BFNL 2023: Game-changer Crameri leads Roosters over rivals | Ballarat Football Netball League round two review

Catch up on all the round two action below.

North Ballarat fought back from an 11-point deficit at half time to claim a hard-fought 13-point win over Redan on Saturday and open its 2023 Ballarat Football Netball League account in style.

Roosters coach Brendan McCartney said the message at half time was to make it a contest-based game, with his side confident they could win the football at the source.

"It was a really good win for the club with a lot of really good quality young players involved," McCartney said.

"We've had two close games in a row now and there's always a learning in a close game.

"We added composure to our game and that was probably the last piece of the puzzle, we were a bit more mature which is hard to ask that from some of our younger players."

A red-hot start to the third quarter saw North Ballarat quickly erase the half time margin as Stewart Crameri and Samuel Artz gave the Roosters the lead by the third minute mark.

McCartney spoke highly of Crameri and what the former AFL player has brought to North Ballarat both on and off the field.

"He draws players to him ... it still takes two or three people to slow him down," McCartney said.

"He hasn't played a lot of footy for three or four years so we're mindful of that but he's very understanding, he does a lot of good work with the younger boys with his knowledge and advice."

A fourth quarter goal from Crameri gave the Roosters a nine-point lead, but Redan still had more fight to give.

The Lions kicked two goals in as many minutes through Izaac Grant and Declan Murphy to set up a one-point game with stoppage time nearing.

However, the Roosters would hold on as Declan McGuigan and Riley Polkinghorne kicked late goals to wrap up a crucial win for North Ballarat.

Redan coach Gary Learmonth was able to list a handful of issues in his side's first defeat of the season.

"All their goals were from our turnovers, we just gave them the ball," Learmonth said.

"We weren't clean enough below our knees, we dropped chest marks.

"North Ballarat played well, they stuck to their structure and were able to win but we don't think we're far away."

Ballarat awaits Redan in round three, while North Ballarat visits winless Bacchus Marsh.

GOALS - North Ballarat: S.Crameri 3, S.Artz 2, J.Quick, F.Loader 1, D.McGuigan, Ri.Polkinghorne; Redan: I.Grant 3, G.Bell 1, L.George, L.Hoy, D.Murphy

BEST - North Ballarat: Cameron McCallum, Riley Polkinghorne, Harry Loader, Brock Leonard, Jamie Quick, Simon McCartin; Redan: Jacob Werts, Nicholas Barker, Izaac Grant, Patrick Fitzgibbon, Jacob Short, Lachlan George

Ballarat was challenged early by Lake Wendouree, but Chris Maple's side managed to break away in the second half and record a 46-point win at Alfredton on Saturday.

Paddy Simpson starred for the Swans with a two-goal, 37-disposal performance while Andrew Hooper booted a game-high four goals.

The Lakers trailed by just four points at quarter time as Maple admitted his side was a little off its best to start Saturday's contest.

"I thought we kept the Lakers in the game a little bit with some of our disposal and conversion," Maple said.

"They brought really good pressure but it was a pretty hard-fought game."

Marcus Powling continued his red-hot start to the season with 52 hit-outs for the Swans as the Lakers' ruck stocks took another hit.

Lake Wendouree's Brayden Helyar sat out the fourth quarter with injury with the Lakers forced to play a handful of talls through the ruck in the final term.

It led to a dominant fourth quarter as Ballarat booted six goals from 16 inside 50 entries while restricting the Lakers to just one major.

"It was good reward for the young players who have worked pretty hard," Maple said.

"Just being able to get another game into every player and getting the boys to gel is important."

The Swans will seek their second win of the season when they visit City Oval to play the Lions, while Lake Wendouree has the bye.

GOALS - Ballarat: A.Hooper 4, L.Prendergast 2, P.Simpson, T.Constable 1, J.Drever, M.McGrath, T.Mooney, R.Perry, W.Squires, B.Van De Heuvel; Lake Wendouree: J.Coxall 2, F.Loader, T.Collins 1, A.Gove, J.Norton, B.Thompson

BEST - Ballarat: Paddy Simpson, Marcus Powling, Noah Drever, Will Liston, Wyatt Squires, Angus Bade; Lake Wendouree: Angus Gove, Jacob Coxall, Joel O'Connell, Ethan Preston, Bayley Thompson, Flynn Loader

It was a season-opening clash for East Point on Saturday and the Roos quickly made up for lost time with a jaw-dropping display against Melton South at Eastern Oval.

The Roos ran away 148-point victors as its familiar faces enjoyed stellar days out with Brad Whittaker (five goals) and Johnston brothers in Matthew (three goals) and Jordan starring for East Point.

East Point playing coach Jackson Merrett, who did not play due to injury, was full of praise for his side following the season-opening win.

"We put in a four quarter effort and all the things that we tried to implement over the off-season came to fruition," Merrett said.

"It was the most even spread of football I've ever witnessed from a team point of view.

"We could have put everyone's name up for best-on-ground, everyone played their role really well which is why it was such a good team performance."

Greater Western Victoria Rebels product Alex Molan finished with two goals for the Roos as Merrett noted the 18-year-old "did not look out of place one bit".

The Roos had 12 individual goalkickers and put together an incredible third quarter, outscoring Melton South 63-3.

The loss came at a cost however, as Harry Ganley (hamstring) did not finish the game.

It was the second-consecutive triple-digit defeat for Jason Hamilton's side.

"East Point is a quality side, they are very well-drilled and they play to their strengths," Hamilton said.

"They were way too good for us on Saturday."

Hamilton said he was well aware his club is coming from a long way back.

"We know where we're at as a football club, we're looking for our younger players to take the next step this year," Hamilton said.

"We believe that we're building a foundation for the future of the club."

Melton South returns to action against Sunbury, while East Point takes on the undefeated Devils.

GOALS - East Point: B.Whittaker 5, I.Hucker 4, L.Canny 3, M.Johnston, B.McDougall, T.Conlan 2, J.Jeffrey, A.Molan, A.Nestor, C.Lovig 1, J.Taylor, J.Van Meel; Melton South: N.Johns 1, J.Kovarik, R.Lee, A.Rielly, C.White

BEST - East Point: Isaac Hucker, Matthew Johnston, Jordan Johnston, Tom Conlan, Geordy Slater, Bryson McDougall; Melton South: Cody Chapman, Jack Morrissey, Jarrod Bibby, Cassius White, Hudson Wilde, Kelsey Rameka

Brett Bewley led by example on Saturday as the Darley captain booted three majors in a 50-point win over rivals Bacchus Marsh.

A blistering first term gave the Devils a 27-point quarter time lead, with Darley boasting 10 scoring shots to just three from the Cobras.

From there, the Devils never slowed down as 200-centimetre tall Lucas Impey returned to Darley's line-up with an eye-catching performance that included one goal.

East Point awaits Darley while Jason William's Cobras still find themselves chasing their first win ahead of a North Ballarat match-up.

Williams said he was proud of the way his side responded to the round one defeat to Sebastopol.

"We had 10 players under 20 years of age and even our older players are still 21 to 23 years old," Williams said.

"Our effort and intensity around the contest was much better, the feeling amongst the group was really upbeat.

"I think we're definitely on track to continue improving."

Greater Western Victoria Rebels product Josh Huxtable starred for the Cobras on Saturday, with Williams excited to see what the 18-year-old can achieve.

"Josh was really, really good," Williams said.

"He plays like an adult already, he plays with no fear.

"I'm really rapt to have him back and it just highlights that for the next three weeks our team is going to be really good."

Bacchus Marsh hosts North Ballarat in round three, while the Devils turn their attention to East Point.

GOALS - Darley: B.Bewley 3, T.Angwin 2, D.Bishop 1, M.Brett, L.Impey, W.Johnson, R.Matricardi, B.Myers, S.Page, L.Spiteri; Bacchus Marsh: J.Freeman 2, J.McCreery, J.Huxtable 1, J.Owen

BEST - Darley: Brett Bewley, Lucas Impey, Bailey Young, Mace Cousins, Shane Page, Jake Ancrum; Bacchus Marsh: Jake McCreery, Josh Huxtable, Tyson Shea, Eamonn Ogden, Kai Tyrrell, Simon Lafranchi

A second-quarter surge saw Melton come out on top against a valiant Sunbury to remain unbeaten.

The Bloods shut down Sunbury stars in Josh Guthrie and Cody Brand en route to an impressive 20-point win in a high-quality game of football.

Melton showed how dangerous it can be in a short space of time, turning a two-goal deficit into a three-goal advantage with 15 minutes of brilliance in the second term.

Ryan Carter followed up his six-goal haul from round one with three majors in round two, while Jordan Kight was unstoppable in a best-on-ground performance.

It was the first loss for Travis Hodgson's Lions this season while an unbeaten Melton moves to top spot as one of only two sides with a 2-0 win-loss record.

GOALS - Melton: R.Carter 3, R.Davis 2, L.Carter 1, L.Ericson, H.Hanley, B.Kight, A.Monitto, J.O'Brien, B.Sullivan, L.Watkins; Sunbury: B.Caldone 3, J.Sutton 2, J.Guthrie 1, R.Karpany, H.Minton-Connell, H.Power, T.Werner

BEST - Melton: Jordan Kight, Jack Walker, Harrison Hanley, Adrian Monitto, Lachlan Phillips, Luke Heaney; Sunbury: Harrison Minton-Connell, Bryce Caldone, Harry Power, Nathan Wood, Tyson Lever, Rivva Karpany