By Tim O'Connor

Hepburn wasn’t expected to have any trouble toppling Clunes on Saturday and that’s exactly how it panned out.

The Burras cruised to their 12th-straight success with a 122-point win on home soil.

Lee Cox returned to the team and booted four goals, while Dan O’Halloran and Aron Burns also finished with the same number of majors in a dominant display.

Kamen Ogilvie was another standout for the Burras through the midfield, while Jesse Baird was named the Magpies’ leading contributor.

Star Andy McKay sat out his second weekend of football with what coach Jason Olver described as a hamstring issue. Olver said he was likely to return for the round 17 encounter against Learmonth, which comes after next weekend’s bye.

Hepburn remains in third spot on the ladder, while Clunes is 14th moving towards its round 16 clash with Waubra.

Creswick 14.6 (90) d Rokewood-Corindhap 8.15 (63)

By Tim O'Connor

Creswick landed its first victory since round six during an emotional day at Rokewood.

The Wickers paid tribute to former player and long-time clubman Darren Lubeek, who died suddenly on Saturday.

Lubeek’s son Zac withdrew from the starting side, but still managed to watch his team secure the 27-point win over the Grasshoppers.

A blistering six-goal opening term against the wind set up the success, with backmen Tyson Randall and Ryan Pompe among the standouts for Creswick.

Onballers Jake Dowell and Sam Chapman and defender Leigh Finlayson had good games for Rokewood-Corindhap on Saturday.

Buninyong 14.17 (101) d Daylesford 5.8 (38)

By Tim O'Connor

Buninyong maintained its grasp on fourth spot on the Central Highlands Football League ladder with a commanding second-half performance on Saturday.

The Bombers were pushed by Daylesford in the opening two terms, but controlled the contest after the main break to win by 63 points in front of home fans.

Daylesford’s Patrick Rowe kicked a goal mid-way through the second term to give his team the lead, before the Bombers locked down and deprived the visitors another major for the remainder of the afternoon.

Buninyong kicked the last nine goals of the game to run out convincing winners.

The victory leaves the Bombers fourth on percentage from Gordon, which defeated Bungaree on Saturday.

Bombers coach Jarrod Morgan, who left the field early due to a badly corked quadriceps, said he was pleased with the way his side finished off the match.

“I was really proud of the boys in the second half considering the conditions and that it was hard to score goals at either end,” he said.

Morgan said his team needed to win the last two fixtures of the season – against the Demons and Gordon – to clinch a double chance in finals.

Buninyong had plenty of winners across the four quarters on Saturday, but it was Fraser Russell that really hurt the Bulldogs. He was elusive in attack and continually bobbed up to finish with six goals. Jack Robertson and Nick Shell were good down back and were important in the side’s ability to keep Daylesford from converting in the second half.

For Daylesford, Zac Tisdale played well out of defence and was a standout along with the likes of Joel Cowan and Seb Walsh, who was on fire early with three goals.

Bulldogs coach Marcus Goonan said he was disappointed for his group, which has tried hard but suffered defeat in recent games against top sides Springbank, Bungaree, Gordon and the Bombers.

“It sort of didn’t feel like a 10-goal loss,” Goonan said.

“I feel really sorry for the boys because I reckon the last four weeks their reward for effort just hasn’t been there. They have cracked in, had a massive go and I reckon been in every game at half time without a problem at all, but we just haven’t got our reward for effort.

“That’s disappointing for the boys and we’ve just got to continue to believe. We are there and there abouts, but it’s hard to continue thinking that when you don’t quite get over the line.”

Daylesford’s defeat leaves it ninth on the ladder, just percentage behind eighth-placed Learmonth.

The Bulldogs take on Ballan next weekend before a potential eighth-placed playoff encounter against Dunnstown in the last round of the year.

Dunnstown 9.10 (64) d Learmonth 3.3 (21)

By John McGregor

There was the sniff of finals in the air at Dunnstown on Saturday and the Towners relished the prospect with a 43-point win over the higher-ranked Learmonth.

With six wins and a bye, the Towners have surged into contention for a finals berth with two games to go in the Central Highlands Football League home and away season.

Learmonth was out of sorts and without a goal from the first term and trailed by 37 points at half time.

Learmonth’s Kyle Mackay broke the drought with a goal minutes into the third term and co-captain Brodrick Campbell scored a few minutes later.

But the third quarter was pretty tame with a slow-down in Dunnstown’s scoring rate and it was a 33-point Towners lead at the last change.

Young Dunnstown forward Harry McKimmie and Tim Collins kicked quick goals at the start of the last quarter and the steam went out of the game.

McKimmie kicked three majors and Collins two for the match. Sam Jenkins booted a pair and Joe Stefani and Michael Archer one each.

The Towners’ centre was pivotal in their drive into attack. Ruckman Aaron Brennan fed the ball to runners like Aaron Sawers, Joel Williams and Jenkins. Down back, Angus Thompson kept Lakies goal-kicker Matt Bond to just a solitary conversion.

Learmonth was outclassed everywhere, but some players put up some resistance. Michael Zelencich, Nathan Ross, Nick Bone, Jake O’Donnell and Tom Martin tried to add a bit of poise to a bruising encounter.

Dunnstown coach Justin Abrams acknowledged his players had a lot to play for and was pleased with the result.

“We haven’t spoken about it, but we know it’s there so we just need to keep momentum. We’ve got to keep winning. We’ve got Newlyn at Newlyn next week so we just need to tick that box and then we’ll see what happens in the final week,” Abrams said.

Learmonth coach Steve Biggin was still coming to terms with the capitulation of his players during the first half.

“Dunnstown destroyed us in that first half. That second quarter was probably the most lopsided quarter we’ve played this year. We were really poor. You can’t expect to play finals with a performance like that,” Biggin said.

Springbank 26.22 (178) d Skipton 5.7 (37)

By Tim O'Connor

Springbank sharpshooter Tom Eltringham has charged back up the league goal-kicking chart with a bag of 12 majors in Saturday’s thrashing of Skipton at Wallace.

Eltringham, who has recently returned from an overseas holiday, is now just one behind Waubra’s Tim Boyle, who didn’t play at the weekend.

Regular defender Sam Cue was thrown up the ground and finished the day with six majors in a strong display for the Tigers.

Backman Marty Anderson was the main injury worry for the winners after leaving the field early with a foot issue.

For Skipton, onballer Lakota Stranks, forward Tom Breed and defender Pat Walsh were the better players.

Gordon 16.9 (105) d Bungaree 8.15 (63)

By Tim O'Connor

There is fears Ash Munari may miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in his team’s impressive win over Bungaree on Saturday.

Eagles coach Gary Learmonth said while the extent of Munari’s injury was not clear, the best case scenario would be a return to the team sometime during the finals series.

Munari, who has starred in attack since being moved up the ground during the season, was one of a number of players hurt in a bruising encounter that the Eagles won by 42 points on home soil.

Learmonth said Mark Gunnell suffered a nose injury, while fellow backman Gerard Clifford came off with a hamstring strain.

Bungaree also had its injury worries, with coach Heath Pyke revealing hamstring problems for Joel Mirtschin, Grant Trevenen and Sam Mewett, while Oli Hayes hurt a hand.

The Demons were led by Zac Denham off half back, while Gordon rated Tyson Burns best for his efforts in defence. Cam Richardson and Jye Cousins kicked three goals each for the winners, while Mirtschin managed two for the vanquished.

After the weekend’s result, Bungaree has slipped to seventh and looks out of contention for a top four spot, while Gordon remains fifth, just percentage behind fourth-placed Buninyong.

Waubra 18.16 (124) d Carngham-Linton 2.8 (20)

By Tim O'Connor

Waubra climbed to sixth and kept its top four chances alive with a comprehensive victory over lowly Carngham-Linton on Saturday.

Despite missing key players like Lincoln Barnes and Tim Boyle, the Roos won by 104 points to remain a game and percentage adrift of fourth spot.

Will Booth and Jackson Kinna kicked five and four goals respectively for the home side.

Ballan 13.6 (84) d Newlyn 7.10 (52)

By Tim O'Connor

Ballan collected its fifth win of season 2017 at home to Newlyn on Saturday.

The Blues remain a mathematical chance of reaching finals after beating the Cats by 32 points.

They are currently six points behind the eight-placed Learmonth with two rounds to play.

Bradie Thomas kicked three goals and Darren Tanti was named best as Ballan led at every change on its way to a solid victory.

For Newlyn, Joel Willmott won best afield honours.