After an eventful weekend, the top half of the ladder has seen significant movement heading into Round 10 of the Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 season.
Teams are set to face the same opponents as in Round 1 this week, making it intriguing to see how much has changed over the course of nine rounds.
Montmorency Park is expected to draw a strong crowd as Montmorency host Banyule in a marquee matchup.
After securing back-to-back wins, the Magpies added another to the tally with a dominant 46-point win over West Preston.
Ben Davies has been influential, accumulating 19 coaches MVP votes across the last three wins, while Marcus Lentini has also shown consistency, regularly earning around 10 votes each week.
Key forward Ben Paterson has also made a significant impact, scoring seven goals across the last two matches and playing a crucial role for the Magpies.
Banyule entered last Saturday’s match riding a three-game winning streak but suffered a disappointing 25-point defeat to North Heidelberg.
Midfielder Jack Sammartino was prominent in the middle, scoring 4 coaches MVP votes and contributing 2 goals. Key forward James Kayrooz also added 2 goals on the scoreboard.
Noah Wheeler was another consistent standout, but the Bears will need to put in significant effort to stage a comeback.
Both Banyule and Montmorency saw changes in their ladder positioning, with Banyule falling to third while the Magpies climbed to second.
The Yulers were able to come out on top in Round 1 against Montmorency by 31 points, yet will be even more eager to take back their position at second place in this enticing showdown.
Greensborough will take on Hurstbridge at War Memorial Park aiming to gain advantage on the ladder and narrow the difference from just two points behind the Bridges.
The Borough currently holds sixth place on the ladder, but remain close in points to the teams above following their thrilling one-point victory over Bundoora
Nathan Howard made a strong statement against his former side, earning nine Coaches MVP votes, while midfielder Benjamin Ham also impressed with a matching nine-vote performance.
Northern Knights player Ryan Commandeur was named Best in his first game of the season for the Borough, signalling a promising future with the team.
Hurstbridge’s loss to Heidelberg saw them slip from third to fourth on the ladder.
Despite this, the forward line held strong with Joel Naylor booting four goals, Jack Stewart stood tall in defence, earning five Coaches MVP votes for his efforts in stopping Heidelberg’s attacking pressure.
Midfielders Harry O’Brien and Mitch Moschetti were also serviceable in the middle.
Greensborough narrowly secured a three-point victory in Round 1 of the 2025 season. Saturday promises to be another tightly contested battle.
Supremacy in the Heidelberg rivalry will be on the line this Saturday as Heidelberg and North Heidelberg go head-to-head at Shelley Park.
Ensuring a crucial win over the Bears last Saturday, North now holds a convincing three-game winning streak.
Contributing to the winning streak is key forward Lachlan Smith, who booted four goals last week and has now tallied nine goals across his past two matches.
North’s midfielder Brodie White also impressed with a strong performance, earning eight Coaches MVP votes and putting significant pressure on the Bears throughout the match.
Heidelberg continue to maintain their strong form with a 50-point victory over an in-form Hurstbridge at their home ground.
Defender James Nadalin was a standout against the Bridges, earning a perfect 10 Coaches MVP votes and even hitting the scoreboard with a goal. His impact at both ends of the ground continues to make him a valuable asset for Heidelberg.
Port Melbourne-listed midfielder, Matthew Signorello, along with key player Tom Keys, played a crucial role in the Tigers victory, delivering strong entries inside the forward 50. Both have demonstrated impressive consistency throughout the season.
The kickoff round saw Heidelberg deliver a dominant 130-point win over North. However, with the season well underway, North are now composed to respond with a much stronger showing.
West Preston-Lakeside will remain on home turf as they take on South Morang, who sit just one position below them on the ladder.
Matthew Harman was a key asset for the Roosters as the only WPL player to collect coaches MVP vote last round. Regan Uwandu was also serviceable, listed best on against the Magpies.
South Morang celebrated some success on the board that has climbed them further up the ladder as the season progresses.
The Lions had many high-scoring MVP votes, with Tyrone Leonardis at eight votes, scoring 21 over the last four games and Kobe van Zwienen at seven votes, receiving 15 votes over the last three games.
The first round of the season West Preston-Lakeside came out on top with a 41-point success.
With both teams still seeking consistency, they’ll be eager to add more wins to the board to secure some more success in their seasons.
Bundoora will be looking to register their second win for the season against Eltham at Eltham Central Park.
The Panthers had an unfortunate 18-point loss against South Morang last Saturday that has set them back in the season.
Vice-captain and key winger for Eltham, Harvey Furlong, gained three coaches MVP votes, along with defender Declan Ayres also earning an equivalent three coaches MVP votes.
Bundoora additionally sit on the losers side following a tense one-point loss to Greensborough.
Isaac McMillan has shown consistency, listed best on for the second consecutive week, and not far behind Lachlan Urbon as second best on for the Bulls.
The opening clash saw the Panthers edge out the Bulls, securing a narrow yet compelling one-point victory. Bundoora need to ensure they finish with a strong fourth quarter to cease a close defeat.
With several rounds now behind them, this round offers a chance to see how far they’ve come since the nail-biting opener.
