Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Ex-Pie, Crow and former Roo, Blue both snag 10 as Saints legend kicks five
Country Footy Scores • April 29th, 2025 4:41 pm
This weekend saw the last two Victorian country football and netball leagues start for season 2025 with round 1 action in the Golden Rivers FNL and the Upper Murray FNL. WIth last Friday being ANZAC Day, 20 leagues also took the opportunity to stage matches and ceremonies to mark this special event.
Unfortunately the wet ANZAC Day weather caused havoc for some parts of the state and in particular the Gippsland region where a game was called off. In the North Gippsland FNL night match between Traralgon Tyers United FNC and Rosedale FNC at the Tyers Recreation Reserve, the game was stopped halfway through the third quarter due to a severe thunderstorm that rolled through. After the delay TTU were named the winners as they were leading 10.9.69 to Rosedale FNC’s 3.1.19 when the decision to abandon the game was made.
Some long-standing winning and losing streaks came to an end after this weekend's round of games were concluded. In the ANZAC Day clash in the North Central FNL, Charlton FNC were able to sing the club song for the first time since August 2023 when they broke a 19-game losing streak with a nine-point win over St Arnaud FNC 6.8 44 to 5.5 35. Other clubs to break significant losing streaks were Beaufort FNC winning for the first time in 10 games in the Central Highlands FNL and Elmore FNC in the Heathcote & District FNL ending a nine-game run of outs beating 2024 premiers White Hills FNC by 64 points.
In the Omeo and District FNL, Buchan FNC ended both their eight-game losing streak and Omeo Benambra FNC’s eight-game winning streak simultaneously with their 15.10 100 to 9.9 63 win over last season's premiers. Two other reigning premiers also had their winning streaks come to an end with the rounds just completed. A run of 16 straight victories for Imperials FNC in the Sunraysia FNL ended at the hands of Mildura FNC 18.11 119 to 6.7 43, while in the Mininera & District FNL, Penshurst FNC’s 10 wins a row was stopped in its tracks by a 60-point loss to the Ararat Eagles FNC.
A couple of ex-AFL players certainly had their kicking boots on. Former Collingwood and Adelaide forward Ben Crocker snagged a haul of 10 for Moe FNC in their 99-point win over Maffra FNC. In the Premier Division of the Outer East FNL it was former Kangaroo and Blue Aaron Mullett also enjoying a bag if 10 goals for Wandin FNC as they ran out 104-point winners over Monbulk FNC. Richmond VFL star Joel Garner booted four goals for Wandin.
In the Ovens and Murray FNL it was a handy tally of three goals for ex-Docker Matthew Taberner as he helped his hometown Myrtleford FNC sneak over the line by four points in their match against the Wangaratta Magpies FNC, 9.11 65 to 8.13 61. St Kilda legend Stephen Milne, at the age of 45, showed he still had plenty to offer by kicking five in a one-off game for Boolarra FNC as they defeated Morwell East FNC by 33 points in the Mid Gippsland FNL.
Including Crocker and Mullett there were 11 forwards who dined out on defenders by kicking bags of 10 or more goals. In the Upper Murray FNL, Bullioh FNC’s Ashley Murray kicked the biggest bag so far for season 2025 with 16 majors in his sides 196-point win over Corryong FNC while there was a pair of 13-goal hauls, by Longwarry FNC’s Jason Wells in the Ellinbank & District FNL. Another by Goorambat FNC’s Duane Haebich in the Ovens & King FNL as the Bats defeated the Benalla All Blacks FNC by a whopping 200 points, 35.20 230 to 4.6 30.
The 13 from Haebich moves him to equal 3rd overall on 25 goals, sharing with Berrigan FNC’s Keith Tallent, while Wells and Mullett’s goal hauls have rocketed them to sit equal 2nd on 26 goals, joining Merrivale FNC’s Dylan Weir and Greta FNC’s Frazer Judd. They all sit behind outright leader from the North Central FNL, Birchip-Watchem FNC’s Ben Edwards who has 32 majors after 3 rounds so far this season.
Images from Moe FNC, Valeriu Campan and Gippsland Footy.
For all the latest in country footy, head to Country Footy Scores.
