Buln Buln kept its faint hopes of playing finals football alive with a comfortable victory over Nilma-Damum, 12-8 (80) to 4-4 (28).

The Lyrebirds now sit four points behind rivals Ellinbank and Poowong, although a percentage gap would make victory against both of those sides important.

With the loser to just about kiss goodbye any hopes of playing finals football, it was Buln Buln who made the positive start with four goals to one in the first term.

Three goals to one in the second term extended the lead to 34-points at the long break.

The Bombers rallied in the third term, winning a tight quarter with two goals to one.

The fight was short lived however, with the Bombers unable to score in the final term as the Lyrebirds put on four goals to add some much needed percentage.

Trent Baker, Bryce Monahan, Thomas Axford, Harry Wans, Brent Waddell and Charlie Park helped Buln Buln maintain control.

Ben Campbell, Andrew Campbell, Chris Larosa, Jeremy Jarred, Mitchell Dance and Logan Deschepper were the better players in what is becoming another long season for the Bombers.

Warragul & Drouin Gazette

Longwarry further underlined themselves as a genuine premiership contender after disposing of the reigning premiers with ease. Facing the Blues on their home deck is a daunting task, but the Crows were simply irresistible as they led at every change to claim a dominant 74-point win, 19.14 (128) to 8.6 (54).
The strength of Longwarry’s midfield led by the likes of Russ Lehman, along with Nick Redley in the ruck is powering the team to new heights. The way the Crows deliver the footy into their forward line often leaves opposition defences helpless. This was again the case as Braydon McHugh and playing-coach Daniel Fry combined for 11 goals. Cole Cook and Troy Lehman were superb all day for the Crows, while Dylan Williams and Paul Pattison battled valiantly for the Blues.
For all the positives the win brings Longwarry, it raises just as many question marks for Catani. After a terrific win against the previously undefeated Saints, serving up an alarming performance against the Crows a week later highlights their struggle to find consistency. With just five games remaining before finals, time is running out for them to rediscover the form that won them the 2017 premiership.
Hayley Wildes

Pakenham Gazette

Ellinbank suffered a dent in its ambitions to play finals football, suffering a loss to an improving Neerim-Neerim South.

It came as Ellinbank's rivals Poowong sensationally upset Warragul Industrials, the results seeing the Eagles bundled out of the Ellinbank Districct Football League top five. The Eagles are now level on points wlth Poowong, setting up a potentlal mini elimination final between the sides when they next neet.

Inaccuracy didn’t help Ellinbanks cause early, as the improving Cats team steered through three straight to lead by seven points at the first change. A few handy additions have been made to the Cats line up which has them looking a far better unit than the one that languished at the bottom of the ladder for the first half of the season.

Ellinbank on the other hand have been crippled by player injury and unavailability this season. The Cats made a big move in the second term, slamming through six goals to one to open a handy 39-point buffer at the long break.

Three goals apiece in the third term meant the Eagles were unable to make any inroads as the match remained in the Cats’ keeping. Momentum sapped in a lost cause, the Cats steered through three majors in the final term to register a comfortable victory, 15-7 (9.7) to 5-10 (40).

Jeremiah Jones booted four goals, while Daniel Fusinato chipped in with three majors. Nathan Bayne, Toby Bayne, Jackson Ward, Dane Fawcett and Aaron Fawcett were other key players in the Cats’ first scalp of note for 2018. Thomas Robertson, Mark Vassett, Ben Wragg, Adam Cook, Jake Harper and Lachlan Cove were the better players in the loss for Ellinbank.

Warragul & Drouin Gazette

After the amazing winning streak was brought to an end last week, Nyora went straight back to business with a solid 93-point victory over Lang Lang.
It was another top performance from Ben Schultz with six goals. He’s been one of the Saints’ best players since joining the club from Rosebud this year.
It was a hot footy early on, with both teams struggling to gain ascendency until Schultz struck to open the scoring. The Tigers countered with a goal of their own but the Saints quickly responded with two more goals just prior to the quarter time siren. The margin was 13 points at quarter time and it looked like the home team was going to put up a fight. But five unanswered goals in the second quarter put that thought to bed, as Ilan Osman, Aiden Cumberland and Schultz all got amongst the goals. Dylan Heylen was sublime through the midfield and paired with Ryan Spooner started to break the game apart. The lead was now 49-points at the half, but coach Fia Tootoo instructed his players to forget the scoreboard and start again in the second half.
Goals were a bit harder to come by in the third term with the Tigers pressure down back spoiling multiple attacks on goal. But try as they might, the Saints continued to find the answers with Cumberland and Osman again kicking goals. The lead had grown to 60-points at three quarter time and the Tigers were well and truly out of the contest.
Kal Rigby and Heylen both checked in on the scoreboard as the Saints went marching on to their 12th win of the season.
South Gippsland Sentinel Times

Poowong welcomed Warragul Industrials last Saturday. The weather was good but the ground was heavy from the previous week. Poowong went into this game needing to defeat one of the sides above it on the ladder to be a genuine final chance. Poowong lost Chris Doria through work but gained Ben Hancock back from a hamstring injury. The Magpies kicked to the Nyora end of the ground.
Poowong’s Chiavaroli grabbed the ball from the centre bounce and passed to Trevor Hooker who goaled for a great start. Poowong kicked out of bounds in a difficult shot from the boundary followed by a point. Dusties opened their account with a point followed by a series of passes by Poowong resulting in a goal to Chris Robinson followed by a goal to Mitch Whiting, Poowong’s third. Dusties lifted and kicked a goal from a free kick followed by three points before they added their second just before quarter time with Poowong leading 3.2.20 to Dusties 2.4.16.
The second quarter opened with Poowong kicking a point but Dusties replied with a goal from a free kick followed by their fourth from a mark. Poowong lifted adding a point before Ben Hancock kicked his first and then added a point, but the Dusties were not to be denied and added two goals from good snaps. The Magpies added a late point to be trailing by 13 points; Poowong 4.6.30 t0 Dusties 6.7.43 at half time.
Poowong’s Michael Harris was doing a great job in the ruck. As a team Poowong was moving the ball quicker around the ground than the previous week. The forwards were leading better with Ben Hancock giving them a focal point. They were tackling harder and not playing that short kick game that has been the case in most of the games they have lost, but 13 points down at half time required a big effort to get back into the game.
The third quarter opened with a point from P00wong before Dusties added a point. A free kick to Poowong saw Mitch Whiting goal, followed by a point before James Doria kicked a good left foot goal. Dusties added a goal from a snap before Poowong’s Ben Hancock kicked his second with a long goal. However, a dislocated knee cap forced him from the ground. Trevor Hooker marked and goaled to level the score just before the end of the quarter. Into the last quarter, the Dusties were leading; Poowong 8.8.56 to Dusties 9.8.62.
Poowong opened with a point before Dusties added a goal off the ground and led by 11 points. Thomas Wyatt marked at centre half forward and goaled. Jake Hazendonk hit the post before a great goal from Lachie Green on the run and a two point lead. Dusties added a goal from a free kick for holding before a great pick up from James Doria put P00wong back in front. Not to be denied, Dusties snapped a goal to take back the lead then a great contested mark in the goal square from Jai Newcombe resulted in Poowong’s lead at the 23 minute mark. Poowong's defence held strong with some good marks before the siren sounded with a very happy Poowong team and supporters.
The Great Southern Star

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Poowong v Warragul Industrials match review taken from article published by The Great Southern Star. To view original article on full online subscribe to The Great Southern Star here https://subscribe.realviewtechnologies.com/global/subscribe/rvportal/subscribe.aspx?cpid=14439

Lang Lang v Nyora match review taken from article published by South Gippsland Sentinel Times. To view original article in full online subscribe to South Gippsland Sentinel Times here https://subscribe.realviewtechnologies.com/global/subscribe/rvportal/subscribe.aspx?cpid=14264

Catani v Longwarry match review taken from article written by Hayley Wildes reporting for Pakenham Gazette. To view original article in full online subscribe to Pakenham Gazette here https://pakenham.starcommunity.com.au/subscribe/

Ellinbank v Neerim-Neerim South and Buln Buln v Nilma-Darnum match reviews taken from article published by Warragul & Drouin Gazette. To view original article in full online subscribe to Warragul & Drouin Gazette here http://thegazette.com.au/subscribe/

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