A massive 2024 Qualifying Final rematch highlights this Saturday’s slate of matches in Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1.
Only four games are set to take place this weekend with Eltham and Greensborough having the bye after doing battle on Good Friday.
Another chapter is set to be created in the North Heidelberg and Montmorency rivalry when they meet at Shelley Street Reserve.
While both sides sit in 2nd and 8th respectively on the ladder, only half a game separates the pair after the opening three rounds of the season.
Following opening round losses to Banyule and Heidelberg respectively, both the Magpies and Bulldogs have claimed points in their last two games.
North Heidelberg have only gotten six out of a possible eight points though having drawn with Hurstbridge last Saturday at Ben Frilay Oval following a Round 2 victory over Bundoora.
Ben Giobbi starred in the draw last weekend, claiming the perfect 10 Coaches MVP Award votes, while vice-captain Brock Chircop also kicked five majors after a three-goal game against the Bulls.
This weekend will continue a tough start to the season for Kasey Duncan’s side who face all four 2024 finalists in the opening five rounds.
Montmorency on the other hand will meet a 2024 finalist for the first time this Saturday having played Banyule, South Morang and Eltham.
After losing to the Bears away from home, they picked up the full eight points against the Lions and Panthers respectively.
Coaches MVP Award leader Marcus Lentini continued his stellar start to the season with a three goal, 10 vote outing in the Magpies 30-point triumph over Eltham.
Flynn Riley and Ben Davis also had handy contributions, the latter playing his first game of the season.
The Magpies and Bulldogs will face off for the first time since their Qualifying Final meeting last year where Nick Rutley’s side won by 19 points.
They split their regular season matchups last year though, with the Magpies 38-point winners at Saturday’s venue and North Heidelberg 52-point victors at Montmorency Park.
Some intrigue also surrounds the West Preston-Lakeside and Hurstbridge contest set to take place at J.E. Moore Park this weekend.
Much like the Bulldogs and Magpies, only half a game separates the two teams who sit in third and seventh.
Ian Aitken’s men have impressed to start the season, sitting at 2-1 and with their only loss coming to Heidelberg.
Star players Dante Colosimo and captain Matthew Harman continue to perform consistently, with Colosimo currently the leading goalkicker in the top flight after a seven-goal outing last weekend against Bundoora.
The Roosters wins have come against the Bulls and South Morang to start the season, with this weekend set to be another massive test at home against an in-form Bridges outfit.
While they drew with North Heidelberg, Joel Cordwell’s men still have one win and just the one loss to their name.
Lachlan East and Mitchell Moschetti were both excellent in the Bridges draw to North Heidelberg, with both men securing coaches votes alongside Jack Stewart.
Hurstbridge won on both occasions against the Roosters last year and have won the last five times they’ve met West Preston-Lakeside dating back to 2022.
Banyule will be looking to put its first loss of 2025 behind them when they welcome Bundoora to Beverley Road Oval.
That loss for the Bears came at the hands of Heidelberg to the tune of 120 points, resulting in them dropping down to sixth due to percentage.
Despite the defeat, Oscar White and Max Jones still had impressive performances alongside Bailey Neilson and Logan Kilcullen.
Damian Truslove’s side now face a non-finalist for the first time this season and return home in the hopes of boosting their record to 3-1.
Their opponents this weekend in Bundoora won’t be easy beats however, having been close in all their contests so far this season.
However, they were unable to register a win against Eltham, North Heidelberg and West Preston-Lakeside, going down by a combined 33 points.
Bailey Tome had one of his better performances to date against the Roosters while Heath Scotland’s men had seven individual goalkickers out of the 10 majors they kicked in that game.
Bundoora do hold a good record against the Bears in recent history, having won three of their four meetings.
They’ve won every match up between the two at Beverley Road Oval also, including by five goals in their most recent encounter in Round 16 last year.
South Morang faces its biggest test so far this season when they welcome Heidelberg to Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
This weekend marks the third consecutive 2024 finalist the Lions will meet, having played Montmorency and Greensborough in the previous two rounds.
Gary Hall’s men were unable to get the four points in those two games away from home, but they were competitive for majority of those contests.
Jesse John Christidis continued his great start to the season against the Borough while premiership forward Joshua Lansfield returned with a bang, kicking five of the Lions’ seven goals.
It doesn’t get any easier for them this weekend against a Heidelberg side who remains undefeated and with a percentage north of 350.
In a 1v2 clash against Banyule, the Tigers kicked 19 goals to two after quarter time enroute to a 20-goal victory over their next-door neighbours at Warringal Park.
Four players kicked five or more majors on the day, led by Brayden Sier’s five-goal performance.
Sier was also one of four players to claim five or more Coaches MVP Award votes alongside Dylan Clarke, Tom Keys and Luke Bunker.
Vin Dattoli’s side will look to further cement their status as the benchmark of the top flight against a side they haven’t met in more than 40 years at the senior level.
