BFNL 2023: Grant goes big, Devils back to best | R12 wrap

LADDER

Wrap up the weekend's BFNL action here.

Ballarat claimed its fourth win of the season, keeping its slim finals hopes alive with a 41-point triumph over Bacchus Marsh at Alfredton.

Ballarat coach Chris Maple said it was a strong performance from his Swans.

Will Liston finished with 42 disposals and nine tackles while Paddy Simpson also had 32 touches and 11 tackles.

The Swans, who lost Angus Bade to a season-ending PCL injury at inter-league, are now preparing for life without Tristan Maple.

Maple injured his knee in the first quarter, with the club fearing an MCL injury.

Andrew Hooper kicked three goals while Mitch McGrath added a goal on return as well.

Ballarat 1.4 6.4 8.7 10.12 (72)

Bacchus Marsh 1.0 2.4 3.4 4.7 (31)

GOALS: Ballarat: A.Hooper 3, M.McGrath 1, W.Squires 1, L.Prendergast 1, T.Constable 1, P.Simpson 1, Z.Maple 1, T.Mooney 1; Bacchus Marsh: J.Owen 3, C.Salmon 1

BEST: Ballarat: W.Liston, W.Garner, D.Kennedy, Z.Maple, W.Squires, K.Mellington; Bacchus Marsh: J.Owen, J.Huxtable, J.Parente, J.McCreery, T.Shea, C.Salmon

Darley has avoided going into its fixtured Ballarat Football Netball League bye on a three-game losing streak by overcoming Sebastopol by 17 points at Darley Park on Saturday.

The round 11 match-up was high quality right from the beginning, with the finals-bound sides exchanging three goals in the opening three minutes.

It was Darley which gained control first, escaping out to an early lead before fighting off multiple Sebastopol comeback attempts.

Dan Jordan's side was unquestionably the better on the day as his Devils claimed their first win at home this season.

Jordan, who returned mid-week from a trip overseas, said the players and coaches had come out of the two-game losing streak with some important learnings.

"The group felt really well prepared going into the game and that's on them, I'm pleased to come away with the win," Jordan said.

"It's an important win for the context of the season and also for our belief."

Darley forward Will Johnson followed up a four-goal haul against Redan with a bag of five in a best-on-ground performance against the Burra.

"Last year he (Johnson) was one of those guys who showed moments of things," Jordan said.

"To his credit he worked really hard over the off-season and now he's really starting to put a good body of work together."

"I thought he was great for us, his hands were clean and he was getting up the ground which he wasn't able to do last year."

It was Sebastopol's third defeat of the season with Burra co-coach Michael Columbro admitting his side was outplayed on Saturday.

"We stuck to our game plan and made a few little adjustments throughout the game but to be honest we were always chasing," Columbro said.

"We had to work hard to stay in the game and we just couldn't bridge the gap."

Sebastopol will look to bounce back against Lake Wendouree while Darley heads into its fixtured bye with a win to its name.

Darley 5.3 8.7 10.8 13.10 (88)

Sebastopol 3.1 7.3 10.7 10.11 (71)

GOALS: Darley: W.Johnson 5, R.Matricardi 2, D.Bishop 1, B.Myers 1, M.Gardiner 1, D.Leonard 1, J.Cadman 1, A.Azzopardi 1; Sebastopol: J.Hill 4, J.Keeble 2, T.Hutt 1, C.Dummett 1, B.Medwell 1, J.Bambury 1

BEST: Darley: W.Johnson, B.Bewley, M.Denham, S.Page, R.Matricardi, A.Azzopardi; Sebastopol: J.Hill, J.Keeble, T.Hutt, L.Kiel, J.Bambury, H.Papst

The ladder-leaders continued their stellar form with a dominant 75-point victory against Lake Wendouree.

The Bloods raced out of the gates, holding the Lakers scoreless en route to a 33-point quarter time advantage.

Jack Walker was impressive with three goals, as was Ryan Davis, but it was 2022 Roy Edwards Memorial Trophy recipient Blake Souter who earned best-on-ground honours on Saturday.

Premiership coach Aaron Tymms said it was not a pretty win but his side was happy to take the four points.

The Bloods ended up with six players on the bench in the last quarter.

Tymms expected most of the players to line up against Bacchus Marsh, with Ryan Davis (Achilles), Ryan Walker (shoulder), Luke Heaney (concussion), Blake Souter (eye), Ben Archard (broken nose) and Adrian Monitto (soreness) on the bench to end round 11.

Melton remains one game clear on top of the ladder, with Darley in second.

Melton 5.3 7.5 10.7 14.11 (95)

Lake Wendouree 0.0 2.1 3.1 3.2 (20)

GOALS: Melton: R.Davis 3, J.Walker 3, A.Kerr 2, B.Kight 1, L.Watkins 1, J.Taylor 1, A.Monitto 1, T.Button 1, R.Carter 1; Lake Wendouree: B.Thompson 2, F.Fogaty 1

BEST: Melton: B.Souter, B.Archard, J.Kight, J.Cotter, J.Walker, L.Watkins; Lake Wendouree: B.Thompson, T.Zampatti, F.Fogaty, B.Hayes, T.Collins, F.Loader

The 'Izaac Grant Show' made a visit to Melton Recreation Reserve as the inter-league skipper had a performance for the ages in the Lions' 151-point thumping of the Panthers.

Grant finished the day with a league-best 10-goal haul as Redan claimed a much-needed percentage boost to hold onto its top six spot.

Redan coach Gary Learmonth admitted Grant could have easily finished with more.

"He (Grant) played a little bit more forward than he has this season but he was involved in everything," Learmonth said.

"He had a good day, he should have probably kicked 15 to be honest."

Lachlan George returned to action with two goals while young gun Marty Boyer enjoyed his second five-goal outing of the season.

"We played some good footy and we got the result we wanted," Learmonth said.

Redan's percentage increased 21.35% as the Lions jumped East Point into the top six picture.

The result was made even worse for Melton South, with inspirational skipper Cody Chapman's season likely over.

Chapman was injured in the opening bounce and took no further part in the contest.

Redan 4.10 13.17 18.24 24.30 (174)

Melton South 1.2 1.3 2.5 3.5 (23)

GOALS: Redan: I.Grant 10, M.Boyer 5, L.McLean 2, L.George 2, P.Fitzgibbon 2, C.Craig-Peters 1, D.Bond 1, N.Kelson 1; Melton South: Not provided

BEST: Redan: I.Grant, R.Gunsser, N.Dunstan, M.Boyer, C.Craig-Peters, J.Short; Melton South: Not provided

Tyson Lever returned with a best-on-ground performance as his Lions stunned East Point in an 80-point drubbing at Clarke Oval.

It was Lever's first game since round four with Lions coach Travis Hodgson full of praise for his skipper's best-on-ground performance.

"He reads the ball so much faster than his opponent, he moves to where the ball is going to go thirty seconds before it even gets there," Hodgson said.

"His foot skills are second to none as well, he's a really good player."

Lever finished the day with eight intercept marks and 26 disposals.

The win has Sunbury in the box seat for a return to finals, but Hodgson was taking it one week at a time.

"There's still six weeks' worth of football left so it can turn quickly," Hodgson said.

"But it was a big win for us, it was always going to be pretty demoralising for the loser on Saturday."

Both sides came into the round 11 contest on 20 points and fighting for a finals spot, but it was Sunbury which came out on top and now looks destined for a return to finals action in 2023.

Inter-league forward Jake Sutton booted a game-high five goals as the full time margin could have easily hit triple digits had the Lions kicked straight.

The result leaves East Point in dangerous territory with matches against Redan and Melton over the next fortnight.

Sunbury 1.6 6.11 8.13 15.19 (109)

East Point 2.1 3.1 3.4 4.5 (29)

GOALS: Sunbury: J.Sutton 5, L.Brennan 3, J.Guthrie 3, F.Ampulski 1, B.Watson 1, J.Egan 1, C.Brand 1; East Point: J.Johnston 1, M.Johnston 1, T.Conlan 1, S.Robinson 1

BEST: Sunbury: T.Lever, H.Minton-Connell, J.Guthrie, C.Brand, J.Sutton, H.Power; East Point: C.Lovig, J.Dodd, G.Slater, M.Johnston, J.Van Meel, J.Taylor

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