By Evan Tudor
It’s a top-of-the-table clash at Buckley Park between Essendon Doutta Stars and Caroline Springs that’ll get Round 4 underway.
Both sides enter this contest following commanding victories last weekend, with the Stars dismantling Maribyrnong Park by 99 points and Caroline Springs taking a 47-point scalping over Keilor.
The Stars have shone across its opening three matches to start the season, with an array of players demonstrating consistent performances who’ll look to be a handful in Saturday's encounter.
Essendon Doutta Stars were all over the ball in Anzac Day’s contest with eight goalscorers proving the team’s dominance.
Mia Tully slotted five majors in the victory, taking her tally to nine goals from three games played, and will be one to watch on Saturday. She’ll also be someone that Caroline Springs will have to pay extra attention to.
Tully joins four other teammates who’ve secured two best-on appearances out of a possible three, with Casee Gazelle, Jessie Hulett, Isabelle Porter, and Polly Conway having great starts to season 2026.
But will the Lakers continue their undefeated run, even though they’re on the road for the first time this year?
Caroline Springs has had back-to-back wins at home over Strathmore and Keilor and has already stamped dominance in this competition.
The Lakers play an exciting brand of football that’ll be hard to overcome on Saturday, with some key standouts among the team.
Taya Meiers has struck the goals in both opening contests at home, with Jacinta Kondis securing three last weekend.
Top spot is the likely prize for Saturday’s winner, but with the talent that both sides have, it’s hard to pick a winner right now.
Aberfeldie hosts the winless Keilor at Clifton Park following a strong Anzac Day win.
With the Two Blues sitting third on the ladder with a 2-1 record and the Blues yet to taste victory in season 2026, this match is shaping up to be an interesting encounter.
Aberfeldie was unstoppable in last weekend’s 58-point victory over the Fog, with the Two Blues’ ability to access the corridor and deliver it inside 50 outstanding.
Moana Hope, a key forward line player and ball-magnet, scored five goals in game 200 and will certainly be of concern to Keilor’s backline.
Emily Smith and captain Olivia Madden are also some of Aberfeldie's finest, with a key ability to run fast and control the footy effectively across the field.
The Giovanni Castello-coached Blues have their work cut out for them but will certainly bring their all to Saturday’s contest.
Keilor’s players have remained consistent to start the year despite what the scoreboard shows, with Laura Wright earning best-on listings in all three games.
Melda Temurci, Amelia Grech, and Olivia Castello have all had exceptional performances so far with two best-on appearances earned.
As Saturday’s match fast approaches, we have less than 48 hours to find out who gets up in this one.
Probably the most exciting game of the round will take place at Shark Park, with a grand final rematch set between Hillside and Oak Park.
Placed at sixth and fifth on the ladder respectively, both sides will be eager to take a win in this one if they want to find themselves in the top half of the table early in the season.
Hillside enters Saturday’s clash fresh off the bye, but it was a 25-point loss to Maribyrnong Park in its last hit out.
While they didn’t walk away with the four points, the Sharks should still feel confident ahead of their date with the Kangaroos.
Hillside plays a very physical and tough brand of footy, something that any opposition hates to see coming.
Caitlin Sargent has already slotted six goals from two games, joining the likes of Annalise Wilkie, Kiara Rigg, and Krissy Trang who have all had fantastic starts to the season.
Trang’s ability to win the football and control it well with a piercing kick will be one of the Sharks’ strengths that are brought to the table as Hillside searches for its second win for the year.
Oak Park has suffered two losses under 10 points en route to this game and will look for redemption on Saturday.
We know that the Kangaroos are quick to attack on the scoreboard, they did that on Anzac Day when they ran away with a 14-point quarter time lead.
Yet again, one of the main goals for the Kangaroos this Saturday will be keeping momentum rolling, because if they can do that, then more wins might be on the way.
Sasha Nelson has scored big in both contests she’s featured in this year, while Felicity Theodore has been one of the standouts.
Will it be redemption for the Roos who’ll aim to get the upper hand over their rivals, or will Hillside run the clock back and take the win like it did by five points in last year’s big dance?
Strathmore returns home for the first time in a month as it welcomes Moonee Valley to Lebanon Reserve for Nelson Alexander EDFL Match of the Day.
The Mores are back on the winners’ list following Anzac Day’s nine-point victory, restoring their confidence and momentum that was momentarily paused following their Round 2 defeat.
Moonee Valley will be looking to bounce back for its second win of the season following last weekend’s 58-point defeat to Aberfeldie.
The Mores’s ability to play fast across the ground and work together as a team to move the ball down the field is superb.
It’s an area of play that Aberfeldie used to topple the Fog last weekend, with the Mores looking to do the exact same on Saturday.
Strathmore captain Eloise Egglestone has had a remarkable start to the year, being named her side’s best in all three contests.
She’s a player the club is proud to have back and joins some serious talent in Talia Motta and Yasmin Welsford.
While Moonee Valley runs onto Lebanon Reserve following a heavy loss, the Fog will enter the battle raring to win.
Michaela Chalhoub and Kate Maxwell were strong in defeat last week with their combined talent spanning from end to end of the field.
With the Mores looking to rise further up the ladder and the Fog eager for an early-season turnaround, Saturday’s contest should be a cracker.
If you can’t make it to the game, you can catch it live and free thanks to Nelson Alexander EDFL Match of the Day on Streamer.
By Jake Reeves
Week one of the split round begins at Cole Reserve with Coburg Districts set to host Gisborne.
The Lions will be out to make amends from last week's 16-point defeat at the hands of Burnside Heights.
Back at home they will give themselves every chance to hit the ground running and get a win over the Bulldogs.
Gisborne, which was a powerhouse in last year's campaign, has started on the positive side of the ledger being 2-1 and will wish to find the premiership winning form as the season goes on.
Zoe Manning, Sarah Docherty, Chiara Chiavaroli, and Bridgette Aparo have been in elite touch to start the season, and all four players have been adjudicated in the best players in the three clashes to start the season for the Lions.
The Bulldogs superstars Amy O’Kelly and Stephenie Brancatisano will be top of the whiteboard for Coburg Districts as they have both had hot starts to the season.
After a 3-0 start to the 2026 campaign, Craigieburn is set to travel to Clarke Oval to face the Sunbury Lions.
The Lions are off the back of a tight and scrappy win against Taylors Lakes, but with Cragieburn's brilliant start to the season, it is not going to be easy for the hosts.
The Eagles have had a solid beginning to the new campaign and look the goods heading into the Lions clash.
Kaylee Allen and Sienna Gioupas have been the live wires to start the season and being acknowledged with three and two best players respectively so far this year for the Eagles.
Their leading goal kicker Sienna Scuderi has looked promising with four goals kicked in the Eagles' three encounters to this point of the season.
Kayla Theodore, Hayley Parke, and Karla Tentonello have looked strong for the Lions with three best player nominations each to kick off 2026.
The bottom-placed Tullamarine look to try and get its first win of the season away from home against East Sunbury at John McMahon Recreation Reserve.
East Sunbury, which has traditionally struggled over the last few years, has started the season in fine form and is off the back of a strong win against the Sunbury Kangaroos last Saturday evening.
It has been a tough start for the Demons 2026 campaign and unfortunately matched up with Courteney Munn who kicked eight goals on a dominant day for Westmeadows.
Lone goal kicker last weekend Cassandra Standley, and teammates Marriana Shiba, Tricia Devine, Charlotte Jackson, Kate Nicolaou, and Anais Lipski all received best player honours last weekend for the Demons and will look to lift their side this weekend.
While for East Sunbury, it was Chantelle Harding, Rhianna Kirk, Rebecca Preece, Jessica Hourigan, Cara Clarke, and Sophia Iosifidis were all seen as instrumental in the victory over the Kangaroos last Saturday.
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS v CAROLINE SPRINGS
Saturday 1:50pm at Buckley Park
ABERFELDIE v KEILOR
Saturday 1:50pm at Clifton Park
HILLSIDE v OAK PARK
Saturday 1:50pm at Hillside Recreation Reserve
STRATHMORE v MOONEE VALLEY
🎥 Streamer
Saturday 1:50pm at Lebanon Reserve
COBURG DISTRICTS v GISBORNE
Saturday 11:50am at Cole Reserve
SUNBURY LIONS v CRAIGIEBURN
Saturday 11:50am at Clarke Oval
EAST SUNBURY v TULLAMARINE
Saturday 11:50am at John McMahon Recreation Reserve
