If the finish to the 2024 GDFNL season was one for the ages, 2025 is about to say, ‘Hold my beer’.
The GDFNL section of the Play AFL app has the potential to go into meltdown on Saturday afternoon, with all five spots inside the top five up for grabs.
East Geelong, Belmont Lions and North Geelong are all live chances of claiming the minor premiership.
Bell Post Hill will feature in an elimination final, with the use of the home rooms or away rooms at St Albans Reserve the only matter to be determined for the Panthers.
That leaves Anakie, Inverleigh and Thomson to fight out the final post-season position.
Let’s see how it could play out.
X: @krockfootball
EAST GEELONG (1st – 52 points – 149.75%)
Round 18: Inverleigh (h)
Despite being made to work for their 15-point win over Thomson, with a buffer of nearly 32 per cent on second-placed Belmont Lions, and 13 per cent on third-placed North Geelong, which sits a game behind, the Eagles only need to beat Inverleigh to claim a third minor premiership in four seasons. A loss to the Hawks would open the door for the Lions to take top spot. Based on East’s straight sets exits in 2022 and 2024, maybe a qualifying final isn’t a bad thing?
BELMONT LIONS (2nd- 52 points – 117.85%)
Round 18: Geelong West (h)
Locked into consecutive finals appearances for the first time since the return to a single division in 1996, the Lions, who made light work of Corio in Round 17, can claim the minor premiership if they negotiate a tricky meeting with Geelong West, and East Geelong loses to Inverleigh. Any other result means a qualifying berth.
NORTH GEELONG (3rd – 48 points – 136.45)
Round 18: Winchelsea (h)
The Magpies have stumbled through the second half of the season, including their weekend loss to Anakie. However, an 8-0 beginning to the season means Peter Riccardi’s men have done enough, not only to return to finals for the first time since 2017, but lock away the double chance. North could snatch the minor premiership if these three things happen: It beats Winchelsea by 12-15 goals, East Geelong loses by 12-15 goals to Inverleigh, and Belmont Lions lose to Geelong West. All three fall into the ‘unlikely’ category.
BELL POST HILL (4th – 44 points – 103.65)
Round 18: Corio (h)
The only team consigned to their fate are the ageless Panthers after overcoming a 25-point half-time deficit against Inverleigh. Even if North Geelong lost to Winchelsea, Bell Post Hill would have to rack up something nearing a league record against the wooden spoon-bound Corio to make up the percentage difference. All eyes will be on Nick Costello, who only needs four goals for 500 in the GDFNL.
ANAKIE (5th – 40 points – 106.87)
Round 18: Werribee Centrals (a)
A game clear in fifth spot after beating North Geelong, 26 years of disappointment can be washed away if Anakie can return from Galvin Park with the four points. Victory will guarantee a berth in the elimination final. A loss, and the Roos are at the mercy of percentage, if either Inverleigh or Thomson beat East Geelong or Bannockburn, and make up percentage gaps of 2.77 and 3.49, respectively.
INVERLEGH (6th – 36 points – 104.10)
Round 18: East Geelong (a)
After letting a 16-point three-quarter time lead to Bell Post Hill slip, the first box to tick for the Hawks is upsetting East Geelong at Richmond Crescent. They also need Werribee Centrals to knock over Anakie. A Bannockburn win over Thomson would also make the path clearer for Chris Moore’s men. Percentage will be key.
THOMSON (7th – 36 points – 103.38)
Round 18: Bannockburn (a)
Despite missing more than a dozen first-choice players, the Tigers took it up to East Geelong in Jackson Macleod’s 300th open-age appearance in purple and gold, but couldn’t overcome their archrivals. The ideal situation for the reigning premier is Werribee Centrals beating Anakie, East Geelong taking care of Inverleigh, and Paul Lynch’s men making up the break of 3.49 per cent between themselves and the Roos.
