Thrillers aplenty in the North Central: eight of 24 senior games decided by a kick

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TWO more thrillers in the North Central league last weekend continued what has been an exciting trend across the first six rounds of the season.

With Boort beating St Arnaud and Charlton defeating Donald in games both decided by six points - with identical final scores of 78-72 - that's now eight of the 24 senior matches that have been decided by a kick; plus two more by under two goals.

Sure, there have been blowouts as well with four games over the course of the season with margins of 100 points-plus, but the NCFL is being treated to plenty of ripping contests.

Last Saturday's round six action was one of three rounds so far where at least two of the four games have been decided by a kick.

Round four featured three:

Wedderburn 7.15 (57) def Birchip-Watchem 7.11 (53).

Charlton 7.18 (60) def St Arnaud 8.11 (59).

Boort 13.9 (87) def Wycheproof-Narraport 12.10 (82).

And round three on April 24 included two:

Sea Lake Nandaly 10.10 (70) def Birchip-Watchem 10.6 (66).

Boort 8.10 (58) def Donald 7.14 (56).

All eight teams have been involved in games decided by a kick, including Boort and Donald each having been part of three thrillers, with the Royals' tight results so far featuring their round one draw against Wedderburn.

Across the region the NCFL has been by far the most competitive in terms of average margins in this year's return to competition following the 2020 COVID cancellation of seasons.

The NCFL's average game margin of 44 points is well below that of the Loddon Valley (86.4), Bendigo (69.7) and Heathcote District (61.6) leagues.

Of the four leagues, the Bendigo league - which has played the most games - has the highest number of 100 point-plus blowouts so far with 11 from its 30 matches.

However, the BFNL does have an intriguing ladder after six rounds given chasing the undefeated Sandhurst is a pack of five teams that are all 4-2 and separated by just percentage - Eaglehawk (259.2%), Gisborne (179.3%), Strathfieldsaye (159.7%), Golden Square (150.9%) and big improvers South Bendigo (118.7%).

BENDIGO LEAGUE

Games - 30

Average - 69.7 points

Less than a kick - 4

100+ points - 11

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HEATHCOTE DISTRICT

Games - 29

Average - 61.6 points

Less than a kick - 2

100+ points - 5

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LODDON VALLEY

Games - 28

Average - 86.4 points

Less than a kick - 1

100+ points - 8

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NORTH CENTRAL

Games - 24

Average - 44.0 points

Less than a kick - 8

100+ points - 4

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COMBINED

Games - 111

Average - 66.2 points

Less than a kick - 15

100+ points - 28

ROUND 1:

Golden Square 26.15 (171) def Kyneton 8.8 (56)

South Bendigo 19.29 (143) def Castlemaine 5.7 (37)

Sandhurst 19.17 (131) def Maryborough 4.6 (30)

Eaglehawk 13.15 (93) def Kangaroo Flat 3.3 (21)

Gisborne 13.13 (91) def Strathfieldsaye 12.18 (90)

ROUND 2:

Maryborough 21.22 (148) def Castlemaine 5.5 (35)

Kyneton 16.19 (115) def Kangaroo Flat 5.10 (40)

Sandhurst 11.12 (78) def Strathfieldsaye 8.17 (65)

Golden Square 12.12 (84) def Gisborne 10.12 (72)

South Bendigo 13.14 (92) def Eaglehawk 13.13 (91)

ROUND 3:

Eaglehawk 36.23 (239) def Castlemaine 1.5 (11)

Gisborne 23.14 (152) def Kangaroo Flat 4.5 (29)

Strathfieldsaye 24.13 (157) def Maryborough 9.7 (61)

South Bendigo 13.12 (90) def Kyneton 12.8 (80)

Sandhurst 15.3 (93) def Golden Square 13.13 (91)

ROUND 4:

Eaglehawk 20.16 (136) def Maryborough 3.5 (23)

Sandhurst 19.22 (136) def Kangaroo Flat 5.4 (34)

Kyneton 13.24 (102) def Castlemaine 11.6 (72)

South Bendigo 16.7 (103) def Gisborne 11.12 (78)

Strathfieldsaye 12.23 (95) def Golden Square 12.8 (80)

ROUND 5:

Gisborne 33.27 (225) def Castlemaine 2.1 (13)

Strathfieldsaye 19.19 (133) def Kangaroo Flat 4.2 (26)

Eaglehawk 15.19 (109) def Kyneton 9.14 (68)

Golden Square 10.19 (79) def Maryborough 8.6 (54)

Sandhurst 13.13 (91) def South Bendigo 11.16 (82)

ROUND 6:

Sandhurst 31.21 (207) def Castlemaine 2.7 (19)

Golden Square 19.15 (129) def Kangaroo Flat 7.8 (50)

Strathfieldsaye 17.13 (115) def South Bendigo 11.8 (74)

Kyneton 17.13 (115) def Maryborough 12.12 (84)

Gisborne 9.13 (67) def Eaglehawk 8.15 (63)

SEASON-OPENER:

White Hills 21.15 (141) def Elmore 4.5 (29)

ROUND 1:

White Hills 28.18 (186) def L'ville-Gunbower 5.10 (40)

Colbinabbin 17.14 (116) def Elmore 8.5 (53)

LBU 13.18 (96) def Heathcote 7.7 (49)

North Bendigo 11.10 (76) def Huntly 5.12 (42)

Mount Pleasant bye

ROUND 2:

LBU 19.9 (123) def Colbinabbin 4.4 (28)

Mount Pleasant 18.15 (123) def Elmore 12.9 (81)

North Bendigo 13.14 (92) def L'ville-Gunbower 9.13 (67)

Huntly 13.7 (85) def Heathcote 9.11 (65)

White Hills bye

ROUND 3:

Heathcote 21.15 (141) def L'ville-Gunbower 8.4 (52)

Colbinabbin 15.12 (102) def Huntly 5.7 (37)

White Hills 17.19 (121) def North Bendigo 9.10 (64)

LBU 15.16 (106) def Mount Pleasant 9.5 (59)

Elmore bye

ROUND 4:

LBU 31.8 (194) def Elmore 7.6 (48)

Colbinabbin 24.16 (160) def L'ville-Gunbower 2.4 (16)

White Hills 24.11 (155) def Heathcote 7.15 (57)

Huntly 13.12 (90) def Mount Pleasant 8.7 (55)

North Bendigo bye

ROUND 5:

White Hills 12.13 (85) def Colbinabbin 7.11 (53)

Mount Pleasant 16.18 (114) def L'ville-Gunbower 13.6 (84)

North Bendigo 13.12 (90) def Heathcote 11.13 (79)

Elmore 11.13 (79) def Huntly 11.12 (78)

LBU bye

ROUND 6:

White Hills 23.16 (154) def Mount Pleasant 8.12 (60)

Elmore 14.10 (94) def L'ville-Gunbower 5.14 (44)

LBU 12.12 (84) def Huntly 9.7 (61)

North Bendigo 9.10 (64) def Colbinabbin 8.10 (58)

Heathcote bye

ROUND 7:

LBU 22.16 (148) def L'ville-Gunbower 3.3 (21)

Colbinabbin 16.13 (109) def Heathcote 6.5 (41)

White Hills 17.13 (115) def Elmore 10.4 (64)

Mount Pleasant 12.16 (88) def North Bendigo 8.11 (59)

Huntly bye

ROUND 1:

Pyramid Hill 27.19 (181) def Inglewood 2.2 (14)

Marong 21.17 (143) def Calivil United 0.2 (2)

Maiden Gully YCW 16.7 (103) def Newbridge 3.4 (22)

Mitiamo 10.13 (73) def BL-Serpentine 7.8 (50)

Bridgewater bye

ROUND 2:

Mitiamo 28.13 (181) def Inglewood 2.3 (15)

Maiden Gully YCW 21.9 (135) def Calivil United 5.6 (36)

Bridgewater 19.18 (132) def BL-Serpentine 10.10 (70)

Pyramid Hill 14.17 (101) def Newbridge 7.8 (50)

Marong bye

ROUND 3:

Bridgewater 34.25 (229) def Inglewood 3.4 (22)

Pyramid Hill 23.13 (151) def Calivil United 0.4 (4)

Marong 20.11 (131) def Maiden Gully YCW 5.10 (40)

Mitiamo 14.13 (97) def Newbridge 2.7 (19)

Bears Lagoon-Serpentine bye

ROUND 4:

Mitiamo 31.19 (205) def Calivil United 3.5 (23)

Bridgewater 21.18 (144) def Newbridge 5.6 (36)

BL-Serpentine 18.21 (129) def Inglewood 7.3 (45)

Marong 11.12 (78) def Pyramid Hill 11.9 (75)

Maiden Gully YCW bye

ROUND 5:

Bridgewater 31.16 (202) def Calivil United 3.5 (23)

Pyramid Hill 16.19 (115) def Maiden Gully YCW 6.6 (42)

Mitiamo 14.11 (95) def Marong 7.9 (51)

BL-Serpentine 12.10 (82) def Newbridge 9.5 (59)

Inglewood bye

ROUND 6:

Newbridge 15.10 (100) def Inglewood 4.6 (30)

Mitiamo 15.13 (103) def Maiden Gully YCW 8.8 (56)

BL-Serpentine 15.12 (102) def Calivil United 8.13 (61)

Bridgewater 14.13 (97) def Marong 11.11 (77)

Pyramid Hill bye

ROUND 7:

Calivil United 17.18 (120) def Inglewood 5.5 (35)

Marong 19.9 (123) def BL-Serpentine 9.10 (64)

Bridgewater 16.16 (112) def Maiden Gully YCW 8.13 (61)

Mitiamo 16.11 (107) def Pyramid Hill 10.9 (69)

Newbridge bye

ROUND 1:

Sea Lake Nandaly 13.21 (99) def Boort 2.9 (21)

Birchip-Watchem 15.11 (101) def St Arnaud 4.1 (25)

Wyche-Narraport 5.10 (40) def Charlton 4.7 (31)

Donald 9.2 (56) dr Wedderburn 8.8 (56)

ROUND 2:

Sea Lake Nandaly 24.15 (159) def Charlton 3.8 (26)

Wedderburn 13.12 (90) def St Arnaud 4.7 (31)

Birchip-Watchem 13.17 (95) def Boort 6.3 (39)

Donald 10.9 (69) def Wyche-Narraport 6.7 (43)

ROUND 3:

Wedderburn 11.12 (78) def Charlton 8.8 (56)

St Arnaud 12.2 (74) def Wyche-Narraport 9.8 (62)

Sea Lake Nandaly 10.10 (70) def Birchip-Watchem 10.6 (66)

Boort 8.10 (58) def Donald 7.14 (56)

ROUND 4:

Sea Lake Nandaly 20.17 (137) def Donald 3.5 (23)

Boort 13.9 (87) def Wyche-Narraport 12.10 (82)

Wedderburn 7.15 (57) def Birchip-Watchem 7.11 (53)

Charlton 7.18 (60) def St Arnaud 8.11 (59)

ROUND 5:

Sea Lake Nandaly 24.19 (163) def St Arnaud 2.5 (17)

Wedderburn 13.12 (90) def Wyche-Narraport 4.12 (36)

Birchip-Watchem 10.9 (69) def Donald 5.13 (43)

Charlton 12.7 (79) def Boort 8.12 (60)

ROUND 6:

Birchip-Watchem 25.12 (162) def Wyche-Narraport 3.7 (25)

Sea Lake Nandaly 15.19 (109) def Wedderburn 7.5 (47)

Boort 10.18 (78) def St Arnaud 11.6 (72)

Charlton 11.12 (78) def Donald 10.12 (72)

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