CHFL R11 reviews: Bungaree back on top, Towners firm up top eight berth

Just two premiership points separate fourth and ninth with six rounds to go after next weekend's competition break for school holidays.

In addition, third-placed Gordon is only another game ahead of this group and far from having a finals berth locked in.

LADDER: BUNGAREE 36, 183.77; DAYLESFORD 36, 134.46; GORDON 28, 132.47; NEWLYN 28, 185.89; SKIPTON 28, 156.37; CARNGHAM-LINTON 28, 137.03; DUNNSTOWN 28 119.52; HEPBURN 26, 178.87; Buninyong 26, 106.73; Rokewood-Corindhap 20, 117.43; Learmonth 20, 96.52; Waubra 12, 57.86; Ballan 8, 67.81; Clunes 8, 65.8; Creswick 8, 60.2; Springbank 4, 66.36; Beaufort 4, 30.51

Daylesford coach Hamish Jarrad says the Bulldogs go into a two-week break feeling they are right in the premiership race.

This is despite losing to Bungaree by 12 points at Daylesford on Saturday and giving up top position.

Bungaree is back on top with the one loss, while the Bulldogs have now had two defeats for the year.

Jarrad said although Daylesford had a record only matched by Bungaree through to the mid-way point of the season, there was still uncertainty as to where it sat.

"We walk away (from today) knowing we're right in it at the top end."

Daylesford is second and percentage adrift of Bungaree, but has a bye after next weekend's competition break for the school holidays.

This will give reigning premier Gordon a chance to pounce on second after it moved into third position with a 29-point win over Clunes on Saturday.

The Eagles have gone ahead of Newlyn, which had its second defeat in a row to Dunnstown by 34 points at Newlyn.

There are just two premiership points between Newlyn and ninth-placed Buninyong - ensuring a cut-throat battle for places in the top eight through the last eight rounds.

Jarrad and Bungaree coach Ryan Waight agreed that not a lot could be taken out of their clash on Saturday owing to the tricky wet and muddy conditions

"You can't really take a lot out of this game looking to the finals other than it gives us an important four points and a small buffer at the top," Waight said.

"Neither (team) was at its best. We haven't played in the wet and it showed," he said.

Waight said for Bungaree it had been important to get through a stop-start period of two games in five weeks with two wins, as well as starting to get players back from injury.

With each team strugglingto score in the testing conditions, it was never going to take a lot to break open the game.

Bungaree did just that late in the second quarter with John Butler kicking three goals in quick succession to give the Demons a 10-point lead at half-time.

As marginal as it was, it proved enough as Daylesford squandered opportunities in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs dominated territory, but could only add six behinds.

They would end up kicking 10 points in a row before finally getting a goal off the boot of Sam O'Brien in the dying minutes of the match.

As hard as it was to find the big sticks for Daylesford, Bungaree also struggled in the third term- adding three behinds to go into the last stanza just seven points in front.

The next goal was always going to be crucial and it would be Isaac Quick from close range on six minutes who would effectively decide the outcome.

Two of the competition's best defenders had stand-out days - Bungaree intercept mark specialist Ben Simpson across half back and Daylesford's Alex Boyse, who maintained an attacking frame of mind despite having to deal with a slippery football.

Jarrad was left to rue the lapse late in the second term in which Butler gave Bungaree the upper hand and missed opportunities when the Bulldogs had most of the play, being on top in the territorial battle.

"To have 19 scoring shots against a side of the quality of Bungaree is a good effort, but it's disappointing we couldn't convert.

"We left some (goals) out there," he said.

Bungaree 1.2 5.3 5.6 7.9 (51)

Daylesford 1.3 3.5 3.11 4.15 (39)

GOALS - Bungaree: J.Butler 3, J.Lukich 3, I.Quick 1; Daylesford: S.Winnard 1, C.Peart 1, T.Lee 1, S.O'Brien 1

BEST - Bungaree: B.Simpson, T.Wakefield, M.Lawless, M.Comben, S.Butler, J.Lukich; Daylesford: A.Boyse, C.Peart, A.Lambert, T.Lee, A.Pasahidis, T.Nesbitt

Fourth-placed Newlyn has been the big mover in the top eight over the past few weeks - unfortunately in the wrong direction.

The Cats have gone from being undefeated to losing twice in as many weeks, with Saturday's 34-point loss at the hands of Dunnstown at Newlyn a lot of their early season work.

While Newlyn has lost momentum, Dunnstown is the team on the charge.

Although the Towners are only two premiership points inside the top eight, five straight wins have lifted them to seventh and most significantly put their destiny in their own hands.

With wins in that sequence over three finals contenders - Buninyong, Skipton and now Newlyn - Dunnstown no longer has to rely on teams above it falling over.

Towners joint coach Brad Whittaker said the past three weeks had been season-defining.

He said the three games between the two competition breaks were always going to be important.

"We set ourselves for this block and to come through unblemished and with wins against two sides above us has set up our season."

Whittaker said making the most of the best conditions of the day with six goals in the first quarter had set up the win over Newlyn.

He said the Towners had been rewarded for their work in the contest and a solid set up behind the ball.

Whittaker said with the match developing into a slog the early advantage had made all the difference.

Dunnstown 6.4 6.5 9.7 11.10 (76)

Newlyn 0.1 2.8 3.10 5.12 (42)

GOALS - Dunnstown: B.Whittaker 3, M.Henderson 3, B.Collins 1, A.Murphy 1, C.Tangey 1, A.Murphy 1, T.Wardell 1; Newlyn: S.Murphy-McKay 1, L.Hoy 1, M.Phelps 1, K.Collins 1, D.Fishwick 1

BEST - Dunnstown: T.Wardell, P.Britt, J.Leonard, P.Tuddenham, B.Cracknell, M.Henderson; Newlyn: W.Lund, D.Wehrung, M.Tilley, D.Fishwick, S.Willmott, L.Hoy

Hepburn coach Shane Fisher says the Burras produced their best football of the season in defeating Learmonth by 76 points at Hepburn.

He said they had set season-best standards in what he believed was a turning point.

Fisher said his players had approached the match with an improved outlook and it had shown in the outcome.

He said hopefully with the return of several players after the break, including the likes of Jackson Carrick and Sean Tighe, Hepburn could get its season on an onward curve.

The Burras need to. They are seventh with a lot to do to ensure they play finals.

At the other end of the scale, it was a disappointing day all around for Learmonth coach Jake Dunne.

As well as seeing the Lakies lose, he missed the first three quarters owing to flight cancellations interstate.

Dunne said it was hard to take a loss of this magnitude, given so much had been on the line. They started the round within two points of the top eight.

Dropping to 11th and with a low percentage, Learmonth's finals hopes look gone.

Hepburn 3.2 8.5 10.9 17.11 (114)

Learmonth 1.1 2.1 3.6 4.9 (38)

GOALS - Hepburn: I.Grant 6, M.Davis 4, B.Mckay 3, T.Brown 1, J.Blackburn 1, B.Coffey 1, H.Rodgers 1; Learmonth: D.Folkes 2, P.Collins 1, L.Ozols 1, M.Rowe 1

BEST - Hepburn: T.Brown, J.Clarke, I.Grant, J.Wallesz, B.Mckay, R.Ferraro; Learmonth: T.Martin, T.Mitchell, W.Green, P.Collins, C.Kimber

Buninyong held on to score by 10 points over Creswick at Buninyong despite giving up a string of goals via 50m penalties.

They included majors from two 100m penalties in the opening term, which allowed the scores to be locked up at quarter time.

Creswick coach Paul Borchers had also given away two 50m which had resulted in goals during the day.

He said a turning point had come when Creswick was reduced to 17 men for 15 minutes when Jarrod McIntyre was shown a yellow card late in the second quarter.

Borchers said in addition, the Wickers were unable to compete with Buninyong's bigger physical presence in the likes of Joel Ottavi and Aiden Domic.

Buninyong 5.2 9.6 11.7 11.8 (74)

Creswick 5.2 7.4 8.7 9.10 (64)

GOALS - Buninyong: J.Ottavi 4, J.Coxall 3, B.Marchant 1, M.Warner 1, A.Domic 1, J.Marshman 1; Creswick: D.Whitfield 6, J.Thomas 1, P.Taranto 1, N.Pantzidis 1

BEST - Buninyong: J.Rodgers, D.Micallef, J.Ottavi, A.Domic, J.Robertson, M.Warner; Creswick: D.Whitfield, B.Dolan, P.Taranto, J.Mcintyre, T.Landwehr, R.Cox

Gordon had the result it needed to move into the third position.

Eagles coach Brenton Payne said Clunes had kept them honest and it was ploeasing to be able to kick away late.

Gordon added four goals to none in the last quarter.

Payne said getting three wins in between the two breaks had been important.

In contrast, the season is not getting any easier for Clunes, which is 14th with two wins.

Gordon 2.4 5.7 9.7 10.10 (70)

Clunes 2.1 3.3 6.3 6.5 (41)

GOALS - Gordon: B.Schiltz 4, B.Payne 2, A.McKenzie 1, B.Frazer 1, X.Winter 1, M.Nolan 1; Clunes: J.Robertson 2, R.Thompson 1, A.Bowd 1, J.Radlof 1, M.Miller 1

BEST - Gordon: B.Veale, M.Griffiths, B.Schiltz, M.Nolan, R.Clampit, H.Biggs; Clunes: M.Kasparian, M.Paramonov, M.Thar, M.Murray, J.Radlof, A.Bowd

Carngham-Linton coach Clayton Scoble is concerned with what is becoming a bad habit for the Saints - slow starts.

They were good enough to overcome one against Waubra at Snake Valley, but he knows they might be so fortunate against teams further up the ladder.

He said he had discussed the slow starts with his players, but no one had been able to come up with a cause.

"We've been chipping away at it for a while, but as to why we're still working on it."

Waubra led by 18 points after four goals in the opening quarter, but was quickly pegged back, with Carngham-Linton going away by 42 points.

Brody Benson was again among the goals with four.

Waubra coach Trav Ford said the Roos had again shown elements of improvement.

He said the strong start had been encouraging, as had been Waubra's ability to ensure they were not blown away late.

Ford said although unable to control the football late as it had against Springbank, Waubra had not allowed Carngham-Linton to get off the chain. "That's a positive."

He said the Roos had struggled through midfield without Darcy Jenkins, who withdrew with illness.

Carngham-Linton 1.0 7.2 9.5 12.13 (85)

Waubra 4.0 4.2 5.4 6.7 (43)

GOALS - Carngham-Linton: B.Benson 4, J.Pound 2, J.Faull 1, T.Raven 1, K.Raven 1, T.Scoble 1, M.Knight 1, J.Foley 1; Waubra: T.Hall 1, R.Gavin 1, J.Parker 1, B.Colligan 1, A.McPherson 1, O.Randall 1

BEST - Carngham-Linton: M.Knight, T.Raven, J.McMickan, K.Raven, L.Hodgson, B.Benson; Waubra: A.McPherson, B.Colligan, T.Ford, J.Knights, R.Gavin, J.Parker

Skipton bounced back from two close defeats in a row to continue the tough times for Springbank at Skipton.

Emus coach Chris Banwell said keeping Springbank goalless in the first half had been pleasing.

He said the key had been getting into space from contests.

Springbank coach Andrew Challis the Tigers had not been to defend as well as it had hoped although the second hal had been a markedly imporved effort.

Skipton 4.3 6.8 9.10 11.12 (78)

Springbank 0.4 0.5 4.6 4.7 (31)

GOALS - Skipton: R.Monument 5, L.Stranks 2, M.Cullinan 2, A.Nestor 1, A.Pitson 1; Springbank: J.Wilson-Keir 2, N.Gordon 1, C.Ronan 1

BEST - Skipton: J.Webster, R.Monument, J.Peeters, D.Phillips, L.Stranks, J.Wilson; Springbank: A.Murnane, J.McCann, J.Maher, H.Twaits, F.Toose, B.Hanrahan

Rokewood-Corindhap chalked up another win to climb to 10th position.

The Grasshoppers have now won three in a row and four of their past five games to vastly improve their standing.

Rokewood-Corindhap 5.5 8.7 13.9 18.14 (122)

Beaufort 0.1 0.1 1.2 2.2 (14)

GOALS - Rokewood-Corindhap: C.Barrenger 4, R.Aikman 2, J.Hayes 2, M.Rivett 2, L.Philp 2, K.Hayes 1, Z.Priddle 1, M.Lockyer 1, T.Lamb 1, C.Jeffrey 1, M.Riding 1; Beaufort: F.Mitilineos 1, T.Haase 1

BEST - Rokewood-Corindhap: Z.Priddle, M.Rivett, L.Philp, M.Aikman, C.Barrenger, L.Baker-Radford; Beaufort: L.Megne, J.McDermott, L.Harris, L.Cox, C.Mahony, T.Haase