NEWTOWN & CHILWELL (1st – 11-3 – 44 points, 197.15%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: South Barwon, Elderslie Reserve (W)
R15: Bye
R16: St Albans, St Albans Reserve (W)
R17: Lara, Lara Recreation Reserve (W)
R18: St Mary’s, Elderslie Reserve (L)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Go on. Admit it. Unless you’re the most optimistic of Newtown & Chilwell supporters, you didn’t have the Eagles sitting on top of the GFNL ladder heading into August. Even at K rock Football, we thought the Towners sneaking into the five would be a good result. However, we should never have doubted the impact Steve Johnson would have on the group. The Eagles are relatively healthy, with Luke Maddock, who is experiencing issues with both knees, a question mark to play again this season.
PREDICTED FINISH: 4th – 14-4
ST JOSEPH’S (2nd – 11-3 – 44 points, 173.49%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Leopold, Drew Oval (W)
R15: Bye
R16: Lara, Lara Recreation Reserve (W)
R17: St Albans, Drew Oval (W)
R18: Geelong West, Drew Oval (W)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Set the tone in the first half of the season, but Joeys have got the staggers in recent weeks, including consecutive losses post the bye to St Mary’s and Colac. It’s so tight among the top four that a loss to Leopold this week could see last year’s minor premier relegated to an elimination final. Beat the Lions, and it’s smooth sailing through the remainder of the home-and-away season. However, percentage could determine whether Ron Watt’s men are playing the first weekend of September.
PREDICTED FINISH: 1st – 15-3
ST MARY’S (3rd – 10-3 – 40 points, 233.52%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Bell Park, Hamlyn Park (W)
R15: Grovedale, Burdoo Reserve (W)
R16: South Barwon, Anthony Costa Oval (L)
R17: Geelong West, West Oval (W)
R18: Newtown & Chilwell. Elderslie Reserve (W)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Similar to Newtown & Chilwell, external expectations of St Mary’s were not high heading into season 2025 following an exodus of star players, including several with premiership experience. However, the coaching combination of Luke Rayner and Ben Boseley has fast-tracked the development of some talented youngsters. Hamish Bourke has become one of the GFNL’s most reliable defenders, Fletcher Hughes is relishing being the No.1 ruck, and the hard-as-nails Ollie Flynn has grasped his opportunity. Top spot is not out of the question, but the Saints would have to take a nine-match winning streak into the finals to do so.
PREDICTED FINISH: 2nd – 14-4
COLAC (4th – 10-3 – 40 points, 208.30%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Lara, Lara Recreation Reserve (W)
R15: Bell Park, Hamlyn Park (W)
R16: Geelong West, Central Reserve (W)
R17: South Barwon, McDonald Reserve (L)
R18: Grovedale, Burdoo Reserve (W)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Flying under the radar down the Princes Highway, a return to finals beckons for Colac in its first season under co-coaches Jason Armistead and Seb Ross. Despite Ross and fellow former AFL player Darcy Lang being restricted to six and seven games, respectively, and Tobyn Murray making his mark with Geelong’s VFL team, the Tigers have been able to cover their absences. Only one more outing at home won’t be a worry. Owning the competition’s second-best percentage means a qualifying final is within reach.
PREDICTED FINISH: 3rd – 14-4
SOUTH BARWON (5th – 8-4-1 – 34 points, 186.09)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Newtown & Chilwell, Elderslie Reserve (L)
R15: North Shore, McDonald Reserve (W)
R16: St Mary’s, Anthony Costa Oval (W)
R17: Colac, McDonald Reserve (W)
R18: St Albans, McDonald Reserve (W)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: If South Barwon play finals, the two-time reigning runners-up will have deserved it. Own the toughest run home of the top five, starting with a mouthwatering match-up with Newtown & Chilwell this week. After some injury issues, the Swans are beginning to assemble something resembling their best line-up. A further boost could come in the form of midfielder Paddy Kelly, who has spent the majority of the year at Geelong VFL. He has the potential to appear in three of the final five rounds.
PREDICTED FINISH: 5th – 12-5-1
BELL PARK (6th – 8-5 – 32 points, 158.73%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: St Mary’s, Hamlyn Park (L)
R15: Colac, Hamlyn Park (L)
R16: North Shore, Windsor (W)
R17: Grovedale, Hamlyn Park (W)
R18: Leopold, Hamlyn Park (L)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: The next fortnight is likely to determine whether Bell Park will be featuring at West Oval on elimination final day again. The Dragons need to, at worst, split their meetings with St Mary’s and Colac. Lose both, and they would have to win their last three, including against Leopold in the last round. Percentage isn’t a factor as a result of the draw between the Lions and South Barwon.
PREDICTED FINISH: 7th – 10-8
LEOPOLD (7th – 7-5-1 – 30 points, 161.99%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: St Joseph’s, Drew Oval (L)
R15: Lara, Leopold Memorial Park (W)
R16: Grovedale, Burdoo Reserve (W)
R17: North Shore, Leopold Memorial Park (W)
R18: Bell Park, Hamlyn Park (W)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Have to beat St Joseph’s this week, with four wins unlikely to be enough for the two-time reigning premier, which will make some teams inside the top five very happy (we’re looking at you, South Barwon). Draw with the Swans wasn’t ideal, and it could be South’s superior percentage that sees the Lions miss out.
PREDICTED FINISH: 6th – 11-6-1
ST ALBANS (8th – 5-8 – 20 points, 108.85%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Grovedale, St Albans Reserve (W)
R15: Geelong West, St Albans Reserve (W)
R16: Newtown & Chilwell, St Albans Reserve (L)
R17: St Joseph’s, Drew Oval (L)
R18: South Barwon, McDonald Reserve (L)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Coach Rick Munn isn’t hiding the fact that he is chasing at least three wins to see out the season, giving the Supersaints their best win return since 2015. Based on current form, they will start as favourites against Grovedale and Geelong West. Would need to catch the Eagles, Joeys or Swans on an off day to claim an eighth victory.
PREDICTED FINISH: 8th – 7-11
GEELONG WEST (9th – 4-9 – 16 points, 80.91%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: North Shore, West Oval (W)
R15: St Albans, St Albans Reserve (L)
R16: Colac, Central Reserve (L)
R17: St Mary’s, West Oval (L)
R18: St Joseph’s, Drew Oval (L)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Unfortunately, the Greg Mellor era is going to end with a whimper rather than a bang. The Giants will take care of North Shore this week and be confident they can repeat their Round 2 performance against St Albans. However, Colac, St Mary’s, and St Joseph’s will have too much to play for to give Mellor one last scalp.
PREDICTED FINISH: 9th – 5-13
GROVEDALE (10th -3-10 – 12 points, 76.25%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: St Albans, St Albans Reserve (L)
R15: St Mary’s, Burdoo Reserve (L)
R16: Leopold, Burdoo Reserve (L)
R17: Bell Park, Hamlyn Park (L)
R18: Colac, Burdoo Reserve (L)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: The Tigers undid a lot of good work by being held goalless by Newtown & Chilwell last week. Grovedale had produced competitive efforts against the likes of Bell Park and Leopold earlier in the season. However, the Eagles sent a stark reminder to Jacob Spolding of how much work still needs to be done to be up amongst the GFNL’s best.
PREDICTED FINISH: 10th – 3-15
NORTH SHORE (11th -1-12 – 4 points, 11.90%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Geelong West, West Oval (L)
R15: South Barwon, McDonald Reserve (L)
R16: Bell Park, Windsor Park (L)
R17: Leopold, Leopold Memorial Park (L)
R18: Lara, Windsor Park (L)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: Will be building over the next month to make sure it avoids the wooden spoon by beating Lara in the final round.
PREDICTED FINISH: 12th – 1-17
LARA (12th -0-13 – 0 points, 16.46%)
REMAINING GAMES
R14: Colac, Lara Recreation Reserve (L)
R15: Leopold, Leopold Memorial Park (L)
R16: St Joseph’s, Lara Recreation Reserve (L)
R17: Newtown & Chilwell, Lara Recreation Reserve (L)
R18: North Shore, Windsor Park (W)
K ROCK FOOTBALL SAYS: A horror month faces the Cats before rounding out the season with the wooden spoon-deciding clash against North Shore. Star midfielder Darby Henderson is eligible to exit the concussion protocol this week.
PREDICTED FINISH: 11th – 1-17
