Ex-Bomber and Lion to leave Maryborough as finals heat up across country Victoria

We are now hitting the pointy end of the 2024 season as a further 20 leagues finished up their home and away seasons this weekend.

We also have our first Grand Final next weekend in the Upper Murray FNL with Bullioh FNC taking on the undefeated Cudgewa FNC, who are on a 28-game winning streak and striving to become back-to-back premiers.

In off-ground moves this week the newest club this season, the merged entity Maryborough Giants FNC, have announced they are parting ways with their foundation coach, former Lion and Bomber Damian Cupido. In a similar vein, the newly formed club for 2025, Calder United FNC, have announced their first coaches. The club which has been created by the merger of Nullawil FNC and Wycheproof-Narraport FNC will have current Nullawil FNC coach Darryl Wilson and captain Jordy Humphreys take the reins next season. Both clubs have finished the North Central FNL in fifth and seventh place respectively.

In the North East of the state, both the Murray FNL and Ovens and Murray FNLs have exciting final rounds coming up. In the Murray FNL it’s an early Elimination Final where sixth-placed Mulwala FNC take on seventh-placed Cobram FNC, with the winner taking the last spot in the upcoming finals. Mulwala defeated Cobram in the 2022 Grand Final by 3 points, before going back-to-back last year, so the chance of a three-peat hangs in the balance this weekend. Across in the Ovens and Murray FNL, four clubs, North Albury FNC (40 pts, 125.57%), Wangaratta FNC (40pts, 124.18%), Wodonga FNC (40pts, 112.46%) and Albury FNC (36 pts, 120.13%) are all fighting for the final three positions in the five as they enter the last round. To add some spice to the round, North Albury and Wodonga face off against each other while Albury has a winnable game against Myrtleford FNC, so percentage could be the deciding factor.

Staying in the Ovens and Murray FNL there were emotional scenes after Corowa Rutherglen FNC broke a 21-game losing streak that stretched back to July 2022 with a 6.8 44 to 4.7 31 win over the Wodonga Raiders FNC. More importantly it was their first victory since coming out of recess for the 2023 season, showing reward for effort after the club fought back from a coach and player exodus that was compounded by the loss of their ground and facilities due to floods. Another massive losing streak came to an end when Koondrook Barham FNC in the Central Murray FNL sang the song for the first time in 33 weeks after a seven-point win over seventh placed Tyntynder FNC 10.11 71 to 10.4 64.

Some big winning streaks also came to an end this round too. Top of the ladder East Geelong FNC in the Geelong and District FNL lost for the first time in 16 weeks when losing by 4 points to 8th-placed Winchelsea FNC. In the Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL, Natte Bealiba FNC’s run of 15 straight wins came to an end at the hands of Harcourt FNC 7.8 50 to 5.11 41. Ironically it was Natte Bealiba who broke Harcourts amazing run of 33 straight wins in Round 11 earlier this year. While in the West Gippsland FNC a run of 15 straight wins by Phillip Island FNC came to a conclusion via a fast finishing Nar Nar Goon FNC who came from 11 points behind at three quarter time to win a 4 point thriller, 11.16 82 to 11.12 78.

Staying in the West Gippsland FNC, there were bizarre scenes in the match between Bunyip FNC and Inverloch Kongwak FNC, where confusion after a blood rule and send off in the last quarter led to Inverloch Kongwak FNC inadvertently ending up with an extra player on the field. A head count was called and the error discovered, meaning Inverloch Kongwak FNC had their score reset back to what it was at three-quarter time after it was initially wiped to zero, before a clarification on the rules. It mattered little in the end as they led by 99 points at three-quarter time, still ending up comfortable 114-point winners. 20.17 137 to the winless Bunyip FNC 3.5 23.

The forwards took their final chances to fill their boots with 12 coming away with double digit goal hauls across the weekend. Congupna FNC’s Kyle Mueller led all comers with 15 to take his season tally to 87 with 1 round to play, while four players kicked bags of 14 goals, Stratford FNC’s Jack Bacon, Woodside FNC’s Daniel Farmer, Patrick Ireland from Buln Buln FNC and Murchison-Toolamba FNC’s James Lloyd. The big tally for Ireland helped him join the 100 club for season 2024 alongside Cora Lynn’s Nathan Gardiner who kicked 3 to get to 101. With only Mueller an outside chance to get to 100 next week, the season's overall goal kicking leader will be Lloyd on 130, with Bridgewater FNC’s Lachlan Sharp two behind on 128, after kicking a further 8 this week. 10 goals from Swifts FNC’s Paul Summers places him 3rd overall with 115 for the season.

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