By Tim O'Connor

Nick Dal Santo’s successful first game for Hepburn looks like it won’t be his last in the royal blue and red this season.

The former AFL star was part of the Burras’ important 12-point win on Saturday and it appears likely he will play at least another two matches for the Central Highlands Football League club in 2017.

Hepburn coach Jason Olver said Dal Santo isn’t available for next weekend’s blockbuster against reigning back-to-back premiers Springbank, but could start in the clash against Waubra the following round.

Olver said Dal Santo would play the three home and away games needed to qualify for finals.

“I’m 100 per cent confident that will be the case,” Olver told The Courier.

Olver said which games Dal Santo will be able to play depends on his roster with Fox Footy.

“That’s his livelihood. We can only find out every month when he gets his schedule and then we can work it out from there,” he said.

While Dal Santo didn’t dominate on the field, he did collect about 20 disposals and made plenty of tackles in a serviceable first-up performance for the Burras.

The former St Kilda and North Melbourne onballer, who played alongside his cousin Luke Stanton on Saturday, spent the majority of the game in the midfield and was rarely marked by a Beaufort opponent.

Stanton proved one of the Burras’ best, particularly in the second half when the home side began to take control of the match.

Beaufort had looked the better team in the opening two quarters and led the contest by eight points at the main break.

The Crows then started the third term brightly, and despite getting out to a lead of more than two goals, were eventually pegged back and trailed by five points at the final change.

A goal to Aron Burns, who played well deep in attack all afternoon, and two from Andy McKay ultimately proved enough for Hepburn to snuff out the challenge from the Crows in the last quarter.

Onballers Michael Foster and Tom Stapleton were standout players for the beaten side, while Lachlan Murray (four) and Jack Duke (three) managed seven of the eight Beaufort goals.

McKay and Burns kicked three apiece for the Burras, with defender Segifili Asa Leausa another to shine for the winners.

Hepburn is still sixth on the ladder after its fifth-straight win, but Beaufort’s second consecutive loss has seen it slip outside the top four.

Olver admitted the Crows were the better team for at least the first half on Saturday, but said he always felt confident his side would be able to secure the victory.

He said it was an important result for his team leading into a huge battle with the unbeaten Springbank next weekend.

After the game, Dal Santo said he would certainly be better for the run.

“I felt like I was in some really good positions to be attacking with my ball movement and defensively, but the ball didn’t move the way that I probably expected,” Dal Santo said.

“We got challenged from the word go, but particularly late when they had a bit of a run-on, we were able to stop it and then kick a couple late in the third. And it just gave us an opportunity to run away with it in the last quarter.”

Beaufort coach Rohan Brown said he was proud of his side.

“It was probably 15 or 20 minutes of footy that sort of cost us,” Brown said.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our boys. This is the hardest road trip we’ve got in footy with who they’ve got and who they’ve brought in today.

“I thought they were super, the boys. I’m absolutely stoked with them, (but) I don’t like losing.”

Gordon 21.15 (141) d Creswick 2.7 (19)

By Tim O'Connor

Gordon produced another powerful attacking display to thump Creswick by 122 points on Saturday.

The Eagles, which thrashed Skipton the weekend before, held the home side to just two goals for the afternoon while piling on 21 of their own.

Ash Munari finished with six majors, while ruckman Luke Gunnell was named best. Ryan Pompe was rated Creswick’s standout player.

Buninyong 29.14 (188) d Skipton 1.4 (10)

By Tim O'Connor

Big man Liam Rigby continued his dominant form for Buninyong with an eight-goal haul in the 178-point win over Skipton.

Rigby’s performance helped the Bombers collect their third-straight victory to remain inside the top eight.

Isaac Baker also booted five goals for the winners, with Jack Romeril and Anthony Ebery among the other standouts.

Adam Romey kicked Skipton’s only major on Saturday, with Tom Breed named as the Emus’ leading contributor in another tough day for the senior side.

Springbank 13.11 (89) d Learmonth 7.4 (46)

By John McGregor

Springbank swept away another challenger to its place at the top of the ladder to remain unbeaten after eight rounds of the Central Highlands Football League season.

Learmonth was in second spot behind the Tigers, and after some easy wins, was looking to test the mettle of the Tigers, which are seeking a third premiership in succession.

The Lakies started strongly with the first goal and looked competitive. But it was Springbank which led at the first change and wasn’t headed after that.

By half time the Tigers had extended their break to 21 points after goals from Billy Driscoll, Nick Couch, Tyler George, Jesse Galea and Lochlan Douglas.

It was the Driscoll-Couch-George show in the second half with help from Robbie Lockett that ground down any Learmonth resistance.

Tigers ruckman Brock Freeman was unstoppable and gave lots of drive out of the centre.

Driscoll and Couch turned in top displays, as did coach Michael Searl, Matt Tyler and Tigers skipper Joel Maher.

Springbank’s goal-kickers kept up solid scoreboard pressure. Driscoll booted four majors, Couch managed three, George and Galea got two each, with Douglas and Lockett singles.

Simon Quinlan and Jacob White were quick about the packs.

When it came to Learmonth’s performance, it was no match for the poise and experience of the Tigers.

But there were Lakies willing to take the Tigers on. Players like co-skipper Brenton Powell, Connor Dickson, Shane Rogan, James Mayall, Nathan Ross and Michael Zelencich flew the flag for Learmonth.

Patrick McGuigan kicked three goals, Matthew Bond had two, while Scott Whiting and co-skipper Brodrick Campbell booted one each.

“We’re happy to stay undefeated this stage of the season,” Springbank coach Michael Searl said after the game.

“Happy to take that any day of the week. The good thing is we still believe we’ve got room for improvement.

“We’re not playing our best footy yet, but we will continue to build on this winning platform we’ve got at the moment.”

Learmonth coach Steve Biggin described the Lakies’ performance as “patchy”.

“We were in the contest for a while, but we couldn’t maintain it,” he said.

The Lakies have slipped to third on the table following Saturday’s defeat, while the Tigers remain a game clear at the summit.

Next weekend, Springbank faces a tough battle against an in-form Hepburn, while Learmonth can bounce back in its clash with Newlyn.

Ballan 10.10 (70) d Rokewood-Corindhap 6.10 (46)

By Tim O'Connor

Ballan turned around its form in a big way on Saturday to clinch its second success of the campaign.

The Blues had been beaten heavily in the two games leading up to the battle with Rokewood-Corindhap, but came away with a 24-point win on the Grasshoppers’ home turf.

Ballan led the contest at every change and proved too good for a Rokewood-Corindhap outfit that was also chasing its second success of 2017.

“We got a bit of a score on the board early, they came back at us in the second quarter and in the second half of the second quarter we probably dominated play,” Ballan coach Jason McNamara said.

“Then we did enough to just always have an answer when they came back at us.”

Sam Hitchings was one of the stars for the Blues through the middle, Adam Kurzman kicked three goals, Bradley Barnes was good in attack and Samuel Wilkinson contributed well in defence.

For the Grasshoppers, Aaron Clarke kicked three majors, while veteran onballer Sam Chapman was named best.

Ballan sits 15th on the ladder ahead of its game against Skipton, while Rokewood-Corindhap is one spot above the Blues and now prepares to clash with Dunnstown.

Bungaree 19.14 (128) d Carngham-Linton 2.10 (22)

By Tim O'Connor

Bungaree moved itself back inside the Central Highlands Football League top four with a comprehensive victory over Carngham-Linton.

The Demons jumped to fourth spot on percentage after landing a 106-point win over the Saints at Linton.

But the success came at a cost, with more injuries to senior players. Defender Jack Oostendorp hurt his knee, while onballer Chase Morgan ended the game on the bench after injuring his ankle.

This adds to a handful of key senior players already on the injury list.

Bungaree coach Heath Pyke said onballer Jackson Murphy payed well in his 150th senior game with the club, while ruckman David Benson had another standout game for the Demons. Joel Mirtschin booted five goals to be the best forward on the ground.

Carngham-Linton coach Matt Beaston said his side was patchy and inconsistent on Saturday, but rated the performances of Justin O’Brien, Thomas Sarah and Brodie Doolan in defence.

Waubra 11.14 (80) d Dunnstown 5.7 (37)

By Tim O'Connor

Waubra breezed past Dunnstown on Saturday and reached second spot on the ladder ahead of a showdown with Beaufort next weekend.

The Roos beat the Towners by 43 points, with Tim Boyle kicking four goals and Joshua King and Lincoln Barnes having the biggest impact on the match.

Dunnstown remains winless in season 2017, despite the efforts of Timothy O'Shea, Sam Jenkins, Aaron Brennan on Saturday.

Daylesford 16.15 (111) d Clunes 8.7 (55)

By Daniel Short

Daylesford coach Marcus Goonan was pleased with his side’s 56-point win over Clunes in its Central Highlands Football League round 8 clash.

After a five goal to one first term, Clunes cut the margin back to 19 points at the final change, but Goonan said he felt comfortable his group had control over the match. A 6.8 to 1.1 final quarter saw the Bulldogs post its fifth win of the season to stay in touch with the top eight.

“We’re pleased, we’re slowly getting it back on track,” Goonan said.

Daylesford now has the bye, and it comes in timely fashion. The Bulldogs will be nursing a couple of injured players as Pat Helper hurt his ankle, ruckman Sam Winnard had his hand stood on while Jack Nulty played managed minutes returning from a hamstring complaint. All three will be assessed.