IT was supposed to be a triumphant first home game of the Mininera and District Football League 2024 season for Glenthompson-Dunkeld at Dunkeld Recreation Reserve on Saturday, but Lismore-Derrinallum didn’t follow the script and broke the Rams’ hearts with a one-point victory, 12. 7 (79) to 12.8 (80).

After a strong performance in round one, the Rams were favoured to remain undefeated, but the visitors hit the ground running in the opening term to keep the home side goalless and open a 20-point gap on the scoreboard.

“The message at quarter time was basically around getting the team to weather the storm and settle into the game, I think there was perceived pressure causing poor entry into forward 50, (and) we just had to take an extra half a second and find some open targets going inside,” Glenthompson-Dunkeld coach, Tom Waters said.

The home side regrouped come the second quarter and they piled on five majors to the Demons three, and the margin was reduced to nine points at the long break.

The final quarter was set up to be a thrilling contest and the teams didn’t disappoint, as the ball moved from one end of the ground to the other with the defensive work of both sides invaluable.

Despite winning three of the four quarters, the Rams couldn’t manage to edge their noses in front and when the final siren sounded, the visitors remained in front by that single point, as each team booted two goals for the final quarter.

“It’s a long season, and early wins are really important for confidence, but there were some positives to take out of the game with our best being very good, and we probably kicked most our goals in very quick succession, but we just have to be able to keep that energy for longer patches as we were able to do the week before,” Waters said.

DJ Woods, Tyler Staude, Dylan Ross, Zach Burgess, Jezza Woods, and Andrew Fry were the best performers for Glenthompson-Dunkeld, while Josh Sanders, Henry Walsh, Jack Pitts, Lachie Constable, Jack McCallum, and Darcy Robinson did likewise for Lismore-Derrinallum.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur d Woorndoo-Mortlake

IN another thrilling contest, Hawkesdale-Macarthur came from behind to defeat Woorndoo-Mortlake at Woorndoo Recreation Reserve, 15.10 (100) TO 14.13 (97).

A 10-point gap separated the teams at the first break, as the Eagles took the game right up to the Tigers in the first stanza and the visitors refused to be bowed by their more fancied hosts.

The two teams went goal-for-goal in the second quarter, as the visitors claimed the second term by a single point to be only nine points adrift at the long break.

Woorndoo-Mortlake must have thought the visitors would not match them as the game wore on, but the Eagles returned for the second half with renewed vigour, as they caught and then passed their hosts both on the ground and on the scoreboard with a six-goal term to earn the Eagles a six-point lead.

The hosts fought back in the final term to outscore Hawkesdale-Macarthur, but the Eagles matched them goal for goal and held on to claim a great victory by three points.

Lachlan Glare with eight majors to his credit was best on ground with Aaron Seabrook, Sam Hodgins, Rick Glare, Ben Meade, and Lachlan Tanner being named in the Eagles’ best, while the Tigers were well served by Matthew Pemberton, Mac Shaw, Sam Gervasoni, Haydn Templeton, Kane Killen, and Jordan Buckley.

Penshurst d Moyston-Willaura

PENSHURST remain undefeated atop the premiership ladder after claiming the scalp of Moyston-Willaura at Willaura Recreation Reserve on Saturday, 28.16 (184) to 3.9 (27).

The percentage-boosting victory comes on the back of a similarly huge round one victory, and it has allowed the team to settle its game style before having to battle Tatyoon and Hawkesdale-Macarthur in the next two rounds, which will be much tougher opposition.

In both opening games, the Bombers have been switched on from the opening siren, as they posted six goals to none in the first quarter and 11 to goals to only two when the main break arrived.

Penshurst could have been forgiven if it had taken the foot off the pedal in the second half, but the tempo was ramped up even further.

The team won the ball both on the inside and the outside allowing Ian Milera (eight goals) and Josh Rentsch (seven goals) to dominate up forward.

It wasn’t just the forwards that dominated, as the backline players repelled all forward entries made by the Pumas to set up a 17-goal second half for the visitors.

Josh Rentsch, Ian Milera, Elijah Satala, Luke Searle, Cooper Rentsch, and Daniel Schild were named as the Bombers’ best, while the Pumas were well served by Harley Healy, Aaron Pianta, Ryan Heard, Ethan Clohesy, Ned Bohner, and Joshua Day.

Other games

COLLINGWOOD premiership player, Dane Swan, made a guest appearance for Ararat Eagles against Great Western in the local derby game at Alexandra Oval, and the fans were not disappointed by the Brownlow Medallist, as he helped the home side to a 22.17 (149) to 12.14 (89) victory.

Wickliffe-Lake Bolac continued its unbeaten start to the season by defeating SMW Rovers at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve, 26.21 (177) to 5.4 (34), to sit second on the ladder.

The final game of the round saw a much-improved performance from Caramut against reigning premier, Tatyoon, at Caramut Recreation Reserve, going down by 76 points, 11.5 (71) to 23.9 (147), as the Hawks’ Marcus Darmody booted 15 goals in a best-on-ground performance.