Hepburn spearhead tops previous best of 14 with an even bigger tally

Now imagine kicking 20 majors in one game.

That's what Hepburn star Sam Dunstan produced at the weekend in his side's 215-point demolition of Carngham Linton.

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The Burra produced 39.13 (247) and kept the Saints to 5.2 (32) in its first home game of the season, catapulting its percentage to an astonishing 796.88.

Dunstan told The Courier it was a nice feeling to reach the 20 goal mark, although disappointing to miss the league record by one goal.

"It was rewarding to reach that number of goals but also very frustrating as it was one shy of the league record," he said.

Hepburn piled on 11.3 to 0.2 in the first term, another nine goals in the second, 13 in the third and a quite six in the fourth quarter.

He said he couldn't remember how many goals he kicked in each quarter, however, he took the chance to praise his midfielders up the ground.

"I only remember getting beautiful delivery all day from our classy group of on-ballers," he said.

Dunstan said it's the most goals he has ever kicked in a game including his junior days at Donald.

"Got in the double figures a few times over the years but certainly haven't reached 20," he said.

The astounding total tops his previous best in the Central Highlands Football League of 14 goals against Creswick in 2019.

The feat makes up for missed opportunities in round one, when the Hepburn v Daylesford game was called-off mid-way through the first quarter.

An ambulance took 90-minutes to get to the ground and treat Daylesford co-captain Josh Cowan who was stuck on the ground with a broken leg.

It meant Hepburn missed out on a possible extra two points, as the game was declared a draw, and Dunstan was denied the opportunity to add to his goal tally.

He more than made up for lost time, quickly jumping to first on the leading goal kickers list and doubling Newlyns' Marcus Darmody's bag of 10 goals in round one against Springbank.

The 23-year-old said it was nice to get a full game under the belt for Hepburn and play well against the Saints.

"I feel like with the unfortunate circumstances of what happened last week, we were all really eager to make up for a lost week and perform well," he said.

Following his 2019 campaign where he nearly managed 100 goals in the regular season (he topped the ton in the finals) Dunstan now looks set to go close once again.

The rivalry he is building with former North Ballarat teammate Marcus Darmody, now at Newlyn, is providing a game within the game each week.

Darmody claimed the goal kicking award in 2019, reaching 100 goals and after his 10 goal effort in round one, looks poised to challenge that mark again.

The two face off in round seven at Newlyn, pencil it in your calendars.

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