables this time at War Memorial Park.
Another compelling match-up that highlights this weekend is the battle at Beverly Road Oval between Banyule and West Preston-Lakeside.
Banyule have had a thrilling past three weeks, with many closely contested matches, including a 14-point win against Eltham last round.
Both James Kayrooz and Riley Ormerod continue to impress, finishing as Banyule’s leading goal-scorers with four majors each.
Oscar White displayed a game-changing performance with his tireless work around the ball, additionally launching one goal himself.
Although West Preston-Lakeside saw some success in recent rounds, they failed to deliver against North Heidelberg last Saturday.
The Rooster managed to stay within a few points until half time, with Callum Gibson providing effective forward pressure.
Cooper Shoebridge booted one goal, performing strongly throughout the match and earnt himself a best on delivery.
The last time these two sides clashed, Banyule edged out a 16-point victory, setting the stage for another tight contest this weekend.
Bundoora will look to put last week’s loss behind them as they take on Hurstbridge at Yulong Reserve.
Bundoora were down by 63 points at half time, only having scored one goal and three points.
Nonetheless, they picked up the intensity and scored more points than Montmorency in the second half.
Kicking a team high of five goals, Liam Mallia entertained on the field and led the way with a dominant display.
The Bulls other vice-captain Jesse King stepped up, slotting two majors.
Hurstbridge have seen many close games and faced yet another, bringing home a five-point triumph against South Morang at Ben Frilay Oval.
There seems to be a common theme, with the Bridges opponents racing back into the game from three-quarter time in recent weeks.
William Cookson and Ethan Taylor kicked six goals between them and gained well-deserved recognition from their side.
Liam Middleton delivered a best-on-ground showing with his impressive consistency throughout the match.
Hurstbridge will need to maintain consistent four-quarter efforts as they gear up for finals. They claimed a massive 82-point triumph against the Bulls in Round 7.
Eltham will take on Heidelberg, the reigning premiers and incumbent minor premiers, this weekend at Warringal Park.
The Panthers fell short to Banyule on their home turf by a narrow 14 points, and managed to stay close for the majority of the game.
Alex Jacobs and Declan Ayres both stood out as the top performers for the Panthers, along with Jason McCormick who nailed two goals.
Heidelberg asserted their superiority within Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 last weekend, defeating second-placed Greensborough by 59 points.
Kai Kearns and Brayden Sier both commanded attention, kicking three majors each for the Tigers.
Tom Keys, a high contender in the Frank Rosbrook Medal award, scored himself another best-on ground performance.
Heidelberg’s authority remains unchallenged with yet another almost undefeated and near-flawless season.
However, Eltham has been one team to come close to challenging the Tigers back in Round 7, separated by 31 points on the scoreboard.
North Heidelberg and South Morang will go head-to-head this Saturday at Shelley Street Reserve.
North remain in sixth place and at last found some success in Round 15 with a confident 42-point win over West-Preston Lakeside.
Leading goal kicker for the match, Lachlan Smith, booted four goals while Dane Whitnall showcased a best-on-ground honours.
South Morang roared back from a 43-point deficit at three-quarter time against Hurstbridge, only missing the mark by five points.
Nathan Stefanile and Tye Hall impressed for the Lions, alongside Noah Cumberland who slotted three majors last Saturday.
Interestingly, South Morang also fell short by five points against North Heidelberg in Round 7, with Zane Souleiman the hero for the Bulldogs with a goal after the final siren that game.
