By Eric Forman
It's the second week of the Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division split round with the remaining three games to be played.
Essendon Doutta Stars will play host to Deer Park for Nelson Alexander EDFL Match of the Day.
The finals race in the top flight is heating up with Deer Park two games inside the top five, and Douttas on the outside looking in.
Douttas are one game outside the top five and enter this game with decent form having won two of their last three games.
It would be a scalp that could set up their run home having not beaten a side currently inside the top five, despite being competitive against that opposition.
A win for Deer Park on the other hand would see them move three games clear inside the top five with five games to play, all but securing a maiden EDFL Premier Division finals appearance.
The last time these sides met it was a 27-point win for Deer Park which held off a third-quarter comeback from Douttas.
The Lions led by 44 points at the main break after an early blitz, with Douttas reducing the margin to 11 at the final change and even leading in the last quarter, unable to hang on.
Kwame McHarg made a surprise return for Deer Park and kicked eight goals, while Oscar Sasalu was hard to maintain for Douttas with five goals.
Both sides are similarly ranked with contested ball, but the Lions dominated on the day being plus-48 for contested possessions.
Essendon Doutta Stars are ranked second in the competition for clearances but weren't able to get on top being one behind the Lions for the day, something they'd be keen to rectify.
If both teams are at their best, this should be a belter.
Lebanon Reserve will see Strathmore face off with East Keilor.
This weekend gives the Mores an opportunity to maintain their buffer inside double chance territory, by how much will be dictated by other results.
East Keilor remains winless in last, but two of their three repeat meetings for the year have seen the Cougars significantly reduce their losing margins.
It was a 203-point margin the last time these sides met with Sam Hayes cashing in with 10 goals.
Will Vasiliadis has enjoyed some good form kicking three goals in their last two games.
While it should be a comfortable Mores win, the Cougars will be hoping for an improved performance from the last time they played.
Maribyrnong Park and Pascoe Vale will close out the round at Monk Oval in another important game in the finals landscape.
The Lions currently occupy fifth spot and are two games ahead of Pascoe Vale which is in that logjam outside the five.
The form lines of both sides make for an interesting contest with Marby losing close games to Aberfeldie and Deer Park with a big win over East Keilor, while the Panthers dropped games to Douttas and Greenvale while beating Strathmore.
With both sides dropping games within their grasp, they'll be keen for a strong showing.
Maribyrnong Park enjoyed a 32-point win over Pascoe Vale when they last met in Round 4.
The Lions boasted 13 goal scorers on the day in a strong team effort, with the best tackling side showing their defensive aptitude being plus-22 in tackles.
Defensive pillars Alex Barba and Tom Barnett dominated for Maribyrnong Park on that day but with neither player featuring in recent times, they'll need someone else to step up.
It should be strong in the clinches with both sides ranked top two for contested possessions, loose ball gets, and groundball gets, as both sides manage plenty of entries inside 50.
The clear difference on the leaderboards is in clearance, with Pascoe Vale rated first and Marby ninth, an area the Panthers will need to capitalise on.
By Ben Parker
Hillside will host Avondale Heights in a blockbuster top five clash at Shark Park.
In what’s a statement-making game for both sides, expect this one to go down to the wire.
The last time these two sides met, it was Hillside who broke their 0-3 start to the season and ran away with a 28-point road victory at Canning Reserve.
Both sides have gone on to produce scintillating patches of football, and while the occasional failure has bobbed up, they have been dominant for large portions of the season.
Hillside has been one of the stories of 2025.
After an ominous 0-3 start which generated great scrutiny and pressure, the Sharks have hardly put a foot wrong on their way to winning eight out of their last 10 games.
They got the job done against a gritty Tullamarine last week, and despite producing football far from their best, swam back to Shark Park with the four points.
Seasoned veteran Josh Covelli was at his brilliant best hammering home a sack of seven goals, and is the Shark to watch again this week.
With a team average of 96 score involvements per game, the Sharks have proved that when at their best, it’s a team effort. Every player is involved, and every player gets their lick of the ice-cream.
But with a high-pressure team in Avondale Heights coming to town this week, they’ll need to be on song.
The Heights are the highest ranked team in the competition for smothers, tackles, spoils, and they have a pressure rating of 142; this figure also placing them at number one for the competition.
They’ll need to load up on the pressure metrics and maintain these figures if they are to steal victory from Shark Park, but their form on paper indicates that they’re certainly capable.
Danko Bzenic is the one to keep an eye on for the Heights. He was excellent last week with 29 disposals, 10 marks, and five clearances, and will no doubt be in the thick of it again.
With just one game separating these two sides in the ladder positionings, those watching on from Shark Park can expect to be on the edge of their seats.
West Coburg hosts Moonee Valley in what shapes to be an intriguing matchup at Shore Reserve this week.
Their previous encounter for 2025 saw West Coburg collect the four points by a convincing 44 points.
At their best, form certainly suggests that the Burgers should be putting this one away.
Yet, recent performances suggest that this one could be closer than what onlookers are perhaps expecting.
West Coburg has proven that they’re one of the best sides in the competition.
They destroyed a depleted St Albans uniform last week in a crushing 146-point win at home, but the weeks before that had revealed some kinks in their armour.
Prior to last week they only squeezed past the bottom-of-the-ladder Roxburgh Park by five goals, and before this, were easily put away by both Avondale Heights and Hillside.
With inside 50 entries being an alarming issue in both losses, the Burgers will be out to prove a point this week.
It starts from the source, and star midfielder Emilio Rinaudo will no doubt drive the team forward.
He torched the Saints last week with 25 disposals, 12 marks, and two goals, and will need to be at his best.
Meanwhile, it’s a season-defining performance for Moonee Valley this Saturday.
Having lost their last three, they’ve fallen to eighth position on the ladder and simply must win this week if they are to be any chance of featuring in September.
The Fog have produced some sensational wins for 2025 with results over Oak Park and St Albans being at the top of the list.
If West Coburg are off and Moonee Valley can return to their best, look out.
Expect veteran Josh Toy to once again lead from the front. The defender has enjoyed another stellar season and was brilliant in his side’s losing effort last week with 35 disposals and 15 rebound 50s.
Craigieburn will host ladder-leaders Oak Park in a massive game for their season.
Currently staring into the top five from sixth position, the Eagles are just one win behind Taylors Lakes in fifth and could very well jump them should they win and other results go in their favour.
The last time these two sides clashed, it was Craigieburn who caused a dramatic upset under the lights of JP Fawkner Reserve and beat the premiership favourite by 25 points.
With the Eagles' recent form suggesting that they’re back on track, they’ll be hoping to make it a perfect record over the Kangaroos in 2025.
The hosts are shooting for their fourth win in a row, and really seemed to have found a spark in this latter part of the season.
With just the five games to go, they need to make their move now if they are to feature in finals footy.
They were at their best last week when defeating Taylors Lakes, but will need to go to another level if they are to beat the Kangaroos, who have only tasted defeat twice this season.
It was regular performer Jai Robinson who led the charge, collecting 33 disposals and 12 rebound 50s. He’s arguably the Eagles' most important player and they need the footy in his hands.
On the other end of the ledger, Oak Park cruised to another win last week when they took care of Roxburgh Park by 103 points.
The widely tipped premiership favourite was simply in a class of their own as they dismantled a struggling Roxy outfit, and in doing so, took their impressive record to 11 wins and just the two losses for the season.
They are presented with a harder task this week, but one would suspect that if they bring their best, then they should be winning here.
Paul Pascu is the one who has elevated his game over the past month.
The 20-year-old spent a bit of time up forward last week and looks to be flourishing in his home-grown colours.
He had 23 disposals, six clearances, and a goal in an impressive performance that signified his impressive form.
Leo Dineen Reserve plays host to what could finally be another win at home for Tullamarine with Roxburgh Park set to meet them.
The Dees have won just the one game at home this season, way back in Round 6.
When these two sides met last in Round 4, it was Tullamarine who claimed victory on the road at Lakeside Reserve by 31 points.
There hasn’t been much to celebrate since then for the Dees.
They have been around the mark in an abundance of games, losing six of their bouts this year by under five goals.
Last week, they made a last-quarter ditch to steal it with eight goals to two against Hillside, cutting the deficit down from 45 points at the last break, to 11 at the final siren.
With no Shaun McKernan, the Dees had eight individual goal-kickers in what was a pleasing aspect of the performance.
On the other end of the scale, Roxburgh Park continues to suffer and was demolished by an unsympathetic Oak Park to the tune of 103 points.
They remain at the bottom of the ladder and have won just the one game for season 2025.
Tullamarine presents as another challenging opponent for Roxy, but it could be their last chance to win another game this year as they still must play Hillside, Avondale Heights, and St Albans.
If Tullamarine bring their best, form suggests that they’re poised to get the job done.
St Albans will host Taylors Lakes in what’s a critical game for both sides.
With the Saints slipping down to seventh on the ladder, and the Lions plateauing in fifth, the urgency and significance of this clash for both sides is paramount.
The last time they met it was the Saints who won comfortably by 20 points on the road at Lionheart Reserve.
This was the last win of their perfect 4-0 start to the season, and it’s been a steep decline since then.
After leading the competition for the first month of footy, the Saints have gone on to lose seven out of their last nine games, and have plummeted down the ladder positionings.
Last week, they were obliterated by 146 points in a bleak performance against West Coburg.
With finals spot still in their grasps, there’s a lot to play for this week.
In a losing performance, ruck Andre Srour produced a masterclass around the ground, recording a monstrous 46 disposals, 47 hit outs, and 21 clearances.
For Taylors Lakes, they are presented with a critical winning opportunity for a game that they simply must win.
They currently sit two games and percentage behind Avondale Heights in third position and are just one game clear inside the five.
At their best, they are an extremely capable outfit that has the tools and capabilities to go a long way in 2025.
Lockie Rayner will no doubt look to inject himself into the midfield battle early, and set the tone in what is a pivotal game for his club.
He was at his ultimate best last week with 36 disposals and 20 clearances, and it will be fascinating to see how the two rucks, Rayner and Srour, go head-to-head here.
By Evan Tudor
Northern Saints and East Sunbury will kick off Round 14 of Strathmore Community Bank Division Two at Charles Mutton Reserve.
With heavy losses inflicted onto the two outfits last Saturday, both teams will be hoping to demonstrate their ability to bounce back effectively and play some good footy.
It’s been a rocky season for the Saints and they’ll have to pick up the wins in remaining games and pray for favourable results if they want to be in the final five.
Eliot Kako has been one of the names to watch in the Saints list for 2025 with eight best-player list appearances.
The Saints were able to hold off the Thunder by 20 points when the two last met in Round 6.
But with two East Sunbury stars on fire in return last week, expect a Thunder fight.
Brendan Fevola booted five in his comeback while Jordan Pollard recorded 39 disposals in just his second game played for the season.
And this talent line may just be the solution to finding the Thunder’s first win since Round 1.
Westmeadows will host Glenroy at Willowbrook Reserve in yet another top-of-the-table clash.
This game could not have been set up in any better way than we see.
Westmeadows is on an eight-game winning streak, while Glenroy is back in form after a slight scare with a 12-1 record and 197 per cent to boast.
Westy won its match against East Sunbury by 55 while the Roys downed the Saints by 76.
And with the top two sides meeting, it’s only fitting some of the division’s best will be in action too.
Tiger Aaron Evans and Roy boy Mark Sabatino will battle at either ends of the field with a respective 38 and 35 goals placing them in the top three of the goal kicking ladder.
Leading ball-winners Jordan Kosteas and Daniel Ferraro will contest the footy with a respective average of 31 and 33 touches per game.
And with more key names in the mix such as Mitch Church and Aaron Kite, Saturday may bring us one of the games of the season.
Last time they met, Glenroy was able to run over the top of the Tigers by 26 points on Anzac Day.
A return to Eric Boardman Reserve for the Sunbury Kangaroos sets up their clash with Hadfield as sixth and eighth meet.
Last time they met, the Kangas held on in a Round 3 thriller by two points.
But things have changed since then.
A win is the most important outcome on the cards for the Roos following its 42-point loss to Rupertswood.
With a win, loss, draw, and cancellation the results of its past four matches, the Kangaroos needs to light the fuse now.
There are two leaders in blue and white who can take charge and rise to the occasion.
Co-captain Mitch Streiff has 32 goals to his name, kicking two in the Rupo loss while averaging 27 disposals a match.
His partner in said role, co-captain Stephen Treweek displays similar consistent attributes.
Treweek had 26 touches in last week’s outing, averaging 25 and displaying a strong 73 per cent disposal efficiency.
But opposing them is a Hadfield side with an equally impressive list.
Sam Godden lays six tackles and has 32 disposals on average a match, and Jake Polizzi can turn up the energy with his seven marks, 11 inside fifties, and team-leading 34 disposals averages.
Two teams ready to fire will hit the field. Bring on Saturday.
Cole Reserve hosts the Coburg Districts for consecutive weeks, but this time it's Keilor Park who’ll join them.
With Districts entering with a 112-point win and the Devils falling short by 26, you’d be surprised to hear its fifth taking on third.
Districts’ Jack McNamara booted five in the win to take his staggering tally to 53.
The 7-6 record for the home side hides its ability to do big things, two weeks ago they were on a roll with four straight wins.
But the consistent 8-5 Keilor Park would hope to see a repeat of their Round 2 meeting where the Devils went up by 31.
One of the Devils’ best in 2025 has been Nick Nesci who has important numbers that highlight a great year.
24 disposals, six marks, five inside 50s, and four tackles has given him eight best-player namings.
Two strong teams hopeful of finals sets up a cracking contest on Saturday.
Round 14 concludes at Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve as Rupertswood travel to meet Burnside Heights.
It’s the only game of the round where the two aren’t relatively close on the ladder.
The Bears are ninth and Rupo is fourth.
Burnside Heights will hope to turn the corner after losing by 112 points, while Rupo wants to keep the wins rolling after a 42-point win over the local rival, Sunbury Kangaroos.
Two players to watch will be Jackson Cardillo and Anthony Petracca, the opponents share 10 best-on-ground namings this season.
Last time they met, Rupertswood was victorious by 25 points when Clayton Bonello kicked three and Jacob Elia kicked two.
While finals may be out of the question for Burnside, previous performances show they can put up a good fight.
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS v DEER PARK
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Saturday 2:15pm at Nipper Jordan Oval
STRATHMORE v EAST KEILOR
Saturday 2:15pm at Lebanon Reserve
PASCOE VALE v MARIBYRNONG PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Raeburn Reserve
HILLSIDE v AVONDALE HEIGHTS
Saturday 2:15pm at Hillside Recreation Reserve
CRAIGIEBURN v OAK PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at DS Aitken Reserve
TULLAMARINE v ROXBURGH PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Leo Dineen Reserve
ST ALBANS v TAYLORS LAKES
Saturday 2:15pm at Kings Park Reserve
WEST COBURG v MOONEE VALLEY
Saturday 2:15pm at Shore Reserve
COBURG DISTRICTS v KEILOR PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Cole Reserve
WESTMEADOWS v GLENROY
Saturday 2:15pm at Willowbrook Reserve
SUNBURY KANGAROOS v HADFIELD
Saturday 2:15pm at Eric Boardman Reserve
NORTHERN SAINTS v EAST SUNBURY
Saturday 2:15pm at Charles Mutton Reserve
BURNSIDE HEIGHTS v RUPERTSWOOD
Saturday 2:15pm at Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve
