Bulls take top spot while Snakes extend their gap on Falcons

North Brunswick is the new ladder leader in Division 3 Men’s following a 44-point victory over La Trobe University.

Having had a close scare in their previous match-up in Round 7, the Bulls came into the game cautiously, knowing that La Trobe could be capable of playing them close.  

And it looked set to be another close match with both teams matching each other for score for the first moments of the match.

However, with the Bulls kicking five unanswered goals, they led by 31 points at the first break.

And in the second, the result was put beyond doubt with North Brunswick holding the Trobers to just eight points to lead by 51 points at half-time.

The second half continued in the Bulls’ favour with Matt David leading the way to finish on eight goals for the match as they ran out the match.

Despite having a difficult period between the two mid-season byes this season, the Bulls, under coach Domenic Fontana, have largely been faultless and with form on their side against the top four, they will be confident that they can beat any side when they are on song.

For La Trobe, this loss now sees them four games off from Box Hill North but two games ahead of Swinburne, making a 7th-place finish all but likely.

Wattle Park has delivered a statement win ahead of finals with a 46-point win against Power House.

With Power House being the team that snapped the Animals’ unbeaten start to the 2025 season, motivation was high amongst the playing group to seek revenge.

That motivation, plus playing on their home deck of Bennettswood Reserve for the first time since last month, would see Wattle Park jump out to a 28-point lead at quarter time with Power House uncharacteristically kicking five points.

It was the second time within the space of three weeks that Power House had been kept goalless in a first quarter. And despite their best efforts, they were unable to take the lead from the Animals despite getting within 16 points during the third quarter.

With Albert Park losing, a win against the Animals would have confirmed Power House’s spot in the finals.

But instead, they, for the first time this season, have dropped out of 1st place and now find themselves tied on 12 wins with North Brunswick and Wattle Park.

But for the Animals, this win increases their chances of a top-two finish.

Box Hill North have survived a fourth-quarter scare and kept its season alive with a three-point win over Albert Park.

Coming into this game, a win was extremely important for both sides.

For Albert Park, a win would keep them within one game of 4th-placed Richmond Central, with three games left in the season.

A loss, however, would mean they would need to be perfect for the next three games to remain with a realistic chance.

While for Box Hill North, a win keeps their two-game gap intact and avoids them falling three games behind, which would essentially rule them out of finals contention.

With the pressure on, it was the Demons who got on top early, leading as much as 15 points in the first quarter. But a late goal from the Falcons would draw the lead into single digits at quarter time.

Albert Park maintained that momentum into the second quarter, eventually taking the lead halfway through the second. But after taking the lead, Box Hill North retook it with the next goal before doing so again to lead at half-time.

The third would see Box Hill North extend its lead to 31 points despite one of its players being red-carded during that period.

With an extra man down, this saw the Falcons get back in the match in the fourth quarter, keeping the Demons scoreless. But with a scoreline of 4.4, Box Hill North held on to victory by the barest of margins.  

With the Falcons now having incurred back-to-back losses, it leaves their finals chances in significant jeopardy as they sit two games out of the top four with three games to go.  

For Box Hill North, it keeps their season alive for another week, but they will need to win out and hope results go their way to play finals.

Chadstone have delivered their best win since the club returned to VAFA men’s divisional football last year with a 106-point win against Eley Park.

Playing at their home ground of Jordan Reserve, the Synners would start strong, managing to score 29 points in the first quarter while restricting the Sharks to just two points.

But in the second, Chadstone would bolt from the blue and kick 8.7 to hold a 70-point lead by halftime.

The Synners maintained their momentum and finished strong with a nine-goal fourth quarter to see them get past the 100-point margin.

The win helps secure a likely 9th-placed finish for the Synners, who have equalled their win total from last year. It now means that all four of their wins since their return have come against the Sharks.

With their 15th loss for the season, it likely confines the Sharks to finish last on the ladder, but stranger things have happened before.

Richmond Central have now extended its winning streak to three games with a 73-point win against Swinburne University.

It was a dominant win from start to finish by the Snakes, who led for the majority of the game as they piled on the score to eventually hit 100 points.

Leading the way for the Snakes was Ben Young, who, despite not being named in the best players, kicked five goals.

With such a big win, it now means that the Snakes have a bigger percentage than Wattle Park (albeit by one per cent). This means that if they can equal them on wins, then the Snakes would jump into third place.

For the Razorbacks, a scoreline of 3.9 demonstrates that while they were able to generate shots on goal, they struggled to convert them, helping the margin look as big as it did.

Round 16 could play a pivotal role in shaping how this season finishes, with the strong possibility that two or more sides could confirm their spot in the top four.  

It’s a top-of-the-ladder clash with Power House hosting North Brunswick. The winner of this match will secure their spot in the finals. The result of this match also proves pivotal for the top two race, with the winner able to create a buffer on 3rd and 4th with two games left to play after this week.  

Albert Park takes on Chadstone at Bob Woodfull Reserve. It’s another must-win game for the Falcons, who need a percentage boost and then some to potentially close in on fourth place. Chadstone, however, will be looking to make it back-to-back wins for the first time since their return to men’s divisional football.

Wattle Park plays Box Hill North in an important clash for both teams. For the Demons, they must win to either maintain or close the gap to 4th-placed Richmond Central and 5th-placed Albert Park. History is on their side, having won the previous encounter back in Round 8. But following their victory against Power House, the Animals will be confident of backing up with another emphatic performance to secure their place in the top four.

Eley Park has its last home game of the season when it faces off against Richmond Central at Whitehorse Reserve. After a disappointing loss to Chadstone, the Sharks will be hoping to avoid going winless for the season. The Snakes, on the other hand, will look to use this game as a percentage booster in the event that they get the same number of wins as Wattle Park.

La Trobe will battle it out against Swinburne at St James Park. If La Trobe can win, it would be their 6th win for the season. That would be double their win count from last year, which would be a massive achievement in Andy Castle’s second year of coaching the Trobers. While for Swinburne, a win for them would keep them in touching distance of 7th place.