Round Eight Rundown

East Point (17.15-117) dominated bottom side Darley (4.5-29) to win by 88 points in an ominous four-quarter display at Eastern Oval.

While the win was considered by most to be a formality given the Devils 0-6 record heading in, it's the mounting list of top-end talent at the disposal of Kangas coach Jake Bridges that has put the wider competition on notice.

Bridges is keeping a lid on things, holding his cards close to his chest, but there is no hiding the quality of personnel that can play a significant role in September if he can keep them together.

We saw the debut of former Collingwood Premiership ruckman Darren Jolly, and the return of Joel Ottavi (Williamstown VFL) and Jordy Johnston (Geelong VFL) for their second game in three weeks. Jesse Baird also returned to the line-up, while Jake McQueen's comeback from injury took another step forward with back-to-back games under his belt. The Kangas win was comprehensive across every quarter. Matty Johnston was named best afield among a host of candidates while Brad Whittaker finished with five goals.

Devils joint captains, Shane Page and Darren Leonard, were solid in defence with Matthew Brett. If not for the trio, the damage could easily have been more.    

Hats off to ladder leaders North Ballarat City (11.5-71) in more ways than one following their impressive 20-point win over Melton (7.9-51) at Mars Stadium.

It wasn't all about win/loss for the high-flying City who presented Melton Coach Aaron Tymms with a $3000 contribution towards the ongoing recovery of popular Bloods midfielder Dyson Stevens.

"City were all class at the weekend," a humbled Tymms said.

"Not only did they get us impressively fair and square on-field, but their efforts post-match, providing a beer and a bite for the players along with their overwhelming donation for Dyson was also something pretty special."

On-field, City had Melton on the back foot early, booting four goals to just three behinds in the first term before extending their lead to 27 at the main break.

The Bloods were first up after 35 days and their assignment against a well-drilled City proved too much, despite fighting back to within three points at the final change. City's Riley Polkinghorne continued his stellar season while the return of Jye Lockett proved a handful.

Lockett, still an under-19 player, is a beast of a kid who spent time through the midfield, giving coach McCartney yet another welcoming headache on the midfield make-up come finals time. The Bloods Lachlan Walker (wing/mid) was well up to the City's pace and pressure in a fierce game of repeat stoppage and tackling to be considered best in a losing side.

Sebastopol (10.14-74) gave home fans the opportunity to rejoice in song at the newly opened Marty Busch Reserve after a 9-point win over an inaccurate Redan (8.17-65) on Saturday.

The 'Burras win seemed a foregone conclusion at the last change with a match-winning advantage of 26 points that included three individual quarter wins. However, the visitors made a charge but couldn't convert in the last quarter as they peppered the goals for a costly 3.8, with their faithful left to contemplate what could've been. Their seventh place on the table is a reflection on their goal efficiency (rank #8 @ 46%).

The 'Burras lost Michael Powell and Luke Kiel to hamstrings, while inside-mid Daniel Widgery and a host of defenders featured in the best players. James Keeble and youngster Jed Hill booted three goals each for the winners while Isaac Grant matched their returns for the losing Redan.

The Lions Daniel Bond and Keenan Waterbury are piecing together their best run of form for the season and will play a vital role if they're to bounce back to the winners list this week against Sunbury at City Oval.

For Michael Searl's Sebastopol, every win is significant in this challenging season - simply bank the points and move on. Job done.

Bacchus Marsh (10.7-67) hung on to defeat Lake Wendouree (8.15-63) in a thriller at Maddingley Park.

Cobras big men Jake Owen (five goals) and Daniel Burton were clearly the difference between the two, as the home side did enough to cling to sixth place despite being headed twice in the final term.

In fairness, the scoreboard dictated the nail-biting nature of the game, overshadowing an otherwise plain game of footy that ramped up when the whips were finally cracking. For the most part, Burton's dominance was Groundhog Day in the ruck, leaving the Lakers mids with little choice other than to react to his work alone. Jake Owen's five goals (straight) was a deserving reward for the captain's unquestionable work rate, setting the example to his support crew of Billy Griffiths (two goals) and Kane Dickson (one goal) who were lively.

The Lakers lack of composure forward proved their undoing, given the margin, but playing catch-up footy all day can mount its own pressures. It didn't get any better for the Lakers on the injury front, losing Lachlan Pfeiffer (knee) and Mitch Phillips (hamstring). On a positive note, however, is the potential of young wingman Scott Blake, whose lightning leg speed troubled the Cobras. His run and carry and growing confidence was evident with his willingness to take the game on. Blake headed an even spread of contributors, but in loss, the Lakers would be the first to concede that they were short on a standout.

Ballarat's (19.13-127) 75-point thrashing of Melton South (8.4-52) was soured by a potential hamstring strain to marquee recruit Josh Gibson who was unsighted after leaving the field in the first quarter.

However, there are clearly more strings to the Swans bow as the former Hawthorn champion deals with his own frailties. The build-up was all about who would stop Panthers' gun forward Dylan Conway (two goals), but someone forgot to forward the memo to Melton South on the dangers of 2019 leading goalkicker Andrew Hooper who finished with seven goals. While the former Western Bulldog and Werribee forward managed just one goal in his return against East Point in Round Seven, Swans coach Joe Carmody told 'The Presser' on Wednesday night his contribution was significant in the club’s five-point win in a low scoring affair.

For Heath Pritchard's Panthers, well, you've got to feel for him. His club remains winless from their last 14 trips to Ballarat (last winning in Round 3 2017 v Sebastopol) but what is more concerning is the nature of their losses. While the Panthers have struggled badly pre-2021, this season's results up the highway are proving just as worrisome. Two highway trips this year for a 67-point loss to the Lakers in Round Six and now a 75-point drubbing at the hands of the Swans. It really is head-scratching stuff for the Panthers, who have shown enough in their three wins to date.

While it's back to the drawing board for Melton South, it's onwards and upwards for dark horse Ballarat, who moved into fifth place with a 14% gain to now be on the heels of Sebastopol and East Point.

In closing the brief, full credit to Luke Wynd who played on Conway, repaying the faith shown in him by the coaching group.