The 2024 Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 Preliminary Final rematch highlights a fascinating weekend of action in the top-flight.
Local rivals Montmorency and Greensborough will look to move one game clear of the other when they meet at Montmorency Park North Oval.
This weekend’s game will be the first time the Magpies and Borough meet since their preliminary final matchup last year.
That day Montmorency came out victorious by two points at Preston City Oval, their third win of the season against Greensborough.
Both sit equal on three wins from three games, with the Magpies percentage of 104.49% enough to see them sit above the Borough.
The fourth-placed Magpies returned to the winners list last weekend, defeating Bundoora for the first time at Yulong Reserve since 2019.
Patrick Dozzi was the star of the show again in the 30-point victory while Nicholas Green and Flynn Riley also impressed.
They return home to face their third 2024 finalist in the last four weeks. For the Borough it’s a third consecutive 2024 finalist having played North Heidelberg and Heidelberg the past fortnight.
Matthew Hyde’s side put in a strong first half against the Tigers last weekend but were unable to run with them in the second half.
VFL-listed midfield Harrison Andronaco had a terrific return for the Borough alongside fellow midfielder Benjamin Ham.
Greensborough will be looking to register their first win over Montmorency since Round 2 of the 2023 season.
West Preston-Lakeside will aim to build off their terrific round six win when they host Banyule at J.E. Moore Park.
That win for the Roosters came against North Heidelberg away from home, coming from one point behind early in the last to win by four points.
Matthew Harman was immense in ruck, claiming the perfect 10 coaches votes for the first time this season.
Dante Colosimo also kicked three goals, all of which in the first quarter, while Nick Baring and Matthew Belbasis also had an impact.
Ian Aitken’s men now face a top five opponent for the first time since their Round 4 loss to Hurstbridge at J.E. Moore Park.
This weekend will be just as tricky an assignment as that game was, with the Bears sitting in third and only half a game behind the Bridges.
After their heartbreaking loss to Hurstbridge, Damian Truslove’s team returned to the winners list with a 35-point victory over Eltham at Beverley Road Oval.
Noah Wheeler continued his stellar season for the Bears, picking up nine coaches votes. Riley Loton, in game 100 with Banyule’s senior club, and Kye Yodgee impressed yet again in the win.
Banyule won their most recent encounter with the Roosters by 28 points at Saturday’s venue in Round 17 last year. However West Preston-Lakeside did win their first matchup of 2024 by 19 points.
Hurstbridge will hope to extend its unbeaten streak to six games as they welcome Bundoora to Ben Frilay Oval.
Joel Cordwell’s side sit in second on the table and boast the healthiest percentage of sides outside of Heidelberg.
Last weekend they had to work hard for their victory against last-placed South Morang, with a three goal to nil final term enough to secure them the four points.
Mitchell Dale and William Cookson continued their excellent run of form alongside vice-captain Mitch Moschetti. Joel Naylor also kicked four goals in the 33-point win last Saturday.
This weekend could be the last where the Bridges faces a bottom five opponent in the opening half of the season.
Bundoora won’t be easy beats though, with their biggest loss of the season coming last weekend against Montmorency by five goals.
Luke Lo Valvo continued his promising start to the season while Michael Fitz-Gerald had his best game of 2025 against his former side.
They’ll go in confident having beaten the Bridges at this Saturday’s venue by three points in their most recent contest.
Prior to that the Bridges claimed a four-point victory over Bundoora in the two sides first meeting of the 2024 season.
South Morang is set to welcome North Heidelberg to Mill Park Lakes Reserve this Saturday for the first time in more than a decade.
The Lions continue to show plenty of promise but have failed to put together four quarters together so far this season.
This was the case last weekend against Hurstbridge where they went down by 33 points despite leading at quarter time.
Tyrone Leonardis had his best game of the season in the loss, polling an equal game-high eight coaches votes.
Gary Hall’s side faces a 2024 finalist for the fifth time in the last six rounds this weekend.
North Heidelberg haven’t been at their best though and now sit in eighth spot on the Division 1 table, but only half a game behind fourth-placed Montmorency.
In their loss last weekend to West Preston-Lakeside, Hamish Murphy had one of his best games of the season alongside Mitch Dillon.
They now face the Lions for the first time since the 2013 season. Their last meeting that year came at Mill Park Lakes Reserve where the Bulldogs kicked 29 goals in a 144-point win over the Lions.
Eltham returns to Eltham Central Park this weekend to face reigning premiers Heidelberg.
After entering round six in fourth place, the Panthers have now slipped down to sixth after going down to Banyule away from home.
Tim Bongetti’s side kicked eight goals from 11 scoring shots in the 35-point loss. Young guns Kai Turner and Jason McCormick also had promising performances.
They now face their fourth top five opponent in their last five games, with this opponent the biggest test of the lot.
Heidelberg remained undefeated last weekend with a 49-point victory over Greensborough at home.
New Coaches MVP Leader Luke Bunker picked up the perfect 10 coaches votes while Zane Barzen collected seven after kicking six goals.
Vin Dattoli’s side won by an average margin of 95 points last year against Eltham. Their last meeting came in Round 17 at Panther Place, with the Tigers victorious by 75 points.
