Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 will be treated to five matches full of interest this week as side’s aim to make their move into finals contention.

It follows a week of football which provided some upsets and big wins.

Kilmore rebounded superbly from a shock loss to Lalor. The Blues came from behind after conceding the first four goals of the match and produced a stunning upset to overrun the previously undefeated Old Paradians at J.J. Clancy Reserve.

“We hit back really hard,” Kilmore coach Paul Derrick said.

“Our pressure from the first minute, led by Michael Marrett, to the last minute was sensational. To the boys credit, we started to create space to work in during the third quarter after trailing at half time.

“Our tackling pressure gave us the opportunity and we dominated the third term. There was no weak link and it was an effort they can be proud of.”

Derrick also gave a tick to trio Jake Beattie, Joshua Coe and Liam Salter.

“We started well and had control until halfway through the second quarter, but a few things in the game changed and we didn’t handle the pressure from Kilmore,” Old Paradians coach Ben Turner said.

Rufus Jones came back into the team and was instrumental for the Raiders, who now have the week off with the bye.

Old Eltham Collegians came off the bye to play Lalor at Eltham College. The Bloods, fresh off their breakthrough win, began well and were in touch at the first break, before the Turtles gradually got on top and went on to win to the tune of 76 points.

“We looked to come and play our brand of footy, which we did,” Old Eltham Collegians assistant coach Zac Cole said, who filled in for Matt Sleeman on the weekend.

Matthew Williamson kicked seven majors for the Turtles, while Brent Macaffer’s class stood out. Scott Dickson performed well for the Bloods.

The Fitzroy Stars celebrated Jai Burns’ 150th game for the club when locking horns with Reservoir at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval. The Stars made it a great day for Burns with a 119-point win, with the midfielder himself excelling once again.

“It was a big day for Jai, and we needed to respond this week after last week’s loss to the Raiders,” Fitzroy Stars coach Lionel Proctor said.

The Mustangs again started poorly and couldn’t recover thereafter. Alex Mills booted three for Reservoir, while duo Zechariah Cuppens and Robert Holland contributed well.

Mernda and Epping faced off at Waterview Recreation Reserve in what was tipped to be a close encounter. It went according to script early with the Blues a point up at quarter time, but the Demons kicked six goals to nil in the second term and put the game away, going on to triumph by 72 points.

“We’re getting better week by week”, said Mernda coach Robert Fletcher.

Kai Turner and Joel Harris impressed for the club while Leigh Judd led the way for the Blues.

Heidelberg West pulled off an upset when defeating Kinglake by 56 points at Heidelberg Park, with the maiden win for new coach Dale Mayne putting the Hawks at 1-3.

History suggests that, while winning games early in a positive, the season is a marathon and not a sprint.

Old Eltham Collegians are now the only unbeaten team with three wins from three games. Just behind them with a 3-1 record are the Fitzroy Stars, Mernda and Old Paradians, while Ivanhoe narrowly hangs on to fifth spot on the ladder with two wins, just ahead Kilmore, with Epping in seventh with a 2-2 record.

Round 5 action provides fans with exciting clashes across the board.

Kinglake is winless at present after three matches but have a chance to get that all-important victory and climb to 1-3 when hosting Old Eltham Collegians at Kinglake Memorial Oval.

The form lines would suggest that the unbeaten Turtles, who have narrow victories over both Mernda and Epping under their belt, will keep banking wins.

But the Lakers have only lost one game (Round 1, 2024) at home in their stint in the NFNL thus far and would be determined to get back their home ground advantage.

It was the Turtles who ended Kinglake’s unbeaten run to start the 2023 season, but if they can recover some of their form from last year, the Lakers can turn the tables this time.

Lalor hosts Reservoir at Lalor Reserve. Most pundits expected the two combatants to be winless coming into this clash, but the Bloods have already opened their account for the season with a Round 3 triumph over Kilmore.

That win will see them go into this weekend’s game as favourites, but Mustang fans will recall the nail-biter between these teams at this venue last year, which saw Reservoir prevail by two points.

If the Mustangs can start well for the first time in 2024, another thriller could be on the cards. Both teams look to have some handy recruits so it could be an entertaining affair.

Heidelberg West should have renewed confidence when travelling to Epping Recreational Reserve to take on Epping. The Hawks have been on the verge of finals appearances in recent times and will aim to make it back-to-back victories for the first time in 2024.

The Blues would’ve been shocked with the poor loss to Mernda last week which saw them tumble out of the top five and will want to return immediately to the winners list.

Based on overall form this season, an Epping win seems likely, but it is difficult to predict with much certainty in a season with several significant upsets already occurring.

These teams last met at this venue way back in Round 7 of 2017 when the Hawks upset the Blues by four points in an entertaining tussle.

The Fitzroy Stars played the second of back-to-back games at Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval when they host Kilmore. With both sides mightily impressive in the previous round, it appeals as a fascinating clash.

A Stars win would see them consolidate their spot near the top of the table, but with the ladder so congested, the Blues would move ahead of the Stars if they prevail.

That would leave both teams on three wins, but Kilmore ahead on match ratio.
Last season they split the results one apiece, with the Stars prevailing by 13 points at this venue.

Another game where ladder spots could swap sees Ivanhoe coming off the bye to play Mernda at Ivanhoe Park. The Demons sit in third spot and ahead of the Hoers only on percentage.

Anyone who saw Mernda play against Epping last week would be convinced that the Demons are a genuine premiership threat and would favour them to win this game.

However, Ivanhoe has the home ground advantage and Mernda has not played at the venue previously. As well as that, the Hoers have gone within a whisker of being undefeated for the season, losing to the Raiders by a kick in Round 2, so their fans would have reason for optimism in this intriguing match-up.

By Doug Long