By Tim O'Connor

Springbank inflicted more pain on its rivals Buninyong with a convincing victory in the Central Highlands Football League grand final rematch on Saturday.

The reigning back-to-back premiers started the 2017 season brightly on the Bombers’ home turf and held the hosts at bay after half time to record a 25-point success.

Buninyong showed some good signs at times, but was never able to bridge the Tigers’ early advantage.

Springbank coach Michael Searl said it was a great result for the side and one that gives it confidence it can play well without major off-season departures Paul McMahon and Tim Malone.

“There is probably questions being asked that without a couple of our senior players, can we be competitive and as good against the best sides,” Searl said.

“And I think that (win) just gives a bit of belief among the group that we are still going to be thereabouts when we are playing a good brand of football. And we did that today.”

Searl praised young player Matt Lakey (two goals) and defender Marty Anderson, who returned to senior football from injury in good style.

Former joint-coach Nick Couch and forward Tom Eltringham kicked three goals each, while Tyler George, Shannon Donegan, Sam Cue and Joel Maher were others to feature in the Tigers’ best.

Buninyong coach Jarrod Morgan said it was a poor performance from his boys and believed there were very few winners in red and black on Saturday.

“To play that bad and not get blown off the park, I suppose if you are trying to take a positive out of it, that would be it,” Morgan said.

“That’s about as bad as we are going to play I would think.

“We didn’t really execute anything that we’ve been working on for a couple of months.”

Morgan kicked two goals to be one of his side’s standouts, while Jack Robertson performed well down back. Other best players included Alex Bomitali, Ned Gilbert, Liam Rigby and Lachlan Baker.

Springbank defender Justin Simpson is set to miss at least next weekend’s clash with Carngham-Linton after copping a bad knock to the head.

Gordon 24.14 (158) d Ballan 7.2 (44)

By Tim O'Connor

Boom recruit Cam Richardson made a winning start to his career at Gordon as the Eagles smashed rivals Ballan by 114 points.

Richardson didn’t kick a goal and wasn’t among the team’s best, but coach Gary Learmonth said he was pleased with the forward’s display.

Goal sneak Mick Nolan kicked five majors and Bradley Hallam, Steven Nicholson and Chris McGuigan three each, while Tye Murphy was named best for his display in the midfield.

It was a disappointing start for new Ballan coach Jason McNamara, with Adam Kurzman booting two majors and onballer Darren Tanti named as the Blues’ best.

Bungaree 19.10 (124) d Dunnstown 6.4 (40)

By Tim O'Connor

Mirtchin brothers Luke and Joel put on a goal-kicking clinic on Saturday as Bungaree belted Dunnstown by 84 points.

The forwards booted six goals each, with Joel’s display coming in his first game for the club.

Bungaree, missing coach Heath Pyke because of cricket commitments, kicked seven goals to one in the opening term and led by 49 points at half time. The floodgates remained open after the main break as the hosts ran away with the match.

Jackson Murphy booted three goals to be named the Demons’ best, while recruit Andrew Toan did the same to be the Towners’ leading contributor.

Beaufort 23.10 (148) d Daylesford 10.5 (65)

By John McGregor

Beaufort started the 2017 Central Highlands Football League season in emphatic style, smashing Daylesford by 83 points.

The Crows got off to the perfect start against the Bulldogs with a seven-goals-to-one first term and were never challenged after that.

Beaufort was slick and devastating out of the centre and there were 10 Crows players on the scoreboard by the final siren.

Tim Haase and Lachie Murray spearheaded a relentless Beaufort attack. They kicked five goals each and inspired others like Jayden Orr, who booted three majors, and Alex Petrie and Chris Drew, who scored two apiece.

It was a strong team effort, but the driving forces at work were players like skipper Michael Foster, Tom Stapleton, Julian Cameron, Lachie Pfeifer, Murray and ruckman Josh McDermott.

Youngster Digby Sangster was solid around the centre and even popped up for a goal.

It was an awful football lesson Daylesford received, but there was a fightback in the second term with fierce tackling and some scoreboard pressure.

Ken Cummings hit back for the Bulldogs with two goals in that term, while youngsters Cameron Lovig and Seb Walsh booted singles.

Max Risstrom and Walsh ended the day with two majors each.

New Beaufort coach Rohan Brown was elated with the dream start and heaped praise on his players.

“The boys were pretty good. It’s always tough to come over here (Daylesford) to a quality opposition,” he said.

“To win like that was really pleasing.

“That’s how we wanted to play…with 22 contributors. And we really did that.

“All we ask is that the guys play their role and that’s what they did. I thought everyone was exceptional.

“And we got through alright…a full bill of health.”

For Daylesford coach Marcus Goonan the timing wasn’t ideal.

“We are two weeks away from being where we’d like to be. All credit to Beaufort. They’re a really good side,” Goonan said.

“We had a slow start to pre-season and it’s taking a while for things to gel. There’s 11 new players in the side and we’ve lost a couple…takes a little while to gel.”

Looking ahead to round two and Beaufort will play its first home fixture of the campaign when it hosts Bungaree next Saturday.

For Daylesford, the task doesn’t get much easier.

The Bulldogs will take on their arch-rivals Hepburn in the 2017 spa country derby before the competition breaks over the Easter weekend.

Hepburn 15.9 (99) d Newlyn 7.5 (47)

By Tim O'Connor

Reigning Hepburn best and fairest Dan O’Halloran is in hospital with a badly injured back after an ugly incident against Newlyn on Saturday.

Burras coach Jason Olver told The Courier O’Halloran had sustained fractures to his lower back as a result of a knee in a contest.

“I do know they said 1cm to the right and he would have been in a wheelchair for the rest of his life,” Olver said.

O’Halloran’s injury took the shine off the Burras’ 52-point triumph.

Hepburn was made to work for its victory, with the Cats staying within three goals of the visitors until half time.

But the Burras got the edge against the breeze in the third term and kicked clear in the last quarter to record a convincing win.

Star Andy McKay kicked three goals to be Hepburn’s best, Daniel Rees returned to the senior side in good fashion, along with recruit Aron Burns, who booted four majors.

Olver said he was impressed by Newlyn, which was led by Joel Willmott and Darwin recruits Dylan McLachlan and Dylan Fishwick. Willmott kicked one goal and McLachlan two.

Next weekend, Hepburn is scheduled to host arch-rivals Daylesford, while Newlyn will travel to Learmonth to take on Waubra.

Clunes 13.9 (87) d Skipton 8.11 (59)

By Tim O'Connor

Nemani Valucava has started his coaching journey with Clunes in the best possible fashion.

The new off-field leader celebrated victory in his first match at the helm after the Magpies beat Skipton by 28 points on Saturday afternoon.

Clunes put the foot down in the third term, with the five-goals-to-one quarter opening up the winning margin by the final change.

Jesse Baird kicked five majors in a strong display for the winners, which named Joshua, Ryan, Aidan and Khyal Thompson as its best.

New Skipton coach Greg Middleton said recruit Hamish Ryan-Dengate, onballer Curtis Townrow and defender Lakota Stranks were leading performers for his outfit.

Clunes battles Creswick next weekend, while Skipton has the bye.

Creswick 15.11 (101) d Carngham-Linton 8.6 (54)

By Tim O'Connor

Creswick registered a first-up victory, pulling clear late in the match to beat Carngham-Linton by 47 points.

Under the care of new coach Ryan Knowles, the Wickers led the game at Linton at every change before powering away with a six-goal last quarter.

Liam Hepworth proved one of Creswick’s best, while Clint Robinson kicked five goals in the win.

Jake Pring, Beau Ketchen and Rory Nunn tried hard for the vanquished.

Waubra 12.12 (84) d Learmonth 9.10 (64)

By John McGregor

Waubra ground down district rivals Learmonth in a fierce contest to run away winners by 20 points.

The icing on the cake for this standalone Sunday game was the Basil Clark/Tom Ford Cup, which sits in the Roos’ trophy cabinet.

Waubra swept aside the Lakies in the first term, kicking five goals to three. This was spearheaded by a rampant Tim Boyle.

It was only doggedly determination by onballer Scott Whiting that delivered the ball to forward Todd Curran, who managed two goals in the dying minutes of the quarter.

It was Learmonth’s Whiting, Matthew Bond and co-captain Brodrick Campbell who squared up the ledger in the second quarter with scores level at half time.

But the third term saw an extraordinary performance by Waubra young gun Aaron Bird, who kicked the first two goals of the quarter and finished off with two more at the end.

Bird had a presence everywhere on the ground and even in the arm-wrestle in the last term, he kicked Waubra’s final major for the day.

The Roos threatened to blow the game apart all afternoon, but the plucky Lakies managed to thwart their run and carry.

It was an even spread by Waubra players, but Geordie Lukich, Jackson Kinna, Josh King, Tom Nash and Riley Taylor caught the eye.

Learmonth was well served by Nathan Ross, Patrick McGuigan, Matthew Jackson, Michael Zelencich and Nicholas Bone.

Waubra coach Grant Luscombe left his sick bed to guide his team on Sunday and had heaps of praise for the new talent in his side.

“I think we had eight guys in today who’d played this time last year, so it’s a totally different side. It’s a young side ... we’ve had a couple of young under-18s who have come up. It’s a really young side.”

New Learmonth coach Steve Biggin believed his side had chances to win, but failed to capitalise on them.

“We came back at them in the second term, but gave them the chance again to get in front. We didn’t do enough to get back into the game,” he said.

In round two, Waubra takes on Newlyn and Learmonth clashes with Rokewood-Corindhap.