Bulls win a thriller as Falcons and Demons finish the year in strong fashion

Albert Park managed to break a four-game losing streak, ensuring their season finished on a high note as they defeated Eley Park by 191 points.

Looking to make a strong statement after having put themselves out of finals contention, the Falcons conceded the first goal, which gave Eley Park the lead.

That lead, however, would be brief as Albert Park, then had the next 15 scoring shots to lead by 59 points into the first break.

While the lead continued to blow out in the second quarter, the Falcons could have led by more had they not kicked 3.6.

But in the third, they certainly made up for it as they proceeded to kick 14.3 to see their lead go over triple digits while holding the Sharks scoreless during that time.

And with the result well and truly secured, Albert Park managed to cross past 200 to close out their season with a win.

This win sees Albert Park close out the year with 10 wins in 6th spot. That is the first time they have managed to do that since 2023, when they were in Division 4 before the amalgamation of the competition with Division 3 last year, which just shows the improvements they have made this season.

For the Sharks, the loss closes out what has been a difficult year, having failed to win any match this season and on 14 occasions were beaten by 100 points or more.

Hopefully, next year delivers a more competitive season for Eley Park to help break what has turned into a 20-game losing streak.

Box Hill North have finished their season with a bang with a 106-point victory against Chadstone to secure 5th spot on the ladder.

It was initially a close match between the two sides, with the margin only getting out to 16 points at quarter time.

And it appeared that the game would be dead and buried in the second quarter, but with the Demons kicking 3.8, it kept Chadstone alive despite finishing the half with a 2.9 scoreline.

But in the second half, the Demons managed to find their kicking boots as they kicked a more accurate 14.7 compared to the Synners, who managed to score 3.5 to lose by triple digits.   

Chadstone may have only won three games this season, but it is still an improvement for a team that only returned to senior divisional football last year.

Under coach Ian Ledder’s first year, they have managed to not only beat a side that wasn’t Eley Park but also win consecutive games. Hopefully, with another pre-season under their belt, they can continue to improve and become more competitive for next season.

Having been marred by injuries last year, the Demons have been this season’s biggest performers compared to last year, with an additional seven wins this season.

Had they had the same record either in Division 1 or Division 2 men’s competitions, they would be featuring in finals, showing how strong the top four sides have been within Division 3 for the last 18 rounds.

Finals are definitely on coach Beau Parthenides’ horizon for 2026.

A second-half comeback has helped North Brunswick pull off a two-point win against Richmond Central to secure 3rd spot.

Coming into this match, the Snakes still had the possibility of finishing in the top two. But to stand a chance, they needed to beat the Bulls at home and hope that Swinburne would pull off an upset against Wattle Park.

And as the game started, Richmond Central would start strong, taking the lead at quarter time.

However, it was in the second quarter where things got going for the Snakes as they managed to score 5.2 compared to North Brunswick’s 1.3 to lead by 30 points at halftime and keep their hopes of a top two finish alive.

But the second half proved to be a different story. The Bulls would slowly but surely work themselves back in the game as they matched Richmond Central’s five-goal second quarter in the third. They were also helped by the Snakes being inaccurate, as they only managed to kick 2.5 to help see the margin be brought to 16 points.

The fourth quarter would see the Bulls’ momentum carry over and manage to take the lead and hold onto it in what proved to be a thrilling match.

From this, it now means that North Brunswick leapfrogs the Snakes into third place, while Richmond Central now finishes in fourth place.

Wattle Park secured their double chance in the finals by defeating Swinburne University by 70 points.

Like they have done in most of their games, the Animals would generate most of the scoring opportunities early in the first quarter. But this time, they seemingly weren’t able to turn that into a big margin as they kicked 3.7.  This would see Swinburne trail by 13 points, as they made the most of their opportunities by kicking two goals and no behinds.

In the second quarter, it was a different story with the Animals kicking a much better 4.3 to extend their lead to 27 points at halftime.

And in the second half, they held the Razorbacks to just 22 points as Wattle Park proceeded to add 65 points to their tally and sees them retain 2nd place on the ladder.

Having been the only team relegated from Division 2, the Animals have certainly made the most of their new surroundings. But having won their last seven games, they have seemed to time their run just right to make a return to their natural environment.

For the Razorbacks, it has been a tough year as they have regressed from finishing 6th last year to 8th place despite having only lost two more games.

Scoring woes have defined their season, having only been able to score more than 60 points in just six matches, with the majority of these games being against Chadstone and Eley Park. They were also unable to beat any team above them on the ladder this year, which will be another key target to improve in 2026.

Power House claimed the minor premiership on Saturday with a 132-point win against La Trobe University.

It was a clinical performance by the ladder leaders who got out to a 44-point lead at quarter time and continued to apply the pressure throughout the game.

They would extend their lead throughout the match as they comfortably secured their 15th win of the season.

This now means for the 17th time this season, Power House has finished out the round in 1st place, making them the premiership favourites in this upcoming finals series.

But as North Brunswick showed us last year, the minor premiership means nothing when it comes to finals football.

While it was a disappointing way to finish out the year, La Trobe has shown improvement as they managed to more than double their win count in Andy Castles’ second season in charge. If he can do the same next year, the Trobers will be in the finals mix for 2026.

With the regular season now done and dusted, we now turn our attention to what will be a blockbuster of a VAFA finals series.

This year’s top four will comprise Power House, Wattle Park, North Brunswick and Richmond Central, who all finished the year with a record of 13-5 or better, showing how dominant these four teams have been throughout the competition.

For North Brunswick, Power House and Richmond Central, it will be their second season in a row that they have made finals. These three teams will be heavily motivated by last year’s finals series, with no side managing to win a finals game last season, with the first two sides going out in straight sets.

In the elimination semi-final, North Brunswick and Richmond Central will play each other for the second week in a row. The Bulls do have the advantage over the Snakes, having won both of their matches in the home and away season. But on both occasions, it required North Brunswick to make a second-half comeback, showing that Richmond Central can make a game out of it, which will make this game an absolute thriller.

A spot for the Grand Final is up for grabs later in the day, with Power House taking on Wattle Park at 2:30pm at the same venue. Both teams were the only sides to sit in the top four for the entire 18 rounds, showing how good they have been all season. In the two matches they have played this year, they have beaten each other on their home turf. With a neutral venue, it’s anybody’s guess as to who will win out and get a well-deserved bye.