Thomson has taken a giant step towards securing a spot in the GDFNL elimination final after holding off Bannockburn by 28 points in a willing battle at Godfrey Street.
The fourth-placed City Tigers 11.12 (78) to 7.8 (50) victory has put it a game ahead of the fifth-placed Country Tigers and six points clear of next week’s opponent, Inverleigh, who sit sixth following its loss to East Geelong.
Coach Paul Lynch says his players knew the importance of a win over Bannockburn to Thomson’s finals hopes in the buildup.
“They were fully understanding that the two games against Bannockburn and Inverleigh were going to decide our season.
“To get the result yesterday was really, really good.
“The boys were ready to go; I thought we controlled the game for three quarters.”
Lynch was impressed with how Thomson’s experienced heads led from the front.
“They were pretty trying conditions; we bashed in pretty hard,” he said.
“I thought our physical stuff around the footy – and speaking to Ronnie (Pilgirm, Bannockburn coach) after the game, he thought the same thing – we were probably just a bit too strong around the footy for them.
“Having Logan Mitchell, and ‘Troopy’ (Darcy Troop) in the ruck, and Sammy Jacka and Trav McGuire around the footy, who are pretty hard boys, and they bashed in all day.
“It was good.”
Bannockburn’s hopes of victory suffered a blow when star big man Kieran Fulton collided with teammate Ashton Phillips during the third quarter.
The match was halted for several minutes as Fulton was tended to by medical staff before walking from the field.
He didn’t return, and if a concussion is confirmed, he will miss season-defining meetings with North Geelong and Werribee Centrals.
Adrian Fantella’s 300th game for Bell Post Hill was one to remember as the Panthers claimed off the bottom of the ladder with a 32-point win over Corio at Myers Reserve.
In front of a good contingent of Fantella’s former teammates, Bell Post Hill outscored the Devils every quarter to claim a 15.9 (99) to 10.7 (67) result.
Jordan Flaccavento kicked a season-best four goals for the Panthers. He was among their best, along with midfield gun Boe Collins and captain Jack Yates.
For Corio, which was without league-leading goalkicker Herschelle Carr, Destyn Burns kicked three goals.
North Geelong remains an outside chance of snatching a finals berth after outlasting Winchelsea by 11 points at Keith Barclay Oval for the second time this season.
The 9.11 (65) to 7.12 (54) victory has moved the Magpies to within a game of fifth-placed Bannockburn, who they face at Victoria Park next week.
Damian Fazio kicked three goals, while Blake Miller and Derek Fitzsimmons – playing his first senior game since 2019 – each kicked two for the winners.
Blue Jordan Gould pulled to within four goals of the lead on the league goal-kicking table with three majors, taking him to 38 for the season.
The loss continued Winchelsea’s frustrating season of narrow defeats. The Blues have now suffered seven losses by 16 points or less, with five of those by under two goals.
East Geelong maintained its one-game gap at the top of the ladder with a comfortable 71-point win over Inverleigh at Richmond Crescent.
The Eagles kept the reigning premier goalless in the second and fourth quarters, during which they kicked five and six goals, respectively, on the way to a 15.10 (100) to 3.11 (29) victory.
East had too many forward options for the Hawks, with Zac Smith kicking four goals and Caleb Ezard, Austin Mulvahil, and Jake Watson-Serle three apiece.
Inverleigh had three single goalkickers, with veteran Adam Donohue and youngsters Jarvis Miles the Hawks’ best.
A qualifying final berth will likely be the worst result for Werribee Centrals to start this year’s finals series after it held off a dogged Anakie by 19 points at Galvin Park.
The Centurions led their Round 3 conquerors by just four points at half-time before using a five-goal-to-one third quarter as the key plank in a 10.16 (76) to 8.9 (57) win.
Carmelo Saliba and Josh MacDonald kicked three goals apiece, with Saliba firming to claim the GDFNL goalkicking title after joining Inverleigh’s Adam Donohue and Corio’s Herschelle Carr on 42 for the season.
Geelong VFL-listed big man Ajang Kuol mun kicked three goals in a standout performance for the Roos.
Belmont Lions made light work of Geelong West in the NAIDOC Game at Winter Reserve on Sunday.
After a pre-game ceremony celebrating Indigenous culture, the Lions set about claiming their 11th win of the season, 14.16 (100) to 5.7 (37).
Ben Evans, Jesse Stapleton and Brad Michell each kicked three goals for the home team, with Jake Steel, Jake Wood and Brock Mahoney their best.
Veteran Justin Carey managed three goals for the struggling Giants, who were best served by Sam Edwards and Zac Rowarth.
The victory keeps the Lions two wins and nearly 50 per cent clear of fourth-placed Thomson with four rounds to play.
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