Demons raise hell, Bulls achieve historic stampede

Round 6 would provide much of the same within the Men’s Division 3 Competition.

Despite the rain last Saturday, it did not prevent some teams from scoring. Four teams would score above 100 points, including North Brunswick, scoring 218 points, which made for some big victories.

Box Hill North had a resounding 81-point victory against Swinburne University as the Demons further ensconced themselves as the biggest improvers in the division.

The Demons broke out to a 30-point lead in the first quarter but struggled to kick on in the second, with the weather conditions playing a part. This was despite coach Beau Parthenides thinking that the game was over by quarter time.

But in the second half, the Demons managed to adapt to the conditions, and it showed on the scoreboard.

For Swinburne, it was another result that showed their yo-yoing nature, which coach Johnny Andrinopoulos putting this down to the availability of his players.

But he is sure that when the Razorbacks have their best 22 players out on the field, they can match it with any team in the league.

Richmond Central returned to winning ways as they defeated Chadstone by 126 points.

It was a confident victory for the Snakes after losing their last two matches. The win would also be the second biggest since Michael Motta started coaching the side in 2024. And although he was happy with the win, the focus for Motta and the Snakes remains on trying to be more competitive against the top four sides.

For Chadstone, yet again, it was another fadeout after quarter time, with the margin reflective of that matter. Coach Ian Ledder noted that this would be something they would address for next week’s match.

North Brunswick delivered a thunderous 217-point victory over Eley Park as they maintain 3rd place on the ladder.

This result would be one for the record books. This victory is now the second biggest in the Bulls’ history and was the lowest score they have ever conceded in a match, showing how dominant a result this was.

Adding to that, it was also the biggest winning margin by any team this season in the division.

Pleased with the result, coach Domenic Fontana also noted how unselfish his players were during the game. The Bulls managed to have 15 different players scoring goals, emphasising how much of a team performance this result was.

While Eley Park could only sit back and watch as they suffered their worst defeat since Round 7, 2024, they should prove to be a more competitive outfit in next week’s clash against Chadstone.

Power House survived a close scare from Albert Park to remain on top of the ladder as they won by four points.

The game would ebb and flow between the sides with the Falcons having an 11-point lead at quarter time, Power House having a nine-point lead at half time, and both sides tied at 58 points apiece at three-quarter time.

However, the experience of Power House would prove too much, with goals from Kieran Wotherspoon and Scott Shier in the fourth quarter being the difference.

For a team that has won by an average margin of 116.4 points coming into this match, being able to win a close one demonstrates Power House multitudes as a side and further highlights their case for premiership favouritism.

While Albert Park once again just falls short against quality opposition, it should only further solidify their belief that they are better than their 2-4 record suggests.

They are the only side to have kept both undefeated sides to a single-digit margin with a missed shot on goal after the siren against Wattle Park and kicking 1.2 in the final stages of the fourth quarter against Power House being the only things that stood in the way of a potential 4-2 record.

This was noted by player-coach Jack Amies, believing this result shows that the Falcons are “tracking in the right direction”.

Wattle Park continued their dominance over the Division 3 competition with a comfortable 86-point win against La Trobe University.

The Trobers would go toe to toe with the Animals for at least the majority of the first quarter. But similar to the Animals’ match last week against Chadstone, Wattle Park was able to flick the switch in the second and would control the game from there on out.

Coach Glenn Hopkins was most pleased with his side’s pressure and ability to defend the ground as they maintained their undefeated record. Captain Harry Davis would be best on ground for Wattle Park, managing to boot seven goals.

For La Trobe, it was another big defeat against a top four side, having lost by 74 points to Richmond Central back in Round 3.

Despite the result, Connor McCredden and Jonty Randall would again play a starring role. Both are among only four players in the competition to have achieved five best on grounds.

For Round 7, all five matchups provide plenty of intrigue. The undefeated Wattle Park and Power House will face off in the most anticipated match of the competition. The winner of that game will cement their spot as premiership favourites and gain an even healthier advantage on the ladder over the rest of the competition.

On the other side of the spectrum, but equally as exciting, will be the battle between Chadstone and Eley Park. Both teams will have the incentive of getting their first win for 2025, which should only fuel their motivations. Swinburne goes up against Richmond Central as they hope to show that they can be competitive against the top four sides.

Albert Park plays Box Hill North at Bill Woodfull Oval. Having both set their expectations this season to play finals, victory proves crucial for either side to turn that into a reality. And North Brunswick will look to continue their dominant form while La Trobe look to steer clear of three losses in a row when they face off at Allard Park.