Bell Park has all but secured a third consecutive finals berth, and at the same time kept alive its double chance hopes, after holding off a late charge from Newtown & Chilwell to record an eight-point win at Jardon Oval.
Leading by 24 points at three-quarter time, having kept the Towners to just four goals to that stage of the contest, the Dragons managed to hang on for a 10.9 (69) to 9.7 (61) victory.
The result has Bell Park level on wins with Newtown & Chilwell. However, the Eagles have a game in hand, with the Dragons having the bye in Round 20.
Bell Park needs to beat Grovedale and St Albans in its final two matches, and hope two of South Barwon, Newtown & Chilwell and St Joseph’s don’t get to 13 wins if it’s to snatch a qualifying final berth.
However, coach James Saker is just worried about a win over the Tigers or Supersaints in the next fortnight to ensure they’ll be at West Oval on the first weekend of September.
“If we’re playing well enough to win our last two, then obviously we need a fair bit to go our way,” Saker said when asked about a top three finish.
“But 13 wins is what we’re aiming for after getting through today.
“And if that’s good enough for top three, well, that’d be nice.
“We are pretty happy to have nearly qualified, though, and we can sort of set our sights on September.”
Bell Park was on the wrong side of the ledger when the two teams met in Round 6, but Saker says this contest was a different-looking game.
“We knew what their strengths were before the first time around; we just didn’t execute very well,” he said.
“Today, we were a bit better in knowing, ‘This is what certain players like to do’.
“Like (Braden) Hocking behind the ball. He still played really well, but we thought we were able to do a few different things going forward, which was helped by the fact we played them earlier.
“But to be fair, it was a lot of different personnel out there today.
“Some stuff helped, but there were a lot of different faces.”
Reigning joint Mathieson medallist Jett Bermingham produced another performance that will have him in contention for consecutive medals.
“He’s a very good player,” Saker said. “He’s just so clean, and he kicked a really clutch goal.
“He’s getting better every week, to be honest. I think he did that last season as well.
“He’s taking on more responsibility, and his post-bye stuff’s been great. He’s probably polling a few votes too.”
Along with Bermingham, who finished with two goals to be Bell Park’s only multiple goalkicker, Eli Pearce, Tyler Norton and Matt Jones impressed.
The only lowlight for the Dragons was a tackle laid by Ollie Bridgewater on Eagles gun Mitch Diamond that Saker expects will come under Match Review Panel scrutiny.
After appearing a certainty to feature in a qualifying final, Newtown & Chilwell now needs to win two of its three remaining matches against Leopold, South Barwon and St Albans to ensure the double chance.
SCOREBOARD – ROUND 17
Leopold (7th, 8-8) has overcome a second-half surge by Grovedale (9th, 4-11) to post a nine-point win at Burdoo Reserve.
Leading by as much as 28 points during the third quarter, the Lions found themselves trailing the Tigers during the final term after the home team kicked seven of the next eight goals.
However, Leopold steadied with three consecutive goals to run out 11.17 (83) to 11.8 (74) winners.
Darcy Brislane’s Rising Star-worthy season continued for the Lions. He kicked four goals to take his tally for the year to a team-high 30.
Joe McCarthy, Tom Gillett and Bradley Kreuger each kicked two goals for Grovedale.
South Barwon (2nd, 12-4) will return to the GFNL finals after missing September action in 2025 following a 148-point hiding of St Albans (8th, 4-11) at St Albans Reserve.
The Swans kept the Supersaints goalless until the third quarter in posting a percentage-boosting 23.24 (162) to 1.8 (14) victory.
South skipper Matt Caldow kicked six goals, Andrew Boseley finished with four, and Taylor Mulraney and Lachie Noble contributed three apiece.
League-leading goalkicker Tom Higgins kicked St Albans’ solitary major.
St Mary’s (1st, 14-1) all but secured the minor premiership after handing North Shore (11th, 0-16) a 192-point hiding at Windsor Park.
The Saints set the tone for the afternoon in the first quarter, slamming on ten goals, before powering away to a 32.22 (214) to 3.4 (22) result.
Jack Willson kicked six goals for the second straight week, while veteran duo Jesse Travaglini (five goals) and Jarryd Garner (four) got in on the action up forward.
The only negative for St Mary’s was a red card shown to youngster Harry Segrave at the start of the second quarter.
K rock Football understands a report has been laid for a comment directed at a North Shore player, with the matter to be dealt with by the Match Review Panel.
Colac (6th, 8-7) had the bye.
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