THE margin wasn't as lop-sided as last year's 100-point grand final, but Navarre kicked off its Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League flag defence with a comfortable win over Lexton on Saturday.
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In the grand final rematch, the Grasshoppers were 17.6 (108) to 11.5 (71) victors over the Tigers in a game where both sides converted well in front of goal.
The Grasshoppers had control of the game at half-time when they led by 38 points and were able to hold the Tigers at bay for the rest of the match as both teams added seven goals after the break.
Ashley Driscoll played a starring role for the Grasshoppers, kicking four goals to be their best player.
Josh Driscoll, Sam Kaye and Brent Flood were others to lead the way for the Grasshoppers.
Full-forward Matt Brown kicked five of the Tigers' 11 goals to be among their best, along with Nicholas Spolding, James Templeton and Nigel Reid.
• Carisbrook has already suffered as many losses as it did for all of last year after going down to Newstead by 21 points under lights at home.
In a low-scoring contest, the Steaders prevailed 10.8 (68) to 7.5 (47) after they had earlier led by seven points at half-time.
On a night where goals were at a premium, Mark Ramsey kicked four for the Steaders, who were also well served by Nathan Webster, Adam Hunter (two goals), Mitchell Gilboy and Ben Krol.
In what was only Carisbrook's sixth loss in its past 56 games, the Redbacks' better players included Nick Robinson, Nichlos Wright (two goals) and Jakob Tidyman.
• Campbells Creek made the perfect start to its season, crushing rivals Harcourt by 58 points.
The previous three meetings between the two sides had been decided by margins of just three, three and eight points, but this contest was a blowout as the Creekers won in convincing fashion, 18.15 (123) to 9.11 (65).
The Creekers did their damage in the second quarter when they unleashed an 11-goal to two term.
Having led by nine points at quarter-time, by half-time the Creekers were 61 points up - 13.4 to 3.3 - and it was game over.
Campbells Creek's dominance was led by Shannon Berriman, Adam Pollock, Josh Hutchinson and Ross Slater (two goals), while Joel Smith kicked five goals.
Paul Chaplin, Brayden Wootton and Lachlan Van Schaik battled hard on a tough day for Harcourt.
• Dunolly and Trentham played out the first draw of the season, with scores locked at 9.9 (63) apiece after their game.
The match was tight all day, with the biggest margin at any of the breaks the five points Trentham led by at half-time.
Harry Warren, Timothy Conway and Michael Campbell were the standouts for the Eagles, while Trentham's best included Luke Whitehouse - who was the game's leading goalkicker with three - Elliot Drew and coach Clayton Scoble.
• On Sunday, Royal Park won the Maryborough Derby against Rovers by 77 points to get its season off to a positive start.
Following a tight opening in which Rovers led by four points at quarter-time, Bushy kicked away to win 18.16 (124) to 7.5 (47) against last year's wooden-spooners.
Brendan Birch bagged five goals for Bushy to be one of their standouts, along with Matthew Walker, Taylor Stewart, Brendan Murdoch and Jarrod O'Connor.
Grant Ryan, Ryan Guareschi, Ty Stewart and David Popovski played well for Rovers, who had Graeme Kennedy kick three goals.
• Natte Bealiba opened its season with a 54-point victory over Avoca.
The Swans led at every change in their 18.12 (120) to 10.6 (66) victory.
Kurtis Torney, Zac Perez (three goals), Joshua Long and Ryan Weir (four goals) all started the season strongly for the Swans.
Murray Bond kicked five goals for the Bulldogs, who also had good players in Joel Carter, Thomas Nankivell and Bryce Howell.