Insurmountable Bulls prevail again, as Box Hill North secure first win

Can anyone beat North Brunswick? In a top-of-the-table clash for the ages, the Bulls have defeated Canterbury for the second time this season in another thriller. Previously beating the Cobras by seven points, North Brunswick remained confident to beat the in-form Canterbury, who had won their previous six games.

The Cobras initially had the momentum in the opening term, kicking the last three of the quarter to set up a nine-point advantage at the first break. The Bulls’ never-say-die attitude rarely wavers however, and by halftime North Brunswick had regained the lead, albeit by just a singular point.

The Bulls’ defence was on full display in the second half, as they extended their lead to seven points at three-quarter-time. Canterbury was held scoreless in the last quarter, as the Bulls pulled away to a 16-point victory.

Spencer Zahra, Adam Tsardakis and Jon Sharp were amongst North Brunswick’s best for Round 10, as they establish a two-game buffer for the minor premiership.

Joshua Ward, Lachy Shearer and Mitch Szabo were amongst Canterbury’s finest. The Cobras now drop to fourth following this loss, with the chance to rebound against La Trobe next week.

Despite a depleted outfit, St John’s have proven their premiership quality with a 109-point victory over Swinburne University. The Razorbacks fought hard in the contest for the first quarter, but the JOCs found their groove as the match progressed.

“Coming into the game we had a really long unavailability list and a few more late outs before the game. Our depth was challenged and the guys that came in really stood up,” St John’s coach Tim Edwards said.

“Our second half was one of the better for the year, our leaders stood up as we clicked into gear and started to play the brand of footy we have been looking for.”

St John’s’ key players unsurprisingly make up the majority of the JOCs best-on-ground, with Corey and Jarrod Ely, Callum Houghton and Timothy Werner earning votes.

Jed Toner and Sam Hodges were amongst Swinburne’s best, as Zachary Cooke managed to kick multiple goals in a low-scoring performance. The Razorbacks head into the bye, now a game outside the top-five.

Power House dismantled La Trobe University in a crucial win for their final’s ambitions. La Trobe were held scoreless in the first quarter by a merciless Power House defence, which only conceded 28 points for the entire match.

Power House played a consistent game, scoring multiple goals in every quarter as they ticked over the triple-figure mark. The 81-point win holds their percentage in good stead, currently at 237.9%.

Archie Conboy and Jonty Randall were admirable for La Trobe in the midfield, as was James Toomey off half back.

Michael Timmons and Kieran Wotherspoon punted three majors each, as Joe Stefani and Luke Stubbs were deemed best on. Power House face Albert Park next week in an opportunity to win a third straight.

Richmond Central have swelled from an under-the-radar side to a force to be reckoned with, following its 215-point demolition of Eley Park.

A 17-goal first half destroyed the Sharks’ chances early, as the Snakes soared to a 101-point halftime lead. A further 18 goals in the second half extended the pain for the Sharks, as Richmond Central locked away a significant percentage-boosting win.

The Snakes forward line feasted, with Ben Dillon (7), Andrew Fraser (6), and Eric Nelson (5) combined for a whopping 18 goals. Richmond Central had 12 individual goal-scorers, highlighting the well-rounded team performance.

Eley Park’s skipper Andrew Yeo was amongst the Sharks best, joining Joel Kennedy, Sehath Alwis and first-year players Aaron Gove and Nicholas Nilsson. An evenly matched contest faces Eley Park in Round 11, taking on Box Hill North at home.

After eight gruelling defeats and dealing with a mammoth injury list, Box Hill North have recorded their first win of the season against Chadstone.

The game was tightly contested throughout the first quarter, with the Demons holding a slight five-point advantage. A five-goal to two second quarter provided Box Hill North a solid lead, ultimately being the difference-maker by the final siren. A determined Synners side matched the Demons in the second half, however it was too little too late, suffering a defeat of 23 points.

“With up to 12 of our senior list unavailable for the first nine rounds, we set ourselves for Round 10 where we had some good senior players returning,” Box Hill North coach Jeff D’Amato said on the injury list.

“We got off to a great start with our midfield getting on top and had some great connection with the forwards in the second [quarter], where we really went back to some connection we had in 2023,” D’Amato said. “Although the margin looked slim in the end, we feel we can build off this win and get some momentum.”

An impressive five-goal outing from Jonathan Tommasoni was key for the Demons, as Braiden Leong and Hristos Millaras were Chadstone’s best.

As the top-five pull away from the competition, Division 3’s Round 11 will be crucial for the bottom six clubs to chase the pack.

La Trobe host Canterbury and Albert Park play Power House, in two matches that require shock upsets to keep the Trobers and Falcons’ seasons alive.

St John’s host Richmond Central in a huge top-five clash. The Snake’s form has been formidable lately, however they are yet to beat a current top-five team.

Eley Park host Box Hill North in a Box Hill crosstown clash, as Chadstone aim to challenge North Brunswick. Swinburne University have the bye.