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READ MORE - BENDIGO ADDY FOOTY CHALLENGE - week eight scores
READ MORE - weekend football teams
HOW the North Central league teams are tracking after playing each other once:
1st - SEA LAKE NANDALY TIGERS
Record - 7-0
Percentage - 327.4%
Average for - 128
Average against - 39
Attack rank - 1st
Defence rank - 1st
Quarters won - 25 of 28
Avg. player points - 32.1
Players used - 27
Club best top five:
(based on weekly best players: 6 votes for being named best, 5 for second best and so on)
Wade Donnan - 21
Bryce Delmenico - 15
Trent Donnan - 14
Matt Elliott - 14
Brodie Adcock - 13
Top goalkickers:
Billy McInnes - 31
Jacob Schaper - 18
Wade Donnan - 11
Bryce Delmenico - 9
Alex Pollock - 7
The Tigers are flying - undefeated with a percentage of 327.4 and average winning margin of 89 points.
Haven't trailed at any break this season and been an average of 45 points in front at half-time, highlighting how quick they have been to kill off their opposition.
The quartet of Billy McInnes (twice), Jacob Schaper (twice), Alex Pollock and Matt Elliott have all bagged at least five goals in a game already, while down the other end the Tigers' defence has conceded just two scores above 50.
Well on track to win their first premiership since joining the NCFL in 2016.
Reserves and under-16s are also undefeated.
2nd - BIRCHIP-WATCHEM
Record - 6-1
Percentage - 266.2%
Average for - 117
Average against - 44
Attack rank - 2nd
Defence rank - 2nd
Quarters won - 19 of 28
Avg. player points - 42.0
Players used - 28
Club best top five:
Nathan Gordon - 32
Dale Hinkley - 20
Stefan Pye - 18
Sam Simmons - 17
Fraser House - 16
Top goalkickers:
Stephen Paulke - 29
Lachlan Foott - 18
Nathan Gordon - 12
Douglas Grining - 9
Sam Simmons - 8
For the past two years the Bulls have been in a tussle with Wycheproof-Narraport for NCFL supremacy and ultimately come up short on grand final day.
Once again the Bulls are one of the competition's two clear-cut standout sides, only this time their No.1 rival is Sea Lake Nandaly.
Apart from a 46-point loss to the Tigers the Bulls have won their other six games by an average of 93 points, which includes keeping both St Arnaud and Boort to just one goal.
Would be a massive surprise if the Bulls weren't back on the grand final stage for the third year in a row.
3rd - CHARLTON
Record - 5-2
Percentage - 147.2%
Average for - 97
Average against - 66
Attack rank - 3rd
Defence rank - 4th
Quarters won - 20 of 28
Avg. player points - 34.3
Players used - 26
Club best top five:
Thomas Finlay - 28
Mitchell Gleeson - 22
Brock Orval - 14
Trent Cossar - 13
Joe McGrath - 10
Top goalkickers:
Joe McGrath - 24
Brock Orval - 15
Thomas Finlay - 10
Kain Robins - 9
Benjamin Roberts - 9
Strung together five wins in a row and so far the best of the rest behind the two power teams above.
Running out games strongly, but have been given no favours with the draw - the Navies cop both the dominating Tigers and Bulls three times apiece, meaning if they hold onto their spot in the top four they will have well and truly earned it.
4th - WEDDERBURN
Record - 4-3
Percentage - 152.0%
Average for - 92
Average against - 60
Attack rank - 4th
Defence rank - 3rd
Quarters won - 15 of 28
Avg. player points - 28.4
Players used - 28
Club best top five:
Jayden Jones - 29
Jackson Guan - 16
Sam Barnes - 14
Jordan Hargreaves - 12
Corey Lowry - 12
Top goalkickers:
Sam Barnes - 32
Declan Quin - 10
Tom Campbell - 9
Ben DeAraugo - 9
Corey Lowry - 8
Not since the last of their four premierships in a row in 2014 have the Redbacks played finals, but they have laid a platform for a return to the business end.
Have hit a snag though with an eye injury to Sam Barnes - the competition's equal leading goalkicker with the Tigers' Billy McInnes - having sidelined the star forward for the past two games.
5th - DONALD
Record - 3-4
Percentage - 95.5%
Average for - 73
Average against - 77
Attack rank - 5th
Defence rank - 5th
Quarters won - 14 of 28
Avg. player points - 37.3
Players used - 28
Club best top five:
Rian McGough - 17
Damian Cameron - 17
James Wall - 16
Matt Coleman - 16
Bryan Beckham - 12
Top goalkickers:
Seamus Young - 20
Joshua Potter - 8
Rian McGough - 7
Darcy Harrison - 6
Harry Cashin - 5
The Royals opened the season with back-to-back victories, but have since gone 1-4 over their past five games and sit four points outside the top four.
Have been involved in both of the season's two games decided by less than a kick - beating St Arnaud by four points in round two, but losing to Charlton by four points in round six.
6th - ST ARNAUD
Record - 2-5
Percentage - 76.4%
Average for - 72
Average against - 94
Attack rank - 6th
Defence rank - 6th
Quarters won - 10 of 28
Avg. player points - 27.0
Players used - 33
Club best top five:
Conlan Gunn - 26
Jacob Tillig - 16
Harley Durward - 16
William Bertalli - 14
Nicholas Baldwin - 13
Top goalkickers:
Thomas Eltringham - 27
James McNamee - 11
Bailey Durward - 5
Nicholas Baldwin - 5
Mitchell Egan - 4
Used the most players so far with 33, one of which is new forward Thomas Eltringham, who has kicked 27 of the Saints' 73 goals.
The Saints have only managed to win one of 16 quarters against a top four side and at 2-5 look likely to be missing finals for the fourth year in a row since winning the 2015 flag.
7th - WYCHEPROOF-NARRAPORT
Record - 1-6
Percentage - 61.0%
Average for - 58
Average against - 96
Attack rank - 7th
Defence rank - 7th
Quarters won - 6 of 28
Avg. player points - 28.4
Players used - 31
Club best top five:
George Turner - 22
Jed Bish - 17
Joel Turner - 16
James Coatsworth - 12
Ricky Allan - 10
Top goalkickers:
James Coatsworth - 14
George Turner - 10
Ricky Allan - 8
Corey Jones - 6
Benjamin Brennan - 4
Having played in the past three grand finals and won two flags, it has been a struggle for the Demons after losing half their premiership team of last year.
Compared to their premiership season of last year the Demons' scoring has dipped from 83 points per game to 58, while their scores against have increased from 96 to 58.
No team across the region is averaging less than the Demons' 22.4 player points.
8th - BOORT
Record - 0-7
Percentage - 10.8%
Average for - 20
Average against - 181
Attack rank - 8th
Defence rank - 8th
Quarters won - 1 of 28
Avg. player points - 27.3
Players used - 33
Club best top five:
Keiren Wilson - 24
Jack Smith - 23
Nathan Maw - 15
Harry Weaver - 12
Reece Boland - 11
Top goalkickers:
Daniel Waldron - 4
Jack Smith - 4
Harry Weaver - 2
Cameron Chalmers - 2
Sam Griffiths - 2
Results don't make pretty reading - seven losses by 144, 182, 194, 160, 133, 210 and 110 points having been outscored 1270-137.
Have also endured a coaching change, with Stephen Arthur stepping down after four games and the trio of Jack Smith, Sam Griffiths and Kieren Wilson taking over.
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