The Bendigo Advertiser has run its eye over the key round-two team and player stats according to Premier Data from each game.
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As will be the case all year, readers can see plenty of highlights from the weekend's action with edited videos of all games.
GOLDEN SQUARE 49 It STRATHFIELDSAYE 77:
In an era of systems and structures, there is still no more critical facet of footy than goalkicking.
You can be superior across many key metrics, as Golden Square was on the weekend, but if you kick 5.19 (49), you're not winning many games.
It's a loss that could come back to haunt Square, as the season is shaping up to be a tight race for those fourth and fifth finals spots.
Only down by six points at half-time, the Bulldogs did everything right to run over their old enemy except the final kick.
Despite having 31-17 inside 50s, the Bulldogs lost the second half by 22 points because they kicked 0.13 (13).
Overall, Square won contested possessions 155-132 and equalled clearances at 37 apiece.
Strathfieldsaye's ability to keep possession, highlighted by 283-171 uncontested possessions, was a significant factor in the win.
The Storm were also more willing to keep speed on the footy, having 17-8 handball receives.
Storm midfielder Lachlan Gill led the league disposals in round two and came second in ranking points.
Gill accumulated 43 touches, five clearances, three inside 50s, three rebound 50s, a goal and 183 ranking points.
Teammate Matt Harvey wasn't far behind, collecting 42 disposals, three clearances, five inside 50s, ten rebound 50s, and 155 ranking points.
Storm leaders Daniel Clohesy (33 disposals), Shannon Geary (31 disposals) and Riley Wilson (28 disposals) had plenty of the footy.
Dylan Hird (26 disposals), Jordan Rosengren (24 disposals) and Luke Holt (23 disposals) were the pick of the Bulldogs midfield.
Jon Coe had seven intercept marks.
MARYBOROUGH 78 It KANGAROO FLAT 133:
Kangaroo Flat coach Michael Ellings called for greater depth and help through his midfield last week after a round one demolition by Sandhurst.
It was a matter of who had the greater depth, and while Maryborough's best players had solid outings, there were simply too many passengers, with nine players having seven or fewer possessions.
The Magpies' starting midfield of Bailey Edwards, Kaian Constable, and Coby Perry was excellent, allowing the Magpies to win contested possessions 142-139 and clearances 50-46.
Bendigo Pioneer Constable has started the season in terrific fashion and continued that on Saturday, amassing 29 disposals, 11 clearances, eight inside 50s, a goal and 138 ranking points.
Co-coach Perry had 34 disposals, nine clearances and a goal, while Edwards had 21 touches, seven clearances and two majors.
It was a great contest on the inside, but the Roos dominated the outer, collecting 258-170 uncontested possessions, which afforded them territorial dominance of 68-46 inside 50s.
Harry Whitty's move into the middle reaped immediate dividends for the Roos.
Whitty was best on ground with 33 disposals, six effective tackles, five clearances and kicked 3.3 for 172 ranking points.
SANDHURST 88 DEF GISBORNE 73:
We wondered if anyone would be able to challenge Sandhurst this season, and we got our answer on Saturday.
Despite losing by 15 points when Gisborne coach Rob Waters looks at the stats, he'll see plenty that will encourage him for future clashes against the Dragons.
On another day, had Gisborne kicked straighter in the first half (2.6), they could have won.
Gisborne won contested possession 159-138 and smashed the Dragons from clearance 53-30.
What counteracted Gisborne's clearance dominance was the ferocious pressure applied by the Dragons.
For comparison, in 2023, Kangaroo Flat led the average tackles per game with 65.2.
On Saturday, the Dragons laid 109 to Gisborne's 54.
Nicholas Stagg led that charge, laying a remarkable 18 tackles, almost double the next-best in the BFNL in round two.
That next-best was teammate Lachlan Tardrew, who laid ten tackles and is the early Michelsen Medal favourite after another likely three-vote performance.
Tardrew had 40 disposals, nine clearances, nine inside 50s, a goal and 180 ranking points.
Flynn Lakey was Gisborne's best midfielder, collecting 37 possessions, 12 clearances, six inside 50s, a goal and 188 ranking points.
Jack Reaper took a league-high nine intercept marks, while Pat McKenna returned with a five-goal, nine-possession game.
SOUTH BENDIGO 132 DEF CASTLEMAINE 90:
Despite winning clearances 43-40, it was where it mattered most Castlemaine couldn't gain any traction.
Around the ground, Castlemaine amassed 34-21 clearances, but from centre clearance, South Bendigo dominated, having 19-9.
It was a vital point of difference for the Bloods, who scored heavily from centre-clearance wins.
Castlemaine was by no means embarrassed, and it was closer than the 42-point margin suggests, but the Bloods were just five per cent better across all lines of Harry Trot Oval.
The Bloods won contested possessions 187-176, uncontested possessions 144-142, intercept marks 18-7, inside 50s 59-45 and hit-outs 51-44.
St Kilda City recruits Anthony Zimmerman (25 disposals, six clearances and three goals) and Matthew McNaughton (26 disposals and two goals) were again impressive.
Zac Hare (25 disposals) and Blake Poyser (24 disposals) continue to rack up possessions in the back half.
Outside of Brock Harvey's nine-goal effort, Brody Haddow was the Bloods' best, gathering 34 touches, 12 clearances, seven inside 50s, a goal, and 170 ranking points.
Tagger Tait Poyser shut out Castlemaine's best player, Bailey Henderson, in the second term, only allowing him three disposals, which contributed to him being moved forward in the second half.
One of the league's great accumulators over the past few seasons, John Watson, spent time up the ground on Saturday, with 16 of his 30 disposals contested.
Darby Semmens had a good day, collecting 29 touches.
ROUND TWO PLAYER LEADERBOARDS:
RANKING POINTS:
1: Flynn Lakey (GIS) 188
2: Lachlan Gill (SS) 183
3: Lachlan Tardrew (SAN) 180
4: Harry Whitty (KF) 172
5: Brody Haddow (SB) 170
6: Alex Brown (MB) 167
7: Bailey Snelling (MB) 164
8: Luke Ellings (KF) 163
9: Michael Hartley (CAS) 162
10: Coby Perry (MB) 157
DISPOSALS:
1: Lachlan Gill (SS) 43
2: Matt Harvey (SS) 42
3: Lachlan Tardrew (SAN) 40
4: Alex Brown (MB) 39
5: Flynn Lakey (GIS) 37
6: Cooper Jones (SS) 36
7: Luke Ellings (KF) 34
8: Coby Perry (MB) 34
9: Brody Haddow (SB) 34
10: Harry Whitty (KF) 33
CONTESTED POSSESSIONS:
1: Brody Haddow (SB) 23
2: Kaian Constable (MB) 22
3: Lachlan Tardrew (SAN) 21
4: Flynn Lakey (GIS) 18
5: Anthony Zimmerman (SB) 17
6: John Watson (CAS) 16
7: Jordan Rosengren (GS) 16
8: Darby Semmens (CAS) 15
9: Braidon Blake (GIS) 15
10: Dylan Hird (GS) 14
GOALS:
1: Brock Harvey (SB) 9
2: Michael Hartley (CAS) 7
3: Pat McKenna (GIS) 5
4: Fraser Russell (MB) 4
5: Joel Wharton (SAN) 4
6: Harry Whitty (KF) 3
7: Steven Stroobants (SB) 3
8: James Schischka (SS) 3
9: Zach Charles (SS) 3
10: Anthony Zimmerman (SB) 3
CONTESTED MARKS:
1: Michael Hartley (CAS) 6
2: Jack Scanlon (GIS) 4
3: Jayden Burke (GS) 4
4: Cobi Maxted (SAN) 4
5: Blake Poyser (SB) 4
6: Kalan Huntly (CAS) 3
7: Jack Reaper (GIS) 3
8: Zac Denahy (GIS) 3
9: Angus Grant (KF) 3
10: Lachlan Dalziel (KF) 3
INTERCEPT MARKS:
1: Jack Reaper (GIS) 9
2: Jon Coe (GS) 7
3: Bailey Snelling (MB) 5
4: Blake Poyser (SB) 4
5: Cooper Jones (SB) 4
6: Lachlan Ratcliffe (SS) 4
7: Liam Spear (GIS) 3
8: Alex Brown (MB) 3
9: Coby Perry (MB) 3
10: Cooper Smith (SAN) 3
CLEARANCES:
1: Brody Haddow (SB) 12
2: Flynn Lakey 12
3: Braidon Blake (GIS) 11
4: Kaian Constable (MB) 11
5: Luke Ellings (KF) 9
6: Coby Perry (MB) 9
7: Lachlan Tardrew 9
7: Bradley Bernacki (GIS) 9
8: Jordan Rosengren (GS) 8
9: Matthew Filo (CAS) 7
10: Jackson Cardillo (GIS) 7
INSIDE 50s:
1: Kyle Symons (KF) 10
2: Luke Ellings (KF) 8
3: Coby Perry (MB) 8
4: Kaian Constable (MB) 8
5: Kalan Huntly (CAS) 7
6: Bailey Edwards (MB) 7
7: Brody Haddow (SB) 7
8: William Marks (SB) 7
9: Daniel Clohesy (SS) 7
10: Flynn Lakey (GIS) 6
REBOUND 50s:
1: Alex Brown (MB) 13
2: Cooper Smith (SAN) 12
3: Matt Harvey (SS) 10
4: Bailey Snelling (MB) 9
5: Cooper Jones (SS) 7
6: Patrick Blandford (SS) 7
7: Brodie Byrne (CAS) 6
8: Zac Vescovi (GIS) 6
9: Jade Mayes (KF) 6
10: Blake Poyser (SB) 6
TACKLES:
1: Nicholas Stagg (SAN) 18
2: Lachlan Tardrew (SAN) 10
3: Riley Walsh (SS) 9
4: Bradley Bernacki (GIS) 8
5: Ethan Roberts (KF) 8
6: Alex Brown (MB) 8
7: Bailey Snelling (MB) 8
8: Zac Sims (SB) 8
9: Ashton Frankling (CAS) 7
10: Flynn Lakey (GIS) 7
HIT-OUTS:
1: Braidon Blake (GIS) 43
2: Ty Stewart (MB) 42
3: Jackson Hood (CAS) 29
4: Riley Walsh (SB) 28
5: Tanner Rayner (GS) 27
6: George Simpson (SS) 27
7: Connor Sexton (SAN) 24
8: Toby Roberts (KF) 21
9: Tom Myers (MB) 19
10: William Marks (SB) 17
