BOTH Donald and Nullawil will go into their first semi-final at Sea Lake this weekend full of confidence after commanding wins over Charlton and Boort.
It sets up an intriguing clash between last year’s runners-up and the league’s newcomers, a match-up Donald won twice this season by less than two goals.
The Royal Blues made light work of Charlton at the weekend, dominating from start to finish to record a comfortable 27.9 (171) to 3.11 (29) victory.
Sam Dunstan was the star, kicking 10 goals and taking his season tally to 89 goals and within sight of breaking the magical 100-goal mark.
The Maroons had a strong victory over Boort, securing a 52-point win despite the Magpies being competitive for two of the four quarters.
Nullawil were far too strong in the second and third terms, outscoring their opponents 12 goals to three for an 18.12 (120) to 10.8 (68) win.
Jordan Humphreys (six goals) and Andrew Oberdorfer (five) combined to kick 11 goals, with Dean Smith, Patrick Kelly, Matt Quigley and Jonathan Casey among the better players.
The winner of this Saturday’s first semi-final will go through to face either Sea Lake Nandaly or Birchip-Watchem in the preliminary final, after the top two sides also had comfortable wins.
The Bulls destroyed the winless St Arnaud to put a full stop on the Saints’ campaign, with key forward Ben Edwards kicking an incredible 15 goals on the way to a 156-point win.
Edwards took his season tally to 84 goals and looms as a player to watch for the finals series.
Midfielder Nick Rippon and ruckman Lochlan Sirett were also dominant in the 25.11 (161) to 0.5 (5) victory.
Sea Lake Nandaly remained undefeated with their 71-point win over Wedderburn.
The Tigers didn’t get things all the own way, with the Redbacks taking it up to the premiership favourites for the first 60 minutes to hold a two-point lead at half-time.
A switch was flicked in the second half, however, with a nine-goal to one third quarter, before Wedderburn were held scoreless in the final quarter, for a 17.18 (120) to 7.7 (49) final score.
Tigers onballer Trent Donnan was judged best on ground, which proved vital to Donnan sharing the 2023 Feeny Medal with Birchip-Watchem’s Nick Rippon as the North Central Football League’s best and fairest on Sunday afternoon.
Holding a one-vote lead heading into the final round of the count, Rippon polled two more votes in the Bulls’ win over the Saints.
Donnan’s three-vote game had both players finishing the count on 20 votes.
It was an all-Royal Blue finish for the minor placings, with Ross Young and Ryley Barrack finishing four votes behind to claim Keith Chalmers Memorial Trophy as runners-up.
Donald’s Josh Potter finished just one vote behind his teammates on 15 votes, while Wycheproof-Narraport’s Gedd Hommelhoff and Nullawil’s Jordan Humphreys finished the count on 13 votes.
In the reserves, Sea Lake Nandaly’s Callan Noonan took home James and Jenny Goldsmith Trophy as league best and fairest, while Nullawil’s Sol Kelly won the Jeff “Woofa” Guild Trophy as under-17s best and fairest.
