BUNDOORA, VIC. (NFNL HQ). — Fans will be treated to two great matches as week two of the Northern Football Netball League’s Division 3 final series approaches at Lalor Reserve this weekend.
After having the week’s rest, Ivanhoe faces off against Laurimar to begin proceedings on Saturday.
This time in the 2025 season, the Fitzroy Stars became the only team to go through the regular season undefeated.
Even the great Thomastown team of 2014 under the tutelage of Dean Sinclair lost one game (to eventual runners-up Reservoir by 3 points). In 2019, Panton Hill lost one regular season game by a solitary point to Laurimar on their way to the flag that season.
Laurimar had finished the season in second place on fourteen wins and two losses last season, with its losses being to the Stars. The Power won their second versus third match against Ivanhoe by 53 points and relished the chance to have another crack at the Stars. Virtually nobody outside the club gave them any chance.
The pattern of occasional huge upsets in Division 3 finals continued as Laurimar flew out of the blocks to lead by 35 points at quarter time and held that sort of lead to prevail by 31 points.
It all looks the same for their fans this season. Yet again, the Power lost only two games all year – both to the undefeated team – this time Ivanhoe. And their win over Mernda last weekend was by 52 points.
Once again, few tipsters would be brave enough to select them. But Jimmy Atkins and his men would be looking for history to repeat itself when they meet the Hoers this Saturday at Lalor Reserve.
The teams have very recent history as they clashed in Round 17 at Ivanhoe Park, with Ivanhoe winning by 20 points before Laurimar had the Round 18 bye. The Power looked like getting blown away at times in that game but were able to hang in and fight it out. Their fans will feel that they were close enough in that game to give themselves a realistic chance on the weekend.
The Hoers have the opportunity to become the first team in Division 3 to clean sweep both the regular season and the finals as well. They have looked like the number one contender all season long and have earned the tag of premiership favourites.
It is just a matter of performing at their top when it matters most. Coach Wayne Schultz will look to have them primed to take the short route to the grand final, having the bye last weekend. Their fans will feel confident that they can make a clean sweep of the finals.
Both teams have smooth movers on the outside. Joel Lawson and Jai Langford for Laurimar are two examples, while Ivanhoe have Alex Federico and Connor O’Brien.
But the battles between these teams this season has been a finals-like inside tussle. So, the battle between Kane Veliou and Riley Loton for the Hoers with Luke Wilson and Bailey Macleod of the Power will be vital. Whoever can get the ball to the outside runners in a smoother fashion will go a long way to claiming victory. It should be a great spectacle.
The knockout final on Sunday sees Mernda and Watsonia lock horns, with the winner to progress to the preliminary final against the loser of Saturday’s game.
When the ladder at the end of the regular season is taken into consideration, the Demons would be the tip. They finished two games and about 30 per cent ahead of the Saints. And they won both the head-to-head contests this season.
Digging a little deeper, there is a distinct possibility that this clash could go down to the wire. Watsonia’s fixture was slightly tougher than that of Mernda. The Saints played Lalor just once, while the Demons played the Bloods twice.
And while there will be multiple ins and outs from the previous two encounters, the absence of Billy Morrison will be important as Mernda attempts to nullify the potential ruck dominance of Mason Grech.
Jacob Russell played his first senior game for the season last week and carried the bulk of the ruckwork for the Demons. He will likely fill that role again with help from Lachlan Taylor. Should they win, Mernda will have Morrison available for the preliminary final.
The Demons won the Round 4 clash by six points after trailing at the end of the first three quarters and being as much as four goals down in the second term.
It was a similar story in the recent Round 16 encounter. Watsonia led at every change and went 21 points up early in the final term after a goal by Cameron Cloke. Mernda then stormed home to score five unanswered majors to clinch a 12-point triumph.
In that match, Matthew Bawden kicked four goals for the Demons. He looks to be a crucial combatant in the contest, with James Sekulovski and Jett Phillips also capable of kicking multiple goals.
Another to kick four majors on the same day was Cameron Cloke for the Saints. While not looking 100% last week, he also looms as critical to Watsonia’s chances. Jai Bartzis and Luke Stone are other forward targets for the team, with Stone slotting nine against Kinglake back in Round 6.
With plenty of potency up forward, the midfield battle will be important. Nathan Hallyburton has been in scintillating form for the Saints, with Luke Lowry giving good support. Mernda playing coach Brent Marshall and Jayden Bell will spend lots of time in the centre square as each team attempts to give their forwards good looks inside fifty.
Pundits will find this one hard to tip and it shapes as an enthralling contest.
