AFL

Cudgewa’s unbeaten 27-game run came to a shuddering halt in the biggest match of the year when Bullioh stormed home in the Upper Murray grand final on Saturday for a commanding 35-point victory ... In A Grade netball Cudgewa defeated Bullioh by 12 goals to make it back-to-back flags.

Keep Punching. Welcome to the final NCFL home-and-away game for the 2024 season – Donald v. Wedderburn. The final four had come down to the last round. Donald was locked into the top four; Wedderburn needed to defeat Donald that day to secure its spot in the final four, while up north, Nullawil needed to defeat the Demons to stake its claim for the same spot in the four. There was great interest in both games indeed.

The Raiders travelled to Kerang for their round 16 match against the Blues, which was their second-to-last game in 2024 ... Kerang scored the opening goal of the match. Reagan Hamilton responded with the Raiders’ first goal while motivating the team by saying "Come on."

Jade Auldist. In a day they'll never forget, a group of lucky Auskick kids from Hay were given the opportunity of a lifetime, thanks to our dedicated Auskick coordinator, Leah Wythes. On Sunday, they stepped onto the turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to play at halftime during the sold-out AFL clash between Carlton and Hawthorn.

In their last ever home game as the storied Wycheproof-Narraport Football Club, the bottom rung Demons fittingly torched their long term arch rivals, top of the table Birchip-Watchem. In front of a large returning group of supporters, who ventured from far and wide to witness the end of an incredible football club, Wycheproof-Narraport, with a fiercer desire for the ball, ran out winners by 12 points wildly exciting the home crowd parked around the “Green Mill”.

Corryong departed the finals race at the hands of Tumbarumba in the 1st semi final on Saturday.The Roos were ruthless from the first bounce kicking six goals but to the Demons’ credit they showed spirit in the second quarter to match it with their more fancied opponents.

The Koondrook Barham River Raiders travelled to Nyah to face the top team on the Senior ladder, Nyah Nyah West United. The overcast and windy conditions made one goal end more favourable for scoring ... By the end of the first quarter, the Raiders had scored one goal and one behind, while Nyah had scored four goals and four behinds.

Last Saturday, July 20, 2024, prior to scheduled games of club football, netball and hockey, former players, officials and others gathered at Donald’s A. A. Dunstan Stadium to celebrate the North-Central District’s history-making victory in the Victorian Country Football Championships at Warrnambool, on Saturday, July 20, 1974.

Michael Roberts. Frank Tuck arrived at Victoria Park from Murray League club Strathmerton in 1950 as an 18 year-old forward. He went on to captain Collingwood in the two seasons prior to his retirement in 1959 and played 131 games for the club.

It was fantastic to see the Nhill Tigers win their third win in a row on Saturday when they beat their rival neighbour Dimboola by 102 points. Coach Jake McQueen said, “ Very happy with how everyone played on the weekend, we played a great team game."

It’s most likely the most celebrated number in Donald’s list for current and past players. First, number 7 was on the guernsey of Gary Young, winner of North-Central’s Feeny Medal. In the next generation, Gary’s son, Ross, won both the Feeny Medal and the Sandover Medal, the latter as the best player in the Western Australian Football League.

Josh Treacy has notched up his 50th game with the Fremantle Dockers in style and continues to make a name for himself in the AFL world – and put Cohuna on the map. Dubbed the Big Cohuna, the 21-year-old from Cohuna has amassed 50 games and 57 goals in his four seasons with the Dockers.

The local AFL competition top of the table clash did not disappoint when Hay met Ultima on Saturday ... Brad Pocock was his usual rock solid in defence and heavily involved in transitional attack, directing his soldiers as a true leader does, from the front and by example.

On the inaugural celebration of Maddi’s Round – a North Central Netball Association initiative, raising awareness and showing support for those currently fighting their own battle with cancer and named in memory of Maddi Fitzpatrick, Charlton’s young gun netballer, who lost her own battle earlier this year – the three codes, football, hockey and netball came together at four venues across the North Central Region united as one to ensure NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE.

There was strong interest for an AFL session to be conducted in Donald for people of all abilities. Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly (Horsham) currently conducts the Whippets (AFL) program, so Rhonda Allan of the Mallee Sports Assembly (Wycheproof) contacted Wimmera Assembly to facilitate a proposed Come ’N’ Try session.

With an unusually late start due to Wycheproof-Narraport having no under-17s, the teams were bolstered by some of the girls who have been playing in the girls competition and an exciting, albeit low-scoring game ensued.

Birchip-Watchem’s girls’ football season has concluded for 2024, with the club hosting the Central Victoria Football League (CVFL) finals at George Cartwright Oval last Friday night. The season ran for six weeks, with a Sunday morning fixture at Woorinen followed by Friday night games at Tyntynder, Swan Hill (twice), Kerang and Birchip.

Joel Wagg, affectionately known as Waggy, has reached the milestone of 250 senior games with KLUFNC. Debuting in the senior ranks in 2007, Joel has many memorable moments, including kicking seven goals in Padthaway during a hailstorm in 2018.

The trail blazing Limestone Coast Regional Sporting Academy has created a blueprint for other regions around South Australia. Talented athletes, including nine from the Naracoorte Lucindale area, are emerging as not only high performers in various sports, but as young leaders and role models for their peers and the community.

Late in the second quarter in Saturday’s clash between undefeated Cudgewa and winless Corryong, the Demons had limited the damage to a five goal deficit in a spirited showing but the Blues juggernaut got rolling after half time to show why they are deserved flag favourites.

Murrabit Recreation Reserve was the setting for the Golden Rivers round 6 match between Murrabit and the reigning 2023 premiers, Hay. The Lions dominated the game, but Murrabit showed determination, managing to score two goals in the first quarter. Hay's defence was strong in the second quarter, preventing the Blues from scoring.