THE SUN was shining and the weather was close to perfect as the 2015 Northern Football League season got underway last Sunday.
Let’s take a look back at this weekend’s junior results as teams looked to get off to a positive start in their first games for the new season.
In the Under-18 Girls competition Darebin, Montmorency, South Morang and Mill Park all started the season with comfortable wins. Nikita Margriplis kicked five goals in the Falcons win over Diamond Creek Womens, Stephanie Yoannidis was best in the Magpies victory over Epping, while South Morang’s Larissa Cullen was best in the Lions win over Greensborough.
In the Under-17 Blue competition, Greensborough and Thomastown tackled each other in a replay of last year’s Under-16 Red decider, with Greensborough reversing the tables and prevailing this time. Eltham travelled to Montmorency Park and got the job done over the Magpies, winning by 46 points. South Morang played a close game against Mill Park, winning by a tight nine points. Meanwhile, Research and Diamond Creek also produced a thriller with the Searchers winning by the tightest possible margin thanks to five goals from Josh Shelton.
Whittlesea got off to the perfect start in the Under-17 Red competition, defeating South Morang away from home at Mill Park Lakes Reserve. Daniel Smith and Vincent Nativo were named the Eagles best players. Meantime, Epping also recorded a win in Round 1, beating Wallan at home, with 11 different players getting on the goal kickers sheet.
The Under-16 Blue competition saw last year’s Under-15 Blue premier Epping continue its impressive run of form, beating Greensborough comfortably at Epping Recreational Reserve. South Morang also got its season off to a bright start as well, getting a good win over Wallan away from home. Yarrambat was the round’s other winner after a big victory over West Preston-Lakeside at Yarrambat Memorial Park on the back of four-goal hauls to Jacob Maynes and Joel Motley.
Research started the Under-16 Red season with a win over Eltham by 34 points away from home at Susan Street Reserve. Diamond Creek and Mill Park also were able to record opening-round wins away from home, defeating Montmorency and Bundoora Park respectively to bank four early points.
Eltham got off to a winning start in the Under-15 Blue competition, getting a tight 11-point win over a gallant Greensborough. A close game all day, Eltham took control in the third term to lead by 21 points at the last change. However Greensborough booted three goals to one in the final term to only just be denied the win. Laurimar Black, South Morang and Montmorency were the other opening-round winners.
George Fakhri, Jake Mutton and Amin Musa each kicked five goals as Epping beat Eltham in the Under-15 Red competition. In other matches, Whittlesea was too strong for South Morang at the Whittlesea Showgrounds, while West Preston-Lakeside and Lalor were also amongst the sides to notch Round 1 victories.
The expanded 12-team Under-15 Girls competition produced a great round of football with six matches played in the first round. It was a mixed day for Diamond Creek Womens, with its Blue team winning at Epping, while its Red team lost at home to South Morang. West Preston-Lakeside visited Greensborough and came away with the four points, while Wallan also won on the road by beating Laurimar. Eltham proved too strong for Yarrambat while it was a thriller at Redleap Reserve where Mill Park defeated Montmorency by a solitary point.
Good luck to all sides in action in Round 2 and for the entire season ahead.
