By Luke Mathews
Aberfeldie will host Greenvale at Section Road in a replay of last year's elimination final.
It was the Jets that advanced through to the semi final last year, defeating Aberfeldie by 74 points thanks to a comprehensive defensive effort that only conceded three goals.
It couldn’t have been a more different start to 2025 for both sides, with Aberfeldie re-grouping over the summer to start the new season 4-1, while Greenvale has just the one win.
One to look out for on Saturday is Karl Brown. The sharpshooter is starting to find his feet again after an ACL injury cut his 2024 campaign short.
Three goals last weekend again the Panthers proved to be the difference in the end and reaffirmed his status as one of the best forwards across the competition.
Greenvale’s backline has held up well at times during 2025, however they’ll need to be at their best on Saturday if they want to claim their second win for the year.
East Keilor will take on Deer Park for the first time in 2025 at Overland Reserve.
It’s been an up and down start to 2025 for the Lions having recorded strong wins over Greenvale and Douttas, but also enduring some disappointing performances against Marby, Keilor, and Strathmore.
Despite being well out of their depth to start 2025, East Keilor put in a much-improved performance against the reigning premiers, with their backline fighting hard right until the final siren.
Last time out it was Deer Park that came away with the 11-point victory, with the Cougars left to rue plenty of missed opportunities.
One to watch on Saturday will be Trent McKenzie. After finishing the game against Douttas in the backline, the high-profile recruit was thrust forward again last week and finished with four goals.
The left footer has had no problem hitting the scoreboard in 2025, kicking 16 goals from just five games to sit equal third in the leading goal kickers tally.
A big bag on Saturday would go a long way in helping propel him up that list.
Airport West will be hoping to make it three wins in a row when they return to Hansen Reserve to take on Essendon Doutta Stars.
After a shaky couple of games that saw the Eagles get thumped by Aberfeldie and Keilor, Brent Taylor’s side rebounded strongly with wins over Greenvale and Marby.
It was also a good weekend for Douttas with the Stars picking up their second win of the year, defeating Greenvale by 48 points.
When the two sides last met it was the Eagles that came out on top in a low scoring affair, winning by 18 points despite kicking only five goals for the match.
For Douttas to make it back-to-back wins, they’ll need to take care of Ned Gentile.
The Eagles skipper was at his brilliant best last week, willing his side over the line against Marby with five goals and two coming in the last quarter to help his side overrun the Lions.
Douttas' midfield has been solid to start 2025 but will need to be at their best to negate the Eagles’ star studded on ball brigade.
Pascoe Vale will return to Raeburn Reserve to host Keilor in a highly anticipated grand final rematch.
It was Mick McGuane’s men that came away with another premiership when the two sides last met, winning by 53 points with Nathan Colenso picking up the Reg Rose medal for best on ground.
The Blues have picked up from where they left off in 2025, winning their first five games comfortably and sit on top of the ladder with a percentage of 403.
It’s been a difficult start to the new season for the Panthers, having lost four of their first five, with their only win coming against Douttas in Round 1.
If Pascoe Vale are any chance of causing a boilover on Saturday, they’ll need their midfield to fire.
Keilor’s engine room has had a near faultless start to 2025, highlighted last week with Nick O’Kearney dominating with 59 disposals, as well as Kyle O’Connor and Kane Barbuto finding plenty of the footy.
The Panthers held their own in the middle in last year's decider and will need to convert their midfield dominance to scores if they're any chance.
Maribyrnong Park will face another tough test when they host Strathmore at Monk Oval.
Marby’s stunning three-game win streak came to an end last week, with Brodie Holland’s men succumbing to their second loss when they were overrun by a fired-up Airport West outfit.
Outside of being well beaten on Good Friday by the reigning premiers, Strathmore has had a solid start to 2025, winning four games to sit in second spot on the ladder.
A win on Saturday for Marby would solidify their spot inside the top five, with the Lions currently in fourth but equal on points with Airport West and only one game above Deer Park and Essendon Doutta Stars.
For Marby to come away with the win on Saturday, they’ll need to find an answer to Sam Hayes in the ruck.
The 205cm big man has had a brilliant start since joining the Mores in the offseason highlighted by 77 hitouts and eight clearances against Keilor in Round 3.
Ned Ryan and Tom Barnett have held their own in the ruck despite being undersized, however they’ll need to be at the top of their game this week to help limit Hayes’ influence.
By Ben Parker
West Coburg host Craigieburn in one of the matches of the round at Shore Reserve.
Both sides come into this clash in strong veins of form, and a quick and exciting contest is anticipated here.
New ladder leaders West Coburg will be looking to make it five wins on the bounce having been on a tear since losing Round 1.
The Burgers have recaptured some of that brilliant form that’s propelled them to the last three Division One grand finals and are playing some scintillating football.
Their ability to win the footy at ground level and then explode into chains through handballs has been a key feature of their game so far.
Ranked first in the competition for total groundball gets and second for handballs, their balance of inside grunt work and outside run has been impressive.
Craigieburn has also put together an impressive start to the season. While the ladder may not currently reflect this, their best footy has been superb.
After a brilliant upset win over Oak Park, they narrowly went down to Taylors Lakes last week by three points.
One to watch for the Eagles this week is Harry Albon. The classy midfielder has started the year off in emphatic form and recorded 37 disposals, 14 marks, and two goals in the loss to Taylors Lakes.
With both sides up and going, expect a cracking contest here.
Oak Park will travel out to Lionheart Reserve to tackle a fit and firing Taylors Lakes.
Their first season back in Division One has proven to be a success so far with Taylors Lakes playing some great footy and currently sitting at equal fourth on the ladder.
In a low scoring affair last week, they outlasted Craigieburn in a thrilling three-point win to move to three wins and two losses to date.
Lachlan Rayner and Chris Vulic were instrumental for the Lions and will be the two to watch again this week.
These two will have to be at their best if the Lions are any chance of taking down Oak Park.
Oak Park has had an interesting start to the season.
While they sit at four wins from five games, their best footy has escaped them and there’s a few questions being asked.
They get a chance to silence some of the doubters this week and really stamp themselves as premiership contenders.
Coming into this clash, Taylors Lakes are ranked first in contested possessions and hard ball gets, and Oak Park is fourth and third respectively.
This one is shaping up to be harsh and physical, and some predicted rain on the forecast only adds to the nature of this. There’ll be a few sore bodies floating around Lionheart Reserve at 5pm this week.
Tullamarine hosts Avondale Heights at Leo Dineen Reserve in a critical game for both sides.
The Dees need to bank another win to stay in the finals hunt, while the Heights must win if they want to stay in touch with the top sides.
Avondale put away Moonee Valley with relative ease last week, and a replication of this performance should get the job done here.
The one to watch is Jackson Robb. After a dominant 37 disposal, four-goal performance last week, he’ll have to be monitored closely.
Tullamarine are crying out for a win. After strong performances without a win against St Albans and Oak Park, they deserve one, but it won't come easy.
St Albans travels down to Ormond Park for its clash with Moonee Valley.
The Saints currently sit at four wins and just the one loss, and have been the benchmark of the competition so far. They’re elite at linking up through chains of handballs and this is how they’ve been breaking teams open.
Ranked first in the competition for handball receives per game with an average of 14, Moonee Valley will have to be alert to this or they’ll get sliced up.
Jack Sims will look to build on his sensational performance last week. He logged 34 disposals, 27 of which were kicks, at an impressive 82 per cent disposal efficiency in their loss to West Coburg.
If the Saints can get the footy in his hands, look out.
Moonee Valley went down to Avondale Heights last week in another loss.
However, they produced a positive last quarter of football which they will look to catapult off and use into this week.
Opponents don’t come much harder than this, and the Fog desperately need to bank a win.
Back at home and facing a powerhouse of the competition, expect Moonee Valley to come out firing.
The winless Roxburgh Park hosts Hillside in another daunting matchup for them.
Roxy have started the season 0-5 and are still on the hunt for their first win.
Another significant loss to Oak Park last week was disappointing to see, but if they can recapture the form that only saw them go down to Craigieburn by 10 points, then some fight can be expected.
They’ll need to produce a season best if they want to take down a circling Sharks outfit.
As expected, Hillside have won two on the bounce after starting the season with three straight losses.
Good football clubs always find a way, and the Sharks have certainly bounced back and re-entered the finals discussion.
Mohammed Yassine and Lucas Failli will look to put more goals on the board this week. They slotted four and three majors respectively in the Sharks' brutal dismantling of Tullamarine last week, and they're ones to look out for this week.
By Evan Tudor
Rupertswood welcomes Burnside Heights to Salesian College to kick off Round 6 of Strathmore Community Bank Division Two.
Rupertswood returned home and celebrated the occasion with a 35-point win over Coburg Districts, despite a third quarter scare from the opposition.
For Burnside Heights on the other hand, they’re entering this match after a six-point nail-biting defeat against the Sunbury Kangaroos.
It was Aaron West’s day for Rupo on Saturday, kicking five in just his second game of the season, with Mitchell Johnston following closely behind with three.
Burnside Heights put on a good display despite the loss last weekend.
The Bears were slow to score in the first half but levelled the scores at 49 a-piece in the dying stages of the final term.
It wasn’t to be in the end, but a good display of offensive pressure proved that something is brewing at Burnside.
Even though Saturday’s contest is a battle between second and eighth, only one win separates the two which makes it important for both sides.
Coburg Districts will host the undefeated Glenroy in a fierce clash at Cole Reserve.
Districts enter this match having nearly posed an upset against second place Rupertswood.
The Lions were down by 21 at the main break before trailing by only two points at the final change thanks to a three-goal-to-none third term.
The result didn’t go their way, but Districts have another attempt at an upset this weekend, this time against the undefeated ladder leaders.
Glenroy will remain the strong favourites heading into this one.
The Roys were dominant in all aspects of the game last weekend against Keilor Park.
It was a handballing masterclass at Sewell Reserve, as the Roys walked away victors by 47 points,
Mark Sabatino put on a display with six of his best, while teammate Jake Young kicked four of his own.
It’s a contest between first and seventh, but still a noteworthy one to watch.
Nelson Alexander EDFL Match of the Day will showcase Keilor Park’s contest with Hadfield.
Keilor Park will look to regroup and return to its dominant form after a 47-point defeat to the ladder leaders.
Despite the outcome, the Devils look to the positives from the loss against Glenroy.
The Devils scored five in the third term, temporarily putting the home side on notice.
And its eight individual goal scorers to Glenroy’s seven proves that they can combine factors of offence and sharing the ball.
Hadfield bounced back with a 100-point showcase over East Sunbury.
It had 12 individual goal scorers, highlighted by bags of six and five kicked by Sam Godden and Mathew Cornwall respectively.
Is Hadfield making a statement as we approach the season’s half-way mark?
That’s the question that will be answered on Saturday in this match between third and sixth.
East Sunbury welcomes the Northern Saints to John McMahon Recreation Reserve.
After picking up their first win of the season last Saturday, the Saints will hope to go two straight.
The Saints walked away nine-point winners over Westmeadows, thanks to a Nick Bruno display of five majors.
The Saints were dominant all match long, leading by 32 at halftime before surviving a final quarter scare.
It was a much-needed win for the Northern Saints, and they carry the momentum into this weekend’s match.
East Sunbury look to pick up the pieces, regroup, and return to form ahead of this match.
It’s a contest between the two bottom sides at tenth and ninth, and if things go right, it could be an interesting game.
Its fifth taking on fourth at Willowbrook Reserve as Westmeadows hosts the Sunbury Kangaroos.
After a loss in a rematch of last year’s elimination final, the Tigers will hope to equal their 2-3 record.
Tiger Hugo Jenkins continued his 2025 goal-scoring masterclass, adding three to his total tally of what is now 15.
A redeeming third quarter shows that the Tigers' best is dangerous, but they’ll need to put it together more consistently.
The Kangaroos look to make it four straight to continue its bounce back.
After starting the season 0-2, the Kangaroos proudly now sit fourth with a 3-2 record.
Walking away six-point winners over Burnside Heights last weekend, the Kangaroos were dominant showcasing seven goal scorers to four.
The Kangaroos will pose as a threat to the Tigers defensive line this week.
It’s a contest that could be described as a blockbuster, so hopefully it’ll be a close one.
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
GREENVALE v ABERFELDIE
Saturday 2:15pm at Greenvale Recreation Reserve
EAST KEILOR v DEER PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Overland Reserve
PASCOE VALE v KEILOR
Saturday 2:15pm at Raeburn Reserve
MARIBYRNONG PARK v STRATHMORE
Saturday 2:15pm at Monk Oval
AIRPORT WEST v ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
Saturday 2:15pm at Hansen Reserve
TULLAMARINE v AVONDALE HEIGHTS
Saturday 2:15pm at Leo Dineen Reserve
WEST COBURG v CRAIGIEBURN
Saturday 2:15pm at Shore Reserve
ROXBURGH PARK v HILLSIDE
Saturday 2:15pm at Lakeside Reserve
TAYLORS LAKES v OAK PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Lionheart Reserve
MOONEE VALLEY v ST ALBANS
Saturday 2:15pm at Ormond Park
RUPERTSWOOD v BURNSIDE HEIGHTS
Saturday 2:15pm at Salesian College
COBURG DISTRICTS v GLENROY
Saturday 2:15pm at Cole Reserve
KEILOR PARK v HADFIELD
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Saturday 2:15pm at Keilor Park Recreation Reserve
EAST SUNBURY v NORTHERN SAINTS
Saturday 2:15pm at John McMahon Recreation Reserve
WESTMEADOWS v SUNBURY KANGAROOS
Saturday 2:15pm at Willowbrook Reserve
