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1st - SANDHURST
Record - 6-0
Percentage - 229.3%
Average for - 123
Average against - 54
Attack rank - 1st
Defence rank - 2nd
Quarters won - 19 of 24
Goal conversion - 55.1%
Avg. player points - 31.2
Players used - 33
Club best top five:
Chris Down - 17
James Coghlan - 16
Lachlan Ross - 16
Lee Coghlan - 15
Joel Wharton - 13
Top goalkickers:
Joel Wharton - 18
Oscar McKinley - 14
Mitch Rovers - 12
Lachlan Zimmer - 12
Matt Thornton - 10
Season results:
Round 1: 19.17 (131) def Maryborough 4.6 (30)
Round 2: 11.12 (78) def Strathfieldsaye 8.17 (65)
Round 3: 15.3 (93) def Golden Square 13.13 (91)
Round 4: 19.22 (136) def Kangaroo Flat 5.4 (34)
Round 5: 13.13 (91) def South Bendigo 11.16 (82)
Round 6: 31.21 (207) def Castlemaine 2.7 (19)
The Dragons have set their season up superbly.
Have banked early wins, which is all the more crucial this year given the uncertainty around the amount of games that will be played, with the Dragons holding a two-game buffer at the top of the ladder with a 6-0 record.
Playing a strong brand of team-orientated football and the highest scoring side in the competition averaging 123 points per game.
Averaging nine goal kickers per game and getting a tremendous kickstart in the engine room with the work of ruckman Chris Down, who has been among their best players in all six games so far.
2nd - EAGLEHAWK
Record - 4-2
Percentage - 259.2%
Average for - 122
Average against - 47
Attack rank - 2nd
Defence rank - 1st
Quarters won - 20 of 24
Goal conversion - 51.0%
Avg. player points - 39.0
Players used - 27
Club best top five:
Billy Evans - 29
Noah Wheeler - 23
Joel Mullen - 11
Jack Lawton - 10
Dylan Hanley - 10
Top goalkickers:
Darcy Richards - 20
Lewin Davis - 15
Jack Dye - 15
Sam Harper - 10
Noah Wheeler - 7
Season results:
Round 1: 13.15 (93) def Kangaroo Flat 3.3 (21)
Round 2: 13.13 (91) lt South Bendigo 13.14 (92)
Round 3: 36.23 (239) def Castlemaine 1.5 (11)
Round 4: 20.16 (136) def Maryborough 3.5 (23)
Round 5: 15.19 (109) def Kyneton 9.14 (68)
Round 6: 8.15 (63) lt Gisborne 9.13 (67)
It is a fine line between the Hawks being 6-0 and instead among the pack of five teams that all have 4-2 records.
Only losses so far have been to South Bendigo and Gisborne by a combined five points in games where they faded in the final term after surrendering three quarter-time leads both times.
Have a monster percentage of 259.2 and ranked No.1 for defence having conceded more than 10 goals just once.
Tracking well in second position ahead of what was to be a testing stretch of three matches against Sandhurst, Strathfieldsaye and Golden Square that certainly would have provided a stringest test of their wares.
3rd - GISBORNE
Record - 4-2
Percentage - 179.3%
Average for - 114
Average against - 64
Attack rank - 3rd
Defence rank - 3rd
Quarters won - 13 of 24
Goal conversion - 52.1%
Avg. player points - 33.8
Players used - 33
Club best top five:
Brad Bernacki - 16
Jarrad Lynch - 14
Scott Walsh - 13
Pat McKenna - 11
Liam Spear - 10
Top goalkickers:
Pat McKenna - 23
Jack Scanlon - 14
Jake O'Brien - 10
Brad Bernacki - 7
Josh Kemp - 7
Season results:
Round 1: 13.13 (91) def Strathfieldsaye 12.18 (90)
Round 2: 10.12 (72) lt Golden Square 12.12 (84)
Round 3: 23.14 (152) def Kangaroo Flat 4.5 (29)
Round 4: 11.12 (78) lt South Bendigo 16.7 (103)
Round 5: 33.27 (225) def Castlemaine 2.1 (13)
Round 6: 9.13 (67) def Eaglehawk 8.15 (63)
Huge away win against Eaglehawk in the Bulldogs' last game was full of grit and their qualities to fight back from 27 points down at three quarter-time was meretorious.
The Bulldogs, though, had to stand up and be counted against a quality opponent given they had failed their previous two major tests against South Bendigo and Golden Square.
Now have themselves at 4-2, with their Canterbury Park win over the Hawks a reaffirmation of their capabilities to compete with the best.
4th - STRATHFIELDSAYE
Record - 4-2
Percentage - 159.8%
Average for - 109
Average against - 68
Attack rank - 4th
Defence rank - 4th
Quarters won - 18 of 24
Goal conversion - 47.2%
Avg. player points - 35.0
Players used - 33
Club best top five:
Patrick Blandford - 12
Jake Moorhead - 12
Callum McCarty - 11
Tim Hosking - 11
Hunter Lawrence - 10
Top goalkickers:
Lachlan Sharp - 33
Cooper Jones - 12
Riley Clarke - 8
Caleb Ernst - 5
Harry Conway - 5
Season results:
Round 1: 12.18 (90) lt Gisborne 13.13 (91)
Round 2: 8.17 (65) lt Sandhurst 11.12 (78)
Round 3: 24.13 (157) def Maryborough 9.7 (61)
Round 4: 12.23 (95) def Golden Square 12.8 (80)
Round 5: 19.19 (133) def Kangaroo Flat 4.2 (26)
Round 6: 17.13 (115) def South Bendigo 11.8 (74)
The reigning premiers with very much a new-look side were slow out of the blocks losing their first two games to Sandhurst (first loss at home since 2017) and Gisborne.
Inaccuracy proved costly in both losses, but the Storm have since returned to their winning ways and peeled off four victories in a row to have built momentum before the season was put on hold.
New captain Lachlan Sharp has resumed his familiar position at the top of the Ron Best Medal with 33 goals, including a season-high of 12 against Kangaroo Flat in round five, with the star forward having now ticked over 700 goals (715) in his Storm career.
5th - GOLDEN SQUARE
Record - 4-2
Percentage - 151.0%
Average for - 106
Average against - 70
Attack rank - 5th
Defence rank - 5th
Quarters won - 17 of 24
Goal conversion - 52.9%
Avg. player points - 35.5
Players used - 33
Club best top five:
Jack Geary - 15
Matt Compston - 15
Ryan Hartley - 13
Jayden Burke - 10
Terry Reeves - 10
Top goalkickers:
Jake Thrum - 19
Joel Brett - 15
Jayden Burke - 15
Paul Symons - 9
Tom Strauch - 5
Season results:
Round 1: 26.15 (171) def Kyneton 8.8 (56)
Round 2: 12.12 (84) def Gisborne 10.12 (72)
Round 3: 13.13 (91) lt Sandhurst 15.3 (93)
Round 4: 12.8 (80) lt Strathfieldsaye 12.23 (95)
Round 5: 10.19 (79) def Maryborough 8.6 (54)
Round 6: 19.15 (129) def Kangaroo Flat 7.8 (50)
New coach Christian Carter got away to a flyer with a 115-point away win over Kyneton and gutsy 12-point victory over Gisborne in the Bulldogs' first two games.
Then hit a speed bump with consecutive losses to Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye that followed a similar pattern - dictated to early and forced to play catch-up, before storming home late and falling short.
That lack of consistency within games is evident in the fact the Bulldogs are +189 in second halves, but just +25 in first halves.
Jake Thrum (19), class recruit Joel Brett (15) and Jayden Burke (15) providing the key avenues in attack having combined for 49 of the Bulldogs' 92 goals.
6th - SOUTH BENDIGO
Record - 4-2
Percentage - 118.7%
Average for - 97
Average against - 82
Attack rank - 6th
Defence rank - 6th
Quarters won - 12 of 24
Goal conversion - 49.1%
Avg. player points - 39.0
Players used - 27
Club best top five:
Cooper Leon - 22
Tom Brereton - 14
Michael Herlihy - 13
Zac Hare - 10
Oscar White - 10
Top goalkickers:
Kaiden Antonowicz - 20
Michael Herlihy - 11
Sunny Brazier - 9
Will Keck - 8
Brody Haddow - 6
Season results:
Round 1: 19.29 (143) def Castlemaine 5.7 (37)
Round 2: 13.14 (92) def Eaglehawk 13.13 (91)
Round 3: 13.12 (90) def Kyneton 12.8 (80)
Round 4: 16.7 (103) def Gisborne 11.12 (78)
Round 5: 11.16 (82) lt Sandhurst 13.13 (91)
Round 6: 11.8 (74) lt Strathfieldsaye 17.13 (115)
The rise of South Bendigo has been one of the stories of the season to date and breathed some extra life into the finals race with another genuine contender.
Burst out of the blocks winning their first four games - including the big scalps of Eaglehawk and Gisborne both at the QEO - but slipped out of the top five on the back of consecutive losses to Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye.
Have played an attractive brand of football and what has been particularly telling is the Bloods are no longer reliant on gun forward and assistant coach Kaiden Antonowicz having a big day out to kick a winning score.
7th - KYNETON
Record - 3-3
Percentage - 94.7%
Average for - 89
Average against - 94
Attack rank - 7th
Defence rank - 7th
Quarters won - 13 of 24
Goal conversion - 46.6%
Avg. player points - 39.3
Players used - 37
Club best top five:
Jordan Mangan - 26
Bailey McGee - 15
James Orr - 12
Ned O'Sullivan - 12
James Gaff - 11
Top goalkickers:
Guy Dickson - 11
Bailey McGee - 9
Rhys Magin - 8
Ben Cameron - 7
Angus Nolte - 6
Season results:
Round 1: 8.8 (56) lt Golden Square 26.15 (171)
Round 2: 16.19 (115) def Kangaroo Flat 5.10 (40)
Round 3: 12.8 (80) lt South Bendigo 13.12 (90)
Round 4: 13.24 (102) def Castlemaine 11.6 (72)
Round 5: 9.14 (68) lt Eaglehawk 15.19 (109)
Round 6: 17.13 (115) def Maryborough 12.12 (84)
Plenty of intrigue around the Tigers heading into the season given the much-hyped arrival of Paul Chapman as their new coach.
The season, though, got off to a disastrous start with a 115-point thrashing at home from Golden Square, but the Tigers have since steadied to even their ledger at 3-3.
Have had their challenges getting a consistent side on the park having used 37 players already - the most in the competition - while their conversion rate of just 46.6 per cent is an area that needs sharpening up, particularly given their next four opponents were to have been top five sides Gisborne, Sandhurst, Strathfieldsaye and Golden Square.
8th - MARYBOROUGH
Record - 1-5
Percentage - 61.3%
Average for - 67
Average against - 109
Attack rank - 8th
Defence rank - 8th
Quarters won - 5 of 24
Goal conversion - 49.6%
Avg. player points - 33.8
Players used - 31
Club best top five:
Bailey Edwards - 25
Harrison Monk - 16
Jayden Hooper - 13
Matt Bilton - 11
Aidan Hare - 10
Top goalkickers:
Jayden Templeton - 16
Matt Bilton - 6
Bailey Edwards - 4
Fraser Russell - 4
Jordan Fraser - 3
Season results:
Round 1: 4.6 (30) lt Sandhurst 19.17 (131)
Round 2: 21.22 (148) def Castlemaine 5.5 (35)
Round 3: 9.7 (61) lt Strathfieldsaye 24.13 (157)
Round 4: 3.5 (23) lt Eaglehawk 20.16 (136)
Round 5: 8.6 (54) lt Golden Square 10.19 (79)
Round 6: 12.12 (84) lt Kyneton 17.13 (115)
Just the one win so far for the Magpies, but it was a big one by 113 points over Castlemaine at home in round two.
Have copped three big hidings from Sandhurst, Strathfieldsaye and Eaglehawk by a combined 310 points, but were far more competitive in their past two outings against Golden Square and Kyneton before the season pause.
Skipper Coby Perry made a welcome return from an Achilles injury last round against Kyneton to provide some added on-field leadership, while Bailey Edwards has battled valiantly through the midfield to be the Magpies' clear standout player.
9th - KANGAROO FLAT
Record - 0-6
Percentage - 26.4%
Average for - 33
Average against - 126
Attack rank - 9th
Defence rank - 9th
Quarters won - 0 of 24
Goal conversion - 46.7%
Avg. player points - 33.8
Players used - 34
Club best top five:
Tom Gillespie - 19
Mitch Trewhella - 17
Nick Lang - 13
Jake Hywood - 13
Brodie Fry - 10
Top goalkickers:
Brodie Fry - 6
Kevin Clark - 6
Max Johnson - 4
Hakeem Johnson - 3
Josh Leersen - 2
Season results:
Round 1: 3.3 (21) lt Eaglehawk 13.15 (93)
Round 2: 5.10 (40) lt Kyneton 16.19 (115)
Round 3: 4.5 (29) lt Gisborne 23.14 (152)
Round 4: 5.4 (34) lt Sandhurst 19.22 (136)
Round 5: 4.2 (26) lt Strathfieldsaye 19.19 (133)
Round 6: 7.8 (50) lt Golden Square 19.15 (129)
Been hard yards for the young Roos that has been compounded by a nightmare fixture that couldn't have been any tougher.
They've already played all five teams currently in the top five and had three of the toughest away trips to Eaglehawk, Gisborne and Strathfieldsaye.
Haven't been able to win a quarter yet and all six losses have been by 12-goals plus, but the Roos are getting experience into young players, with coach James Flaherty estimating the number of first-gamers this season is now at 15.
10th - CASTLEMAINE
Record - 0-6
Percentage - 17.6%
Average for - 31
Average against - 177
Attack rank - 10th
Defence rank - 10th
Quarters won - 1 of 24
Goal conversion - 45.6%
Avg. player points - 27.3
Players used - 27
Club best top five:
John Watson - 27
Liam Wilkinson - 23
Riley Pedretti - 16
David Stephens - 14
Declan Slingo - 11
Top goalkickers:
Klai Jermyn - 7
Liam Wilkinson - 4
John Watson - 3
Jackson Hood - 2
William Moran - 2
Season results:
Round 1: 5.7 (37) lt South Bendigo 19.29 (143)
Round 2: 5.5 (35) lt Maryborough 21.22 (148)
Round 3: 1.5 (11) lt Eaglehawk 36.23 (239)
Round 4: 11.6 (72) lt Kyneton 13.24 (102)
Round 5: 2.1 (13) lt Gisborne 33.27 (225)
Round 6: 2.7 (19) lt Sandhurst 31.21 (207)
The Magpies are still chasing that elusive breakthrough victory, with their overall losing streak now at 41 games since their last victory came against Maryborough in round one of 2018.
The Magpies though have gone back to basing their team around local players, with their average of just 27.3 player points per week - easily the lowest in the competition - well below the 43.1 points of their winless 2019 when they were stacked with high-pointed travelling players.
Hopefully, there is some reward to come this year for the club that is long overdue.
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