LAKERS ON THE BOARD IN 2025, DISTRICTS WIN GRAND FINAL REMATCH
By Connor Pain |
Caroline Springs broke through for its first win of the TIV Division 1 Senior Men’s season with a 51-point triumph over Parkside in Round 3.
With coach Brian Lake in the side for the first time in 2025 the Lakers had another big target inside 50 and the former AFL Bulldog and Hawk played a key hand with five goals.
After an end-to-end opening stanza the Lakers gained the ascendency in the second quarter with a four goal to one term.
In the second half the hosts limited Parkside to a single goal while adding a further five majors to comfortably triumph 13.15 (93) to 6.6 (42).
Werribee Districts exacted a level of revenge in their traditional Anzac Day clash with Hoppers Crossing thanks to a 19-point come-from-behind win against the reigning premiers.
The 2024 runners up proved that they’ll again be a contender in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final with Jack Fletcher booting a game-high three majors and Dillon Viojo-Rainbow playing his best game of the season with 28 disposals, including nine clearances and a goal.
Off to a hot start as they often do, Werribee’s offence was revving early but the Warriors hit back after a slow first term with a four goal to one second, overturning an early deficit to lead at the main break by four points.
With both teams wanting to continue unbeaten starts to the season it was Werribee who blew the match open in the third with a second five-goal term that put the game on their terms.
Doing enough in the final quarter, Districts ran out 13.10 (88) to 10.9 (69) winners ahead of another tough matchup in Round 4 when they host Caroline Springs.
The Warriors have the bye thanks to a Good Friday win against Point Cook.
Altona held on by the barest of margins at JK Grant Reserve, upsetting Spotswood 9.8 (62) to 9.7 (61).
The Vikings were stifling on defence all afternoon and it paid dividends in the final term, despite conceding the quarter’s only goal the home side did enough to secure the one-point win.
Lachie Hunter made his season debut for Spotswood but the inclusion of the 2016 AFL premiership player wasn’t enough for the Woodsmen to continue their winning start to the season, as Will Taylor starred for the hosts and Connor Bulley bagged three goals for the second straight week.
Making it two wins on the bounce, Altona can go for the hat-trick when they take on Point Cook Centrals away this coming weekend, while Spotswood will look to respond to the tough loss in a local derby against Yarraville Seddon.
Will Kliszewski and Spencer Wray kicked five goals each in Yarraville Seddon’s dominant 81-point win over Sunshine, the pair sparking a 19.14 (128) to 7.5 (47) victory.
Rebounding from a high-scoring loss to Werribee Districts a week earlier, the Eagles put last year’s Division 2 premiers to the sword with seven majors in the second quarter and an eight-goal final term.
Point Cook booted eight goals to three in the second half, putting a sluggish start behind them against Point Cook Centrals to salute 11.19 (85) to 7.7 (49).
With the game evenly placed at the main break, it was all the Bulldogs in the second half and particularly so in the fourth.
Capitalised on a low-scoring day from the Sharks, inaccurate kicking did little to stop the visitors from claiming the Point Cook Community Cup for their first victory of 2025.
Cooper Mullens was a standout for the winning side along with Michale Cilmi who finished with four majors.
Albion got the chocolates against fellow promoted side Newport, 12.11 (83) to 7.9 (51).
A third win from four games has the Cats well placed ahead of a week off, also thanks to a Good Friday four-point win against Parkside while Newport face another promoted side in Sunshine.
Caleb McPherson was best on ground for Albion while Daniel Rosenzweig went clear at the top of the goal kicking table with a five-goal haul.