IT was a day of thrillers, but also a day where one club made the biggest possible statement on the Ballarat Football Netball League season.
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Melton sent shockwaves through the competition with a spectacular 119-point thumping of Sebastopol which left those in attendance shaking their heads in disbelief.
Coming off a massive round one win against Melton South, the Bloods would have gone into this game confident of another strong showing, but would have had plenty of trepidation against a Burra side that itself had an 80-point win in the first round.
Kicking with the breeze in the first quarter, Meltojn opened up strongly, but it was always going to be the second quarter that would determine just where this game sat.
And in that period against the breeze the Bloods were unmatched.
Sebastopol's performance wasn't bad, it was just Melton was a class above. The clean pick-ups of the midfield was a stand-out and the combination with forwards Ryan Carter, Braedan Kight and Kyle Borg who feasted with 19 goals between them in an outstanding performance.
At 51 points at the main break, the result was known, but Melton refused to slow down, again, burying their opposition, but this time a team that many expect to be competing deep into September.
It wasn't all smooth sailing for the Bloods though with defender Tom Button jarring a knee in the second quarter and taking no further part in the match. The Burra was also left counting the cost, losing forward Jacob Fletcher to a shoulder injury deep into the first quarter.
While it was one way traffic at Sebastopol. there were two thrillers elsewhere with Ballarat for a second week in a row coming home with a wet sail to pip Redan at the post.
The Swans 13.12 (90) to 13.9 (87) result saw the home side come from behind with four of the last six goals of the match.
Another thriller occurred in the clash at Lake Wendouree, with visitors Bacchus Marsh overcoming an early bout of the yips in front of goal to defeat the Lakers by seven points 11.16 (82) to 11.9 (75)
There are two matches being played on Saturday night, the 2023 grand final replay between North Ballarat and Darley and the clash at Sunbury where the Lions host Melton South.
North Ballarat also won a thriller, holding off Darley by just three points in a low-scoring slog at Mars Stadium.
It was the first quarter that ultimately proved the difference between the side with North opening up a 15-point at the first change.
Darley fought back to be within four at main break as both defences took over the contest. North managed the only goal in the last quarter, to get across the line 5.11 (41) to 5.8 (38).
Sunbury secured its second win of the season, proving too strong for Melton South. A seven-goal opening term set the Lions on the path to success and they were never challenged, winning 26.8 (164) to 3.2 (20). Jake leading the way up forward with six goals for the winners.
BFNL SCOREBOARDS
Seniors
Ballarat 3.1, 9.5, 9.7, 13.12 (90) d Redan 5.2, 8.5, 11.7, 13.9 (87)
GOALS: (Ballarat) A Hooper 3, J Drever 2, B Wardley 2, A Bade 1, W Liston 1, J Niicholls 1, R Perry 1, P SImpson 1, Private Player 1 (Redan) G Bell 3, B Carroll 2, H Lawson 2, D Bond 1, T Bond 1, M Boyer 1, Z Lee 1, Z Mortlock 1 BEST: (Ballarat) R Perry, L Rinaldi, T Maple, P Simpson, W Garner (Redan) To come
Bacchus Marsh 2.8, 5.11, 8.13, 11.16 (82) d Lake Wendouree 1.0, 8.1, 9.3, 11. 9 (75)
GOALS: (Bacchus Marsh) J Owen 3, A Craig 2, D Armfield 1, J Hehir 1, E McKercher 1, I Nixon 1, J Parente 1, C Salmon 1 (Lake Wendouree) T Collins 4, B Thomspson 4, F Fogaty 1, H Hicks 1, J Jarred 1 BEST: (Bacchus Marsh) T Shea, J Parente, A Craig, J Kovacevic, D Armfield, E McKercher (Lake Wendouree) B Helyer, N Pring, T Collins, F Fogaty, W Clark, L Koliba
Melton 6.6, 11.7, 18.10, 25 13 (163) d Sebastopol 2.1, 3.4, 4.6, 6.8 (44)
GOALS (Melton) B Kight 7, R Carter 7, K Borg 5, B McGee 2, R Davis 1, J Hickey 1, J Kight 1, A Minitto 1, L Walker (Sebastopol) J Fletcher 1, A Forbes 1, J Hill 1, T Hutt 1, L Kiel 1, J McDonald 1 BEST: (Melton) J Hickey. J Cotter, B Kight, J Walker, R Carter, R Davis (Sebastopol) T Lockyer, R O'Keefe, B Hutt, R McNally, D WIdgery, L Cassidy
North Ballarat 3.6, 4.8, 4.10, 5.11 (41) d Darley 1.3, 4.4, 5.6, 5.8 (38)
GOALS: (North Ballarat) Not listed (Darley) J Bewley 3, W Johnson 2 BEST: (North Ballarat) Not listed (Darley) B Myers, D Cadman, B Bewley, J Bewley, J Ancrum, L Baker
Sunbury 7.0, 12.5, 20.7, 26.8 (164) d Melton South 1.0, 2.0, 3.1, 3.2 (20)
GOALS: (Sunbury) J Sutton 6, M McLean 4, P Scanlon 3, F Ampulski 2, J Egan 2, L Urbon 2, C Bramble 1, N Doyle 1, J Guthrie 1, M Lewis 1, R Miller 1, J newitt 1, H Power 1 (Melton South) Not listed BEST Not listed
LADDER
MELTON 8, SUNBURY 8, BALLARAT 8, DARLEY 4, NORTH BALLARAT 4, BACCHUS MARSH 4, Sebastopol 4, Redan 9, Lake Wenduree 0, East Point 0, Melton South 0
