BFNL Review - Round 5, 2025

A slow start has cost North Ballarat greatly, with Bacchus Marsh capitalising to claim a 15-point win on the road and solidify their place inside the top six.

The first ten minutes saw an even contest, but it didn’t take long for the Cobras to take control of the game. Led by a first-quarter hat-trick from Jake Owen, Bacchus Marsh piled on eight consecutive scoring shots to open up a 22-point lead at the first break.

From there, the game remained evenly poised.

Both teams slotted 4.2 in the second term, and North had their chances in the third quarter to close the gap.

But three consecutive behinds from set shots saw them fail to cut into the lead, still trailing by 14 points at the final change.

Despite winning the inside 50 count and edging ahead in clearances, the Roosters couldn’t match the Cobras' efficiency and polish when going forward.

The damage from the opening term ultimately proved too much to reel in.

Sam Artz led the way for the home side with a relentless tackling effort that earned him best on ground honours.

Brock Leonard also impressive, winning key clearances and lifting his pressure game.

For Bacchus Marsh, Luke Goetz dominated in the ruck with a massive 88 hit outs and even chipped in with a goal.

Josh Huxtable was once again a pillar of consistency, linking defence and attack with composure and drive.

North Ballarat now face a critical two-week stretch with clashes against fellow bottom-six sides Redan and Lake Wendouree.

The Cobras, meanwhile, will look to build momentum as they prepare for a clash against sixth placed Ballarat.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Luke Goetz (Bacchus Marsh) - 88 hit outs, 8 score involvements, 5 intercept possessions

Brock Leonard (North Ballarat) - 24 disposals, 15 contested possessions, 11 clearances

Josh Huxtable (Bacchus Marsh) - 27 disposals, 10 scoring involvements, 8 tackle 

Sebastopol’s sluggish first-quarter starts had been a talking point in the early rounds—but any concerns of a recurring trend were firmly put to bed on Saturday.

The Burra exploded out of the blocks, piling on a 40-point lead by quarter time in their clash against fellow winless side Lake Wendouree.

Despite the visitors managing to win the second term, the damage was already done.

Sebastopol used the momentum of their premiership reunion at Marty Busch Reserve—and the energy of a blue and gold home crowd—to deliver a complete performance, running away with a 68-point win and their first four points of the season.

Tony Lockyer’s group dominated the stats sheet, winning key areas across contested ball, pressure acts, and inside 50s.

Whilst efficiency had been an area for improvement, the Burra well and truly got their usage back to where it should be. 

Young gun Cooper Littlehales played his best game at senior level to date, booting 5.1 and finishing with 12 score involvements to claim best on ground honours.

Daniel Widgery was also instrumental, bringing heat around the contest and racking up contested possessions.

For the Lakers, Joel O’Connell once again stood tall in tough conditions, leading by example around stoppages.

A positive from the day came in the form of debutant Jackson O’Brien, who showed promise with multiple possessions and a few scoring opportunities.

The road ahead doesn’t look any easier for Lake Wendouree as they take on in-form Sunbury. For Sebastopol, they’ll need to stay with this momentum as they take on Darley.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Ben Hutt (Sebastopol) - 30 disposals, 14 score involvements, 12 tackles

Hugo Papst (Sebastopol) - 19 disposals, 9 inside 50s, 9 score involvements

Angus Gove (Lake Wendouree) - 25 disposals, 10 marks, 9 rebound 50s

An eight-goal final quarter has stamped Sunbury’s authority on the BFNL competition, lifting them to a 45-point win over the previously unbeaten East Point at Clarke Oval.

Both sides entered the clash with strong early season form, and it showed early as the contest remained tight across the first three quarters.

Sunbury’s efficiency in front of goal gave them a narrow 10-point lead at the first break, while East Point’s pressure around the ball disrupted the Lions’ momentum through the middle stages.

But with the game up for grabs early in the final term, it was Jake Sutton who seized the moment. The Sunbury forward exploded with four consecutive goals, opening the floodgates in a dominant final term that saw the Lions pile on eight majors, to East Point’s zero.

Despite East Point having the edge in hit outs and hit outs to advantage, Sunbury won the ball at ground level and used it with far greater purpose.

Captain Tyson Lever was instrumental down back, finishing with 16 intercept possessions and earning best on ground honours.

Josh Guthrie continued his strong season, racking up 33 disposals.

For the Roos, Jackson Merrett provided drive from defence and was named their best, while Billy Jones remained a reliable option for a quick receive, as well as applying plenty of pressure.

The win sees Sunbury climb to third on the ladder, with a Round 6 clash against winless Lake Wendouree offering a chance to further consolidate their spot.

Meanwhile, East Point need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face the undefeated Melton in what looms as a tough test.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Matt Johnston (East Point) - 31 disposals, 18 contested possessions, 11 clearances

Tyson Lever (Sunbury) - 26 disposals, 16 intercept possessions, 6 1%ers

Josh Guthrie (Sunbury) - 33 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 9 clearances

Fresh off their first win of the season in Round 4, Redan looked to ride that momentum into a tough assignment against the undefeated Melton—and for a half, they were more than up to the task.

The Lions continued their season trend of fast starts, edging out to a one-goal lead by quarter time and pushing the margin to 10 points at the main break.

Leading the reigning premiers at halftime is no small feat, but Redan may well be left wondering what might have been had their five second-quarter behinds found the middle of the sticks.

That buffer quickly disappeared early in the third term.

Trailing by 17 points just minutes in, Melton swung the game back their way—largely thanks to the reliable hands of Liam Carter, who sparked the Bloods' comeback.

The reigning champs piled on 7 goals in the third quarter alone, while Redan managed just one in response.

Redan’s recurring issue—fading out late—surfaced again, as they were held to just three behinds in the final term.

Inaccuracy saved the margin from ballooning further, with the Bloods booting 8 behinds in the last quarter alone.

Liam Carter was named best on ground, kicking two goals and notching 12 score involvements.

Harrison Hanley also made his mark for Melton, dominating in the air with intercepts and providing forward drive.

For Redan, Taj Bond worked tirelessly across the ground, constantly attacking the contest and doing his best to lift his side.

Rory Gunsser was a standout, collecting a game-high 43 disposals and driving play out of defence with class.

Redan now turn their attention to a winnable clash against North Ballarat, while Melton prepare for the highly anticipated grand final rematch against East Point.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Rory Gunsser (Redan) - 43 disposals, 16 rebound 50s, 7 marks

Jaycob Hickey (Melton) - 27 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 8 tackles

Lachlan Watkins (Melton) - 23 disposals, 8 marks, 8 rebound 50s

It wasn’t a game that hit great heights, but Darley didn’t need it to.

The Devils were in control from the opening bounce to the final siren, cruising to a 50-point win over Ballarat at home.

To Ballarat’s credit, they managed to restrict Darley’s early scoreboard impact – something they’ve struggled to do in previous rounds.

But that resistance didn’t last. The Devils kicked three goals in each quarter, while Ballarat could only manage one per term, unable to break through Darley’s composed and disciplined structure.

While the Swans struggled to generate meaningful forward entries and scoreboard pressure, their tackling intensity was a clear positive.

They led the day for tackles and pressure acts, refusing to let the Devils run unchecked.

Still, there was no stopping Darley’s dominant trio.

Brett Bewley was simply untouchable, collecting 52 disposals and adding three goals in a best-on-ground masterclass.

Nick Hind wasn’t far behind with 36 touches, regularly finding space and delivering clean entries inside 50.

And in the ruck, Lucas Impey impressed not just with his tap work, but with strong second and third efforts around the ground.

For the Swans, Luke Gray offered a shining light, consistently finding space and pulling in uncontested marks to earn best-on honours. Wyatt Squires was also solid through the midfield, finishing with 13 clearances in a strong individual performance.

Darley now roll into Round 6 with a clash against Sebastopol, while Ballarat gear up for a crucial 5th vs 6th battle against Bacchus Marsh.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Lucas Impey (Darley) - 56 hit outs, 22 disposals, 16 contested possessions

Brett Bewley (Darley) - 52 disposals, 20 contested possessions, 10 clearances

Wyatt Squires (Ballarat) - 27 disposals, 13 clearances, 13 contested possessions