The Courier's David Brehaut examines how each of the Central Highland Football League's 17 teams' seasons are progressing after eight rounds and what's in store for the remaining nine rounds.
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BUNGAREE
1st
7 wins, 1 loss
The Demons have had a ripping start to the season and the general consensus is that they are clearly the premiership favourite.
They were not far away last season - being unbeaten through the first 13 rounds and losing a preliminary final to Gordon by six points.
Bungaree needed to find that little extra and it did that in spades with the signing of James Lukich, Dallas Martin, Mitch Comben, Corey Edwards and Joel Richardson.
They not only added quality, but also depth - depth that has allowed the Demons to ride through a rough patch of injuries.
It was finally worn down, but it took an on-fire Carngham-Linton to bring the Demons undone for the first time.
Bungaree will finish top four (it should be top two), but they have an interesting mix of games to come.
What a contrast. They face four of the top five and four of the bottom five.
There's a lot to look forward to for Bungaree - especially when it gets to full strength.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Hepburn (h) - won
R2 Ballan (a) - won
R3 Learmonth (h) - won
R4 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) - won
R5 Dunnstown (h) - won
R6 Gordon (a) - won
R7 Springbank (h) - won
R8 Carngham-Linton (a) -lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Creswick (h) - 14th
R10 bye
R11 Daylesford (a) - 2nd
R12 Buninyong (h) - 5th
R13 Waubra (a) - 15th
R14 Skipton (h) 4th
R15- Clunes (a) - 13th
R16 Newlyn (h) - 3rd
R17 Beaufort (a) - 17th
DAYLESFORD
2nd
7 wins, 1 loss
What a season it has been for Daylesford so far.
This is what dreams are made of.
Carngham-Linton did last year - going from cellar dweller to the top eight.
This year it is the Bulldogs' turn and they have worked their way through some injury issues to get to this point.
They recruited heavily last year, but took it to a completely new level this season, and it could not have gone better.
Daylesford went into the season with sights on the top six and it is set to deliver on that.
The Bulldogs still have a lot to do, with assignments against five teams in the top eight still to come.
However, early wins are invaluable and three more will be enough to lock in finals. They will do that.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Beaufort (h) - won
R2 Hepburn (a) - won
R3 Ballan (h) - won
R4 Learmonth (a) - won
R5 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - won
R6 Dunnstown (a) - won
R7 Gordon (h) - lost
R8 Springbank (a) - won
GAMES TO COME
R9 Carngham-Linton (h) - 6th
R10 Creswick (a) - 14th
R11 Bungaree (h) - 1st
R12 bye
R13 Buninyong (a) - 5th
R14 Waubra (h) - 15th
R15 Skipton (a) - 4th
R16 Clunes (h) - 13th
R17 Newlyn (a) - 3rd
NEWLYN
3rd
5 wins, 0 losses, 2 abandoned games
The only undefeated team.
However, the Cats are yet to really get going as a result of two of their matches being abandoned before half-time owing to injuries.
While everything points to Newlyn developing into a premiership contender, it is too early to make a call with complete confidence.
Four of the Cats' wins have been over teams in the bottom six.
Their biggest tests are yet to come and there are going to be plenty of them.
So right now it is a wait and see as to where Newlyn lands in the top eight.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Buninyong (a) - abandoned (shared points)
R2 Waubra (h) - won
R3 Skipton (a) - won
R4 Clunes (h) - won
R5 bye
R6 Beaufort (a) - won
R7 Hepburn (h) - abandoned (shared points)
R8 Ballan (a) - won
GAMES TO COME
R9 Learmonth (h) - 10th
R10 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) - 11th
R11 Dunnstown (h) - 9th
R12 Gordon (a) - 7th
R13 Springbank (h) - 16th
R14 Carngham-Linton (a) - 6th
R15 Creswick (h) - 14th
R16 Bungaree (a) - 1st
R17 Daylesford (h) - 2nd
SKIPTON
4th
6 wins, 1 loss
Skipton has ticked off basically all the boxes it needed to in the first half of the season.
One loss is more than acceptable as it strives to take its next step and finish in the top four to secure a double chance in the finals.
The Emus recruited well and everything has fallen into place.
They have shown enough in wins over Hepburn, Learmonth and Rokewood-Corindhap to suggest they are on the right track, but there is nothing easy about their run home with Dunnstown and Gordon first-up after the break and then Bungaree, Daylesford and Buninyong in the last month of the season.
Skipton will need to land some big scalps to not only get that top four spot, but also show it is worthy of a push for a grand final berth.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 bye
R2 Clunes (a) - won
R3 Newlyn (h)- lost
R4 Beaufort (a) - won
R5 Hepburn (h) - won
R6 Ballan (a) - won
R7 Learmonth (h) - won
R8 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) - won
GAMES TO COME
R9 Dunnstown (h) - 9th
R10 Gordon (a) - 7th
R11 Springbank (h) - 16th
R12 Carngham-Linton (a) - 6th
R13 Creswick (h) - 14th
R14 Bungaree (a) - 1st
R15 Daylesford (h) - 2nd
R16 Buninyong (a) - 5th
R17 Waubra (h) - 15th
BUNINYONG
5th
5 wins, 2 losses, 1 abandoned game
This is the start to a season the Bombers have been waiting for.
With a rotation of the season fixture, Buninyong's draw opened up and provided a better balance of matches.
As well as making the most of this, the Bombers have also improved thanks to Joel Ottavi being full-time after a VFL career and some smart recruiting to get on board the likes of Jacob Coxall to provide a better mix and balance.
It is a tight battle for positions in the top eight and with at least 10 still in the race nothing is guaranteed.
The Bombers have a good mix of encounters to come.
There are some top-end battles, but it is impossible to imagine them not getting at least four wins - most likely enough to play finals.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Newlyn (h) - abandoned (shared points)
R2 Beaufort (a) - won
R3 Hepburn (h) - lost
R4 Ballan (a) - won
R5 Learmonth (h) - won
R6 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) - won
R7 Dunnstown (h) - won
R8 Gordon (a)
GAMES TO COME
R9 Springbank (h) - 16th
R10 Carngham-Linton (a) - 6th
R11 Creswick (h) - 14th
R12 Bungaree (a) - 1st
R13 Daylesford (h) - 2nd
R14 bye
R15 Waubra (a) - 15th
R16 Skipton (h) - 4th
R17 Clunes (a) - 13th
CARNGHAM-LINTON
6th
5 wins, 2 losses
A big question at the start of the year was could Carngham-Linton maintain its improvement of 2023 and play finals again?
The answer is already an emphatic yes.
The Saints' last-start win over Bungaree locked that in.
As well as the magnitude of that result, a 5-2 win-loss record is so much better than 4-3.
They have one of the tougher draws in the second half of the season with Daylesford and Buninyong to come next and then Skipton, Newlyn and Hepburn among the rest.
Carngham-Linton is potentially going to be stretched with four of the top five to play, but againearly wins has them in the frontrunning for another finals series.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Learmonth (h) - lost
R2 Rokewood-Corindhap (a)- won
R3 Dunnstown (h)- won
R4 Gordon (a) - lost
R5 Springbank (h)- won
R6 bye
R7 Creswick (a)- won
R8 Bungaree (h)- won
GAMES TO COME
R9 Daylesford (a) - 2nd
R10 Buninyong (h) - 5th
R11 Waubra (a)- 15th
R12 Skipton (h) - 4th
R13 Clunes (a) - 13th
R14 Newlyn (h) - 3rd
R15 Beaufort (a) - 17th
R16 Hepburn (h) - 8th
R17 Ballan (a) - 12th
GORDON
7th
5 wins, 2 losses
A big factor in Gordon's 2022 and 2023 was a minimal change in on-field personnel.
With the Eagles striving to be the first to win three CHFL flags in a row, there has not yet been the same stability - although there is the potential for that to occur as the season wears on.
Whatever first-year coach Brenton Payne does come up with, Gordon is facing a tougher task with the competition evening out.
Although seventh at first glance appears below par, the Eagles have lost only two twice, in games involving five of the top nine.
Gordon's draw points to a top four finish with six of the teams it still has to face from the lower bracket.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Dunnstown (h) - won
R2 bye
R3 Springbank (a) - won
R4 Carngham-Linton (h) - won
R5 Creswick (a) - won
R6 Bungaree (h) - lost
R7 Daylesford (a) - won
R8 Buninyong (h) - lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Waubra (a) - 15th
R10 Skipton (h) - 4th
R11 Clunes (h) - 13th
R12 Newlyn (h) - 3rd
R13 Beaufort (a) - 17th
R14 Hepburn (h) - 8th
R15 Ballan (a) - 12th
R16 Learmonth (h) - 10th
R17 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) - 11th
HEPBURN
8th
4 wins, 3 losses, 1 abandoned
It was a rocky start for the Burras with a big defeat at the hands of Hepburn and an unexpected loss to arch-rival Daylesford.
Throw in another loss to Skipton in round five and it was a long way short of the start Hepburn expected.
What they have done is play the top five teams so after a run like that in addition to a game being abandoned, four wins is not too bad.
The Burras are left with a fixture that lends itself to a genuine charge up the table.
If Hepburn is as good as it needs to be to have a tilt at a flag, every game from here on is winnable.
Be on alert.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Bungaree (a) - lost
R2 Daylesford (h) - lost
R3 Buninyong (a) - won
R4 Waubra (h) - won
R5 Skipton (a) - lost
R6 Clunes (h) - won
R7 Newlyn (a) - abandoned (shared points)
R8 Beaufort (h) - won
GAMES TO START
R9 bye
R10 Ballan (a) - 12th
R11 Learmonth (h) - 10th
R12 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) - 11th
R13 Dunnstown (h) - 9th
R14 Gordon (a) - 7th
R15 Springbank (h) - 16th
R16 Carngham-Linton (a) - 6th
R17 Creswick (h) - 14th
DUNNSTOWN
9th
4 wins, 4 losses
Dunnstown was always going to do tough early.
The emergence of Daylesford made it more difficult, although this was balanced out by the drop off of Springbank.
Naturally the Towners would have preferred one or two more wins, but to have four and be on the cusp of the top eight keeps them well in the finals race.
They have a draw that gives them a real chance of a top eight finish and their destiny could easily come down to their round 13 clash with Hepburn - potentially a team it needs to tip out of the top eight if they are to make it.
A win over either Skipton or Newlyn, or both could also be ground-breakers.
There are a few in the top eight which will be looking over their shoulders and will see the black and white of Dunnstown looming large.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Gordon (a) - lost
R2 Springbank (h) - won
R3 Carngham-Linton (a) - lost
R4 Creswick (h) - won
R5 Bungaree (a) - lost
R6 Daylesford (h) - lost
R7 Buninyong (a) - won
R8 Waubra (h) - won
GAMES TO COME
R9 Skipton (a) - 4th
R10 Clunes (h) - 13th
R11 Newlyn (a) - 3rd
R12 Beaufort (h) - 17th
R13 Hepburn (a) - 8th
R14 Ballan (h) - 12th
R15 Learmonth (a) - 10th
R16 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - 11th
R17 bye
LEARMONTH
10th
4 wins, 4 losses
Learmonth's season delicately poised.
Although they downed Carngham-Linton in round one, they have since dropped games to four teams from inside the top eight.
So can they make the top eight?
They are still to meet four teams below them.
If the Lakies can win those they are not going to be too far away.
It is likely to come down to matches against Dunnstown and Hepburn - the teams immediately ahead of them.
Leamonth is not alone, but once again its fight to play finals has the potential to be tight.
It just has to keep winning and hope one or two above it stumble.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Carngham-Linton (a) - won
R2 Creswick (h) - won
R3 Bungaree (a) - lost
R4 Daylesford (h) - lost
R5 Buninyong (a) - lost
R6 Waubra (h) - won
R7 Skipton (a) - lost
R8 Clunes (a) - won
GAMES TO COME
R9 Newlyn (a) - 3rd
R10 Beaufort (h) - 17th
R11 Hepburn (a) - 8th
R12 Ballan (a) - 12th
R13 bye
R14 Rokewood-Corindhap (a) -11th
R15 Dunnstown (h) - 9th
R16 Gordon (a) - 7th
R17 Springbank (h) - 16th
ROKEWOOD-CORINDHAP
11th
2 wins, 6 losses
Rokewood-Corindhap has fallen well short of expectations with finals way off the radar
The Grasshoppers threw everything at recruiting, but they simply have not produced the goods.
They are one of the many teams hit hard by injury.
Some have been able to work their way through setbacks, but the Grasshoppers have not with the required depth not there.
A win over Springbank in the opening round had them up and about, but as it has turned out that was not the bonus it appeared to be.
A loss to Creswick hurt and then near misses to Daylesford and Buninyong have completely put Rokewood-Corindhap's season off the rails.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Springbank (a) - won
R2 Carngham-Linton (h)
R3 Creswick (a)
R4 Bungaree (h)
R5 Daylesford (a)
R6 Buninyong (h)
R7 Waubra (a) - won
R8 Skipton (h)
GAMES TO COME
R9 Clunes (a) - 13th
R10 Newlyn (h) - 3rd
R11 Beaufort (a) - 17th
R12 Hepburn (h) - 8th
R13 Ballan (a) - 12th
R14 Learmonth (h) - 10th
R15 bye
R16 Dunnstown (a) - 9th
R17 Gordon (h) - 7th
BALLAN
12th
2 wins, 6 losses
Ballan remains in an expansive group of teams trying to move into the middle bracket in the competition.
First-year coach Harley Bongart makes no secret of the fact that he had hoped to have up to four wins by this stage of the season, but he should not be too dismayed with two.
The Blues have had a fairly tough draw, playing the top five teams, and also had to bring together a large number of young recruits, which is a tough assignment in itself.
What they have done is become much better defensively - averaging less than 70 points again.
Ballan's draw does open up in the run home.
They have a number of winnable games.
Any win is going to be hard work and anything more than four wins is going to be a real bonus in a season in which Ballan is resetting.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Creswick (a) - won
R2 Bungaree (h) - lost
R3 Daylesford (a) - lost
R4 Buninyong (h) - lost
R5 Waubra (a) - lost
R6 Skipton (h) - lost
R7 Clunes (h) - won
R8 Newlyn (h) - lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Beaufort (a) - 17th
R10 Hepburn (h) - 8th
R11 bye
R12 Learmonth (h) - 10th
R13 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - 11th
R14 Dunnstown (a) - 9th
R15 Gordon (h) - 7th
R16 Springbank (a) - 16th
R17 Carngham-Linton (h) - 6th
CLUNES
13th
2 wins, 5 losses
The Magpies' season is on the line.
Finals are already out of the question, but if they are to get anything significant out of this season they need to make the most of the next six weeks.
In that time Clunes plays Rokewood-Corindhap, Springbank and Creswick - all winnable based on form.
If it can recapture the competitive spirit which over the past few seasons has made Clunes tough to beat no matter who the opposition, maybe an upset against Dunnstown is possible.
However, the Magpies do need to find something extra as the margin in defeats to Ballan and and Learmonth - teams which at the start of the year they would have been eyeing off as possible wins - in the past two rounds have been far too big.
Hopefully they can keep the existing squad, which has had some positive gains this season - intact and find a couple of x-factors which can combine with the likes of Matt Kasparian, Nick Clarke and Mark Paramonov to make that difference they need.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Waubra (a) - won
R2 Skipton (h) - lost
R3 bye
R4 Newlyn (a) - lost
R5 Beaufort (h) - won
R6 Hepburn (a) - lost
R7 Ballan (a) - lost
R8 Learmonth (h) - lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - 13th
R10 Dunnstown (a) - 9th
R11 Gordon (a) - 7th
R12 Springbank (a) -16th
R13 Carngham-Linton (h) - 6th
R14 Creswick (a) - 14th
R15 Bungaree (h) - 1st
R16 Daylesford (a) - 2nd
R17 Buninyong (h) - 5th
CRESWICK
14th
2 wins, 5 losses
As indifferent as Creswick's season has been so far, it has a real opportunity to marginally better its 2023 record.
The Wickers had four wins last year.
A round three win over Rokewood-Corindhap has opened up the chance to at least get to five.
They are going to have their chances, but as far a major upset they look limited.
Creswick still has six of the top eight to play, then there's Waubra, Clunes and Beaufort and at the very least that is where it must strike.
The Wickers have not made up the ground they hoped they would this season.
Like most teams they have improved, but making significant ground is a whole new ball game with the bulk of the competition als lifting their game.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Ballan (h) - lost
R2 Learmonth (a) - lost
R3 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - won
R4 Dunnstown (a) - lost
R5 Gordon (h) - lost
R6 Springbank (a) - won
R7 Carngham-Linton (h) - lost
R8 bye
GAMES TO COME
R9 Bungaree (a) - 1st
R10 Daylesford (h) - 2nd
R11 Buninyong (a) - 5th
R12 Waubra (h) - 15th
R13 Skipton (a) - 4th
R14 Clunes (h) -13th
R15 Newlyn (a) - 3rd
R16 Beaufort (h) - 17th
R17 Hepburn (a) - 8th
WAUBRA
15th
2 wins, 6 losses
The Roos already have a better record than last year and importantly the wins have come early in the season.
They have a tough road ahead with six of their eight remaining games against teams in the top eight.
Can they get another win? Maybe one, with the Creswick encounter possibly their best chance.
Any other would be a major upset, but do not expect in their last four assignments when they meet teams not sitting in the top five.
It was always going to be a tough season after a quiet off-season, but the Roos did have a few surprise packets by way of arrivals.
The Roos are facing a slow build and they just need patience.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Clunes (h) - lost
R2 Newlyn (a) - lost
R3 Beaufort (h) - won
R4 Hepburn (a) - lost
R5 Ballan (h) - won
R6 Learmonth (a) - lost
R7 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - lost
R8 Dunnstown (a) - lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Gordon (h) - 7th
R10 Springbank (a) - 16th
R11 Carngham-Linton (h) - 6th
R12 Creswick (a) - 14th
R13 Bungaree (h) - 1st
R14 Daylesford (a) - 2nd
R15 Buninyong (h) - 5th
R16 bye
R17 Skipton (a) - 4th
SPRINGBANK
16TH
0 wins, 7 losses
No one saw the Tigers going down this track.
A marginal drop off after losing a second grand final in as many years was expected, but they have fallen off the cliff.
The question is why?
There are no obvious answers and that is apparent given that even with a broadened off-field brains trust Springbank has been unable to halt the slide.
There have been injuries, but that is not unique to the Tigers.
With a general agreement among coaches that nine wins is the absolute minimum needed to have a chance of playing finals, the Tigers can forget about a top eight finish.
They have nine games to go, but there is no way they can win everyone.
Springbank will get on the board. Five of its remaining matches are against teams outside the top eight.
Just don't expect the Tigers to make any sort of run.
A win here and there, and maybe an upset or two, but that will be it.
If it's not happening already, then there is sure to be some early planning for 2025.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - lost
R2 Dunnstown (a) - lost
R3 Gordon (h) -lost
R4 bye
R5 Carngham-Linton (a) - lost
R6 Creswick (h) - lost
R7 Bungaree (a) - lost
R8 Daylesford (h) - lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Buninyong (a) - 5th
R10 Waubra (h) - 15th
R11 Skipton (a) - 4th
R12 Clunes (h) - 13th
R13 Newlyn (a) - 3rd
R14 Beaufort (h) - 17th
R15 Hepburn (a) - 8th
R16 Ballan (h) - 12th
R17 Learmonth (a) - 10th
BEAUFORT
17TH
0 wins, 7 losses
The Crows knew it was going to be a development season, but it is proving even tougher than they imagined.
Striving for a first win since early 2022, four of their defeats have been by more than 100 points.
All they can do is continue down the same path, giving youngsters as many games beside the likes of the seasoned Levi Cox, Matt Wilson and Tim Haase.
It could not have been a tougher start to Daniel Jones' first season as a standalone coach.
Unfortunately there's a lot more pain to come even though they still have a sizable number of matches to come against teams in the bottom half of the ladder
Can Beaufort get a win?
Creswick in round 16 appears the most vulnerable, but even then it is likely the odds will be stacked against the Crows.
RECORD TO DATE
R1 Daylesford (a) - lost
R2 Buninyong (h) - lost
R3 Waubra (a) - lost
R4 Skipton (h) - lost
R5 Clunes (a) - lost
R6 Newlyn (h) -lost
R7 bye
R8 Hepburn (a) - lost
GAMES TO COME
R9 Ballan (h) - 12th
R10 Learmonth (a) - 10th
R11 Rokewood-Corindhap (h) - 11th
R12 Dunnstown (a) - 9th
R13 Gordon (h) - 7th
R14 Springbank (a) - 16th
R15 Carngham-Linton (h) - 6th
R16 Creswick (a) - 14th
R17 Bungaree (h) - 1st
