BFNL Football Review - Round 10, 2026

The Bloods ended their five-game losing streak with a dominant 38-point win over the Cobras at Maddingley Park.

The win restores the 2024 premiers’ position inside the top six, percentage clear of Sunbury.

An eight-goal-to-two opening half set up the win for Troy Scoble’s visiting party.

Ryan Carter’s three goals and another stand-out performance from the ever consistent half back/mid Harry Hanley helped deny the hosts who had won two of their three previous meets.

The Cobras are clearly struggling to match it with the ‘bigger body’ teams without key bookends Jake Owen and Wil Lalor, in particular current top six oppositions, and its reflective on the scoreboard.

Since the Cobras’ five-point win over the Bloods in Round 1, they’re -24, -102, -55, -40, -38 against the current top six, essentially 1-5 with an average loss of 51.8 points.

Injuries have crippled the Cobras’ chances of claiming a genuine scalp and it will be no different this week, albeit at home, against a thriving Ballarat (8-2) outfit.

Unlikely source Jack Kovacevic finished with a game high four goals to have the Cobras within 14 points early in the last quarter, but the Bloods steadied with the last three goals of the game to win going away.

Hanley (best) aside, the Bloods were well served by Caleb Burquest, Josh Stewart, Conrad Farrugia, Jordy Cotter and the returning Riley Walker.

The Cobras settled on Adam Blain, Tarkyn Findlay, Cody Gates, Jack Parente and Kovacevic as their leading contributors.

While the Cobras brace for a home meeting with the Swans in Round 11, the Bloods look to get their season back on track with a consolidating victory over three-win East Point.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Luke Goetz (Bacchus Marsh) - 71 hitouts, 20 disposals, 10 clearances

Harrison Hanley (Melton) - 23 disposals, 13 intercept possessions, 9 marks

Kyle Borg (Melton) - 22 disposals, 9 tackles, 8 score involvements

COACHES’ VERDICT

Dennis Armfield (Bacchus Marsh)
“Another quarter of football let us down unfortunately. Troy and Melton came with an intent and when they had momentum in the second, we couldn’t wrestle it back. We fought back hard in the 3rd, however used all our tickets and couldn’t finish. A great contested game of footy, increasing pressure which led to some fumbles and missed skills leading to easy turnover goals against.”

Troy Scoble (Melton)
“Really pleased for the group to get the result, working through a tough 8-week period having the most stable team we have had over a 2-week period since the start of the season. Very fast competitive game. We understood Marsh were players down and we had to try capitalize on those areas of the ground. Our connection forward. whilst clunky, was an improvement. Great to be a part of Tyson’s day, a super achievement. Thanks to the Marsh on hospitality all game, supporting our Unders program they went out of their way to help and encourage. The class shows by Dennis and their group was evident and you can certainly see where they are headed going forward.”

The Swans won every quarter enroute to a comfortable 59-point win over the Roosters at Alfredton Oval.

It was Ash Baker’s healthy group that proved the tipping point for Clint Proctor’s cavalry who have been decimated with injury despite winning their previous two games.

Ironically the scores from the Roosters previous loss against Sebastopol was exactly the same (99-40)!

Key forward Biggie Nyuon booted five goals for the winners to move eight clear in the race for the Tony Lockett Medal.

The nature of the Swans win was dominated by their big men in Biggie, Alex Keath, Patrick Graham, Tyson Richard (two goals) and Riley Constable while Thomas Simpson and Lewis Rinaldi maintained their excellent run of recent form that was capped with a goal apiece.

The undermanned Roosters were shy in a number of areas to overcome a well-seasoned Swans outfit, but the efforts of Dom Penny, Taj Bowman, Sam Artz, Seb Collins, Oscar Stone (two goals) and Jye Lockett (two goals) were recognised in a losing side.

Ballarat and Sebastopol have the healthiest lists in the comp by some way which is holding them in good stead at the top of the BFNL table.

Five of the Swans last seven wins have been by 50 points or more - scary stuff, while the Roosters have to play the waiting game as the troops near a return over the coming weeks.

Ballarat are away to Bacchus Marsh on Saturday for the BFNL’s ‘Match of the Round’ in the ‘East’.

North Ballarat (4th) host ladder leaders Sebastopol.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Thomas Simpson (Ballarat) - 35 disposals, 11 score involvements, 10 inside 50s

Dominic Penny (North Ballarat) - 26 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 10 intercept possessions

Alexander Keath (Ballarat) - 26 disposals, 9 marks, 8 intercept possessions 

COACHES’ VERDICT

Ash Baker (Ballarat)
“Really pleased with our four-quarter effort today. The boys were keen to start well and while not quite getting the reward on the scoreboard early, we thought we had control of the territory game. We were then able to get a bit of reward through the third quarter. In trying conditions, it was a contested style of football, to which North were very strong at. We’ll look to recover well and crack in to training this week for another big game against Bacchus before the bye.”

Clint Proctor (North Ballarat)
“Hard day at the office - difficult conditions and contest. Well down from the past couple of weeks, credit to Ballarat they were very good inside and around the contest. Some great learnings for our team to take away and work through.”

The high-flying Burra overcame a 27-point deficit in the second quarter to run out deserved winners in a close encounter against the Kangas at Eastern Oval.

Despite considerable ladder separation between the two sides, there was mounting belief the Kangas would take it up to their more fancied rivals on their home deck and they did not disappoint.

Outside of the Burra’s only loss of the season to Sunbury, no one has been closer to Tony Lockyer’s boys at the final siren. The Kangas’ narrow 12-point defeat has been matched only by Melton so kudos to Joe Carmody and the broader effort from the camp.

Luke Kiel continues to produce some of his best footy to be in vote calculations while gut runners Jack Buckley, Jack Bambury and Bailey Medwell filled the void left in the absence of Lachie Cassidy.

Big men Cooper Littlehales and Toby Hutt also earned the nod of approval.

X-factor Burra forward Adam Forbes finished with a team high three goals.

For the home side, brave in defeat there was an encouraging mix of youth and experience featuring among the best.

Joe Dodd (best), Deng Lual, Luca Gueue, Joe Fraser and Liam Canny were all prominent while the highly anticipated return of Lachie Charleson (two goals) was validated with some key moments.

Evergreen campaigner Jacob Brown finished with a game high four goals.

Gee, what could’ve been for the Kangas ended in a great save by Lockyer’s group despite three less scoring shots.

The Kangas will give themselves a genuine live chance on the road next week when they head to Melton.

Sebastopol are away to Mars Stadium for a meeting with North Ballarat who are still battling injury which should make the assignment a hell of a lot easier than once thought.

Interesting times ahead.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Jack Bambury (Sebastopol) - 25 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 7 tackles

Fraser Molan (East Point) - 20 disposals, 15 contested possessions, 6 clearances

Luke Kiel (Sebastopol) - 24 disposals, 13 contested possessions, 7 tackles

COACHES’ VERDICT

Joe Carmody (East Point)
“Well done to Tony and the Sebas team. They won the crucial contests at pivotal moments in the game and were too good in the end. Our team continues to improve. Our good is very good but we are still having lapses where the opposition score quickly in short periods of time. The more games this group plays together the better they will be and experiences like today will hold them in good stead going forward.”

Tony Lockyer (Sebastopol)
“Tough slog of a day but very proud of the boys working through the challenges to get the result. East Point had us on the ropes with their contest work and superior method in the conditions. Full credit to Joe and the team. 27 points down midway through the second was a concern but really pleased how we shifted momentum to get the margin back to one-point at half time. East are certainly going to cause some headaches in the second half of this year to the top sides. Some huge individual efforts and great to get a debut into Ned Mills (u18s), kicking a great goal in the second to spark us. Onto North at Mars next week - another big game.

Despite another slow start, Redan kicked into gear with 11 unanswered goals after quarter time to down the Lakers by 46 points.

The result meant back-to-back wins for Marc Greig’s pride, and their third of the season, drawing them level with East Point (8th).

The winless Lakers made it difficult for the Lions early - enough to lead by 14 points at the first change.

But it was all Redan thereafter who went onto record a comfortable win.

Rory Gunsser and Daniel Bond were named best for the winners once again by the powers that be, ahead of a spread of eight goalkickers in the Lions’ hard fought win.

For the Lakers, while busy early in particular, there were a handful of personnel that fought it out right to the end.

Alfred Jarnestrom made it three appearances in a row among the best and a fifth in 10 games.

Other notables were Joel O’Connell and Cooper James. Noah Shearer booted two of the Lakers three goals in a game that looked so promising early before falling flat in their endeavours of taking a game deeper.

Both teams are at home next week as Redan try to make it a hattrick of wins when they take on Darley. The Lakers host Sunbury.

STATS THAT MATTERED

Rory Gunsser (Redan) - 32 disposals, 9 inside 50s, 9 tackles

William Madden (Redan) - 47 hitouts, 26 disposals, 11 clearances

Alfred Jarnestrom (Lake Wendouree) - 38 disposals, 14 intercept possessions, 14 rebound 50s

COACHES’ VERDICT

Marc Greig (Redan)
“Lakers were up and about early and put some scoreboard pressure on. Some honest feedback at the quarter time break was used and to the lad’s credit they responded in the 2nd. Both teams cracked in and fought out the game well.”

Rohan Brown (Lake Wendouree)
“Both sides had a real crack in hard conditions for footy. Game on our terms for the 1st quarter then credit to Greigy and Redan from the break as they went to work and controlled the contest. Happy with our effort. 3 more debutants and 12 new faces in the side since Round 1.”

A spirited Darley simply hung in and did enough before overwhelming Sunbury on their home deck to the tune 18 points at Clarke Oval.

The crucial win elevates the reigning premiers to third on the BFNL ladder behind Sebastopol and Ballarat.

Sure, the Lions had a handful of preferred soldiers missing but kudos to Dan Jordan and his predominantly young group to worry Matty White’s Pride out of a contest that was vital to both sides given the context of their current seasons.

Duel Henderson Medallist Brett Bewley (three goals) led from the front with a dominant display for the Devils and was ably assisted by key top end contributors Nick Hind (two goals), Joel Cadman (one goal), Lachie George (two goals) and Mickey Edwards (one goal).

While it wasn’t the best exhibition of the fundamentals on the large ground that is Clarke Oval, one couldn’t question the endeavour of both sides as only one point separated the two sides at three quarter time.

Externally it felt like the Lions were just a goal away from breaking the Devils, who were without Billy Myers, Wil Johnston, Adam Azzopardi, Jayven and Ayden Tanner, Harley Inglis, Jarrod White and Jack Bewley.

In fact, the Devils had just 11/22 from last year’s premiership winning team.

Sunbury had 14 of their 22 that fell short on that particular day but were buoyed with the inclusions of Josh Guthrie and Cody Bramble - both of whom had their fair share of the footy.

Lions pair Jake Sutton (three goals) and Jake Egan (one goal) returned from VFL commitments to attempt the end the 0-5 run of outs against the Devils, but it wasn’t to be.

Unfortunately, Egan took no part in the game after half time due to a shoulder/arm injury sustained in the second quarter.

There were a number of good players from both sides in the relatively high scoring affair - none better than the two respective captains in Bewley and Tyson Lever who had an old fashioned ‘day out’ as their numbers would suggest.

Apart from the top end brilliance on display, there were a host of youngsters still in their teens that stood up and had their moments.

Road trips await these two in Round 11 before the bye. Darley (3rd) head to City Oval to meet Redan (9th) while Sunbury face the Lakers (10th).

STATS THAT MATTERED

Tyson Lever (Sunbury) - 33 disposals, 15 intercept possessions, 11 marks

Brett Bewley (Darley) - 40 disposals, 11 score involvements, 9 inside 50s

Nick Hind (Darley) - 35 disposals, 11 score involvements, 11 clearances

COACHES’ VERDICT

Dan Jordan (Darley)
“Super win for our group - we were really pleased with the buy-in and belief across the board from 200+ gamers to 2 gamers. Our leaders stood up and were instrumental dragging the boys over the line against a quality side like Sunbury who are always a tough assignment especially at home. Down back, Sunbury were very efficient with their conversion on goal and had our boys under the pump, but I was proud of the effort from our relatively young back six who tried their hearts out. The mids were fantastic - (Brett), Bewley, (Joel) Cadman, Hind and George were massive for us. Our wingers (Andy) Azzopardi and Edwards were really solid with their running and aerial ability. Our ruck options Matthews and Lesko answered the call and competed hard, halving a lot of contests. Up forward we were under resourced, but we found a way to manufacture 100 points which is a credit to (once again) what was a very young front six. Boys never gave up.”

Matty White (Sunbury)
“A fantastic game of footy that we couldn’t close out. We had our moments to win it but the class at Darley stood up when it counted. Bewley and Hind combining for 5 goals was the difference in the end. Reload for a road trip and a big second half of the year.”