North Geelong co-coach Peter Riccardi had no hesitation in labelling Saturday’s 11-point win over Bannockburn as “character building”.
The undermanned reigning premier, which has been ravaged by injury and unavailability since the King’s Birthday break, hung tough in heavy conditions at Keith Barclay Oval to hold off the Tigers for the second time in 2026, 12.13 (85) to 10.14 (74).
“We speak about system over personnel, and if we stick to our system, we’re going to be in games of footy more times than not,” Riccardi said.
“It was just more about believing in each other, what we can do, and trusting the process.
“They stuck to their guns, even when Bannockburn was coming hard in that last quarter.
“You could see the way our system worked and how we wanted to play around the footy.
“They just show the grit and the want; they just wanted to win it.”
The win moved North into sixth spot, a game clear of the Tigers, and equal on points with East Geelong and Bell Post Hill, who also have 8-4 win-loss records heading into the final third of the season.
“We follow Banno (in the fixture), so next week they’ve got Werribee,” Riccardi said.
Their draw is just as hard as ours going forward, so it was important to get those four points.
“It kind of made it an eight-point game for us.”
Bannockburn had the better of the early going, with goals to Sam Giles and Rob Maibaum helping the visitors lead by 14 points approaching time-on in the opening term.
However, when Charlie Bowles found the Magpies’ first major of the afternoon before quarter time, the margin was just seven points.
“There’s a couple of things defensively that didn’t work,”” Riccardi said. “I think they got two goals from kick-ins, and I spoke to our backs after that.
“It’s a system thing that we go with, and they weren’t doing it.
“They were actually tracking the ball and they were getting guys out the back.
“It’s something we’ll talk about on Tuesday night.”
North Geelong took the lead with consecutive behinds midway through the second quarter, with late goals from Mitch Habib, who was outstanding playing as an undersized ruck, and veteran Luke Parker giving the home team an eight-point advantage at halftime.
That margin got to as much as 24 points late in the third quarter before a long set shot after the siren from spearhead Henry Hawker gave the visitors a spark heading into the final term.
Hawker bobbed up again early in the last quarter for his second goal of the afternoon, and when Tristan Battaglia snapped truly three minutes later, the Tigers were back within four points.
However, the Magpies held their nerve, with Boston Riccardi giving his team a nine-point buffer at the 18-minute mark, before Jordan Bertucci made the four points a certainty during time-on.
Riccardi heaped praise on defender Ben O’Brien, who was tasked with limiting the influence of Hawker.
“He’s not pretty when he plays, but he’s effective,” Riccardi said. “He plays on their best forwards week in, week out.
“I’m not sure how many masks he took, but he’s a key.
“Paddy Cleary down there as well. They’re just cool heads behind the footy.”
Midfield trio Rory Desnoy, co-captain Tom Schwennesen, and B.J O’Toole relished the conditions.
O’Toole has been the victim of a points squeeze during his time at the Magpies, but this performance will make it hard for Riccardi and co-coach Keegan Carr to move his magnet off the board.
“He was fantastic,” Riccardi said. “I just said to him in the rooms, ‘You keep doing that kind of stuff, you’ll play in our side’.
“He’s worked hard all year. Most of the time, it’s just unfortunate because he’s a points thing.
“Today, he showed us he would play various roles.
“We started him forward, and then we played Boston in the midfield.
“And we just thought we might get more out of Boston as a forward, so we switched that.”
On a disappointing day, Rhys Ginn, captain Connor Jervies, and winger Fletcher Wilson were named Bannockburn’s best.
Rubbing further salt into the wound was a second-quarter knee injury suffered by Bell Park recruit Willson Mack, which ended his day.
GDFNL: SHOULDER SIDELINES STAR EAGLE
BLUES END CENTRALS STREAK
Winchelsea has further franked its premiership credentials after holding off a late charge by the previously unbeaten Werribee Centrals for a thrilling two-point win at Galvin Park, 12.9 (81) to 12.7 (79).
The Blues, who led by as much as 24 points during the second quarter, were held to just one goal in the final term, with the Centurions kicking three majors, including one from Tate Camilleri early in time-on that cut the margin to one point.
Just moments before the siren, Centrals’ Josh McDonald received a free kick near the 50m arc after being pushed to the ground by Winchelsea’s Ollie Mahncke after teammate Lachie Carver had taken a mark from a clearing kick deep inside the Centurions’ forward line.
However, McDonald’s shot at goal cannoned into the man on the mark, with the Blues claiming their ninth victory of the season.
Cam Primmer’s impressive run of form continued, with a six-goal haul taking his season tally to 52 and the lead in the Wayne Tyquin Medal.
Liam Kalos and Aaron Stone were the standouts for the Centurions, who hold a two-game break on top of the ladder ahead of Winchelsea and the Belmont Lions with six rounds to play.
BACON SIZZLES AS HAWKS HOLD OFF TIGERS
Inverleigh’s slim finals hopes remain alive for another week after holding off a fast-finishing Thomson by two points at Fortis Foundations Oval, 15.14 (104) to 15.12 (102).
The Hawks were unable to shake the struggling Tigers, but when Josh Viney goaled at the 27-minute mark to make the margin 15 points, it appeared the home team had done enough.
However, consecutive goals from Jasper Blair and veteran Chris Scott reduced the deficit to two points, making for some nervous moments for the Inverleigh faithful.
Jarod Bacon’s six goals were the highlight for the Hawks, while the impressive season of Thomson captain Jordan Camm continued.
He kicked four goals to take his season tally to 33.
LIONS MAKE LIGHT WORK OF ROOS
Belmont Lions dominated Anakie after quarter time on their way to an 86-point victory at Winter Reserve.
Trailing by four points at quarter time, the Lions outscored the visitors 17 goals to four from that point on, winning 20.18 (138) to 7.10 (52).
Big man Noah Houtsma and vice-captain Ben McPherson (five goals) were the standouts for the Lions, who climbed to second position thanks to the percentage boost they received.
Luke Dahlhaus kicked three goals for the Roos, whose best was Nick Hau in his first appearance since arriving from GFNL club Grovedale in the off-season.
DAY OUT FOR A GUN PANTHER
A seven-goal haul from Josh Norman and another eye-catching performance from gun midfielder David Handley helped Bell Post Hill to a 97-point hiding of Geelong West at Myers Reserve, 19.18 (132) to 5.5 (35).
Ethan Coffey and veteran Nick Costello kicked three goals in a dominant performance from the Panthers.
Ayrton Bloink and Riley Seresi-Unsworth managed two goals apiece for the winless Giants.
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