A review of all the action from Round 2 of the 2025 Smithy’s VFL season.
CASEY DEMONS 5.4 9.4 13.9 13.12 (90)
GOLD COAST SUNS 2.2 5.7 10.7 13.10 (88)
DAN Turner put in a masterclass at both ends of the ground to lead the Casey Demons to a two-point win over a fast-finishing Gold Coast Suns at Casey Fields and demand his spot back in Melbourne’s AFL team.
Having inherited Angus Brayshaw’s No.10 guernsey, Turner was unstoppable in attack with five goals straight and also filled the loose man in defence role late in quarters to save the Demons at the other end. He finished with 20 disposals (12 contested) and 14 marks in a dominant display.
Casey flew the gates after conceding the opening goal, racing to a 20-point lead at quarter-time and extending that to 36 when Tom Fullarton kicked his third major at the 15-minute mark of the second term as the Suns struggled to shake off the first-game rust in the morning timeslot.
But star ruckman Tom Campbell went down with a hamstring injury after threatening to tear the game apart for Casey and with the Suns boasting 16 AFL-listed players to nine, they started working their way back.
Max Knobel kicked the last two goals of the half and another early in the third, before Turner responded with his fourth and fifth, and when Jesse Craven and Bailey Laurie hit the target deep into time-on of the third term the Demons looked the goods.
The Suns took control in the last as the Demons desperately tried to hold on and pulled within two points when Ben Jepson kicked his second of the term at the 28-minute mark, but Riley Bonner and Turner made crucial intercepts to prevent another scoring opportunity.
Riley Baldi (34 disposals, 14 contested, nine marks) continued his brilliant start to the year, Laurie racked up 32 touches, 10 tackles, eight inside-50s and a goal in his 50th game, while Riley Bonner, Will Verrall – who filled the Campbell gap with 26 disposals and 10 clearances – and assured defender Jed Adams were in strong touch.
SSP recruit Jepson’s two goals capped a strong game in red, while Caleb Graham got better as the game went on at full-back with 26 touches and 10 marks. Ex-cricketer Zak Evans had his best game since returning to the sport and Ned Moyle had 42 hitouts but dropped some crucial marks.
BEST
Casey Demons: Dan Turner, Riley Baldi, Jed Adams, Riley Bonner, Kynan Brown, Bailey Laurie
Gold Coast Suns: Ben Jepson, Zak Evans, Ned Moyle, Caleb Graham, Brayden Fiorini, Alex Davies
GOALS
Casey Demons: Dan Turner 5, Tom Fullarton 3, Noah Yze 2, Jesse Craven, Tyler Edwards, Bailey Laurie
Gold Coast Suns: Max Knobel 3, Ben Jepson, James Tsitas 2, Charlie Elliott, Miles Enders, Elliott Himmelberg, Lloyd Johnston, Malcolm Rosas, Aiden Fyfe
DISPOSALS
Casey Demons: Riley Baldi 34, Bailey Laurie 32, Riley Bonner 30, Will Verrall 26, Tyler Edwards 21, Dan Turner 20
Gold Coast Suns: Alex Davies 31, Caleb Graham 26, Ben Jepson 23, Braden Fiorini 21
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at Casey Fields
GWS GIANTS 1.3 5.4 8.7 14.9 (93)
WILLIAMSTOWN 1.5 5.9 8.14 8.16 (64)
GWS produced a six-goal final-term blitzkrieg in wet conditions to overrun Williamstown by 29 points at Blacktown International Sports Park and kick its season off in style.
The Seagulls led at three quarter-time for the second week in a row, but the last term was even worse than the Round 1 fadeout to Essendon.
After Marc Sheather cut the Giants’ deficit to seven points in the dying seconds of the third, Max Gruzewski’s third and fourth goals inside the first five minute of the last gave the home side the lead and they didn’t look back, kicking 6.2 to 0.2 to run out convincing winners.
There was nothing between the two sides as the rain fell, with both kicking one goal each in the first term, four in the second and three in the third.
However, it was majors to Jack McHale and Brodie McLaughlin in the space of two minutes in time-on of the third that had the Seagulls looking the goods until their poor kicking for goal caught up with them.
Earlier, Leek Aleer found a way to climb out of the mire with a spectacular mark on the outer wing in the opening minutes for GWS, and it sparked him to a strong performance as he pulled in six grabs to turn Williamstown back regularly.
But it was Gruzewski who was the match winner, booting those four goals in treacherous conditions, as returning forward Jake Riccardi, key defender Wade Derksen, midfielder Harry Rowston and debutants Louie Montgomery and Jack Ough all performed well.
Riley Collier-Dawkins was magnificent for the Seagulls with 20 contested possessions among his 24 disposals, with Toby Triffett (18 disposals, eight clearances, 10 tackles) and James Cousins doing a lot of heavy lifting and Joel Fitzgerald and Harry Minton-Connell impressing down back, while late inclusion debutant Damon Hollow kicked two goals.
BEST
GWS Giants: Max Gruzewski, Jake Riccardi, Harvey Thomas, Wade Derksen, Harry Rowston, Leek Aleer
Williamstown: Riley Collier-Dawkins, James Cousins, Joel Fitzgerald, Jack McHale, Jake Greiser, Nick Ebinger
GOALS
GWS Giants: Max Gruzewski 4, Ryan Hebron, Toby McMullin, Nathan Wardius 2, Callum Brown, Josaia Delana, Jake Riccardi, Marc Sheather
Williamstown: Nick Ebinger, Damon Hollow, Jack Mchale 2, Nathan Colenso, Brodie McLaughlin
DISPOSALS
GWS Giants: Harry Rowston 26, Wade Derksen 25, Louie Montgomery 22, Jack Ough 22, Jake Riccardi 22, Joe Fonti 20, Harvey Thomas 20
Williamstown: Riley Collier-Dawkins 24, Joel Fitzgerald 24, James Cousins 23, Harry Minton-Connell 20
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at Blacktown International Sportspark
ESSENDON 3.0 4.6 5.8 7.13 (55)
WERRIBEE 2.3 3.5 10.11 11.12 (78)
A SEVEN-goal third quarter got Werribee’s premiership defence underway and put paid to Essendon’s challenge in a 23-point result at the NEC Hangar.
The Bombers had set up a seven-point lead at the main break when Jared Eckersley kicked two goals either side of Vigo Visentini’s major late in the first term. However, they missed the opportunity for a significant break, kicking 1.6 in the second quarter.
And they were made to pay after the teams traded goals early in the third, including Eckersley’s third.
The Tigers turned it up with the next six majors to race out to a 33-point gap turning for home, a lead the home team was never going to run down despite their best efforts.
2024 J.J. Liston Trophy winner Dom Brew returned to his brilliant best for the reigning premiers with 33 disposals (18 contested), six marks, 10 clearances and six tackles, while Louis Pinnuck was unstoppable across half-back with 18 marks and 13 rebounds on his way to 32 possessions.
Harry Grintell took 11 marks and had 22 touches, while ne captain Jesse Clark had 10 grabs in 19 possessions.
Essendon’s AFL great Todd Goldstein gave premiership big man Sam Conway a lesson, piling up 24 disposals and 46 hitouts, inside bull Will Setterfield (19 contested, 12 clearances), skipper Xavier O’Neill and vice-captain Jackson Hately cashed in on that and draftee Zak Johnson had 26 disposals in his second VFL game.
BEST
Essendon: Todd Goldstein, Archer Day-Wicks, Jared Eckersley, Xavier O’Neill, Lewis Hayes, Will Setterfield
Werribee: Dom Brew, Ryan Eyers, Jaelen Pavlidis, Flynn Young, Sam Conway, Louis Pinnuck
GOALS
Essendon: Jared Eckersley 3, Jordan Busuttil, Archer Day-Wicks, Kayle Gerreyn, Vigo Visentini
Werribee: Hudson Garoni, Flynn Young 2, Jay Dahlhaus, Bior Malual, Jake Smith, Noah Tullio, Tylar Watts, Cooper Whyte, Brady Wright
DISPOSALS
Essendon: Will Setterfield 29, Xavier O’Neill 28, Zak Johnson 26, Jackson Hately 25, Todd Goldstein 24
Werribee: Dom Brew 33, Louis Pinnuck 32, Harry Grintell 22, Cooper Whyte 21
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at NEC Hangar
SANDRINGHAM 4.0 5.4 11.8 11.8 (74)
RICHMOND 3.3 5.6 7.9 11.14 (80)
ACTING Richmond captain Joel Garner kicked a goal after the siren to seal a brilliant comeback and shatter a gutsy Sandringham in a six-point thriller at RSEA Park.
The Zebras stunned the Tigers with six goals to two in the third quarter to grab a 23-point advantage at the last change.
But having lost Alex Dodson to concussion early, they saw Jack Carroll (knee), Misilifi Faimalo (arm) and Josh Docking (leg) go down in the opening minutes of the last quarter and they simply ran out of legs despite benefiting over and again from Richmond’s poor discipline which gifted them several goals from free kicks off the ball.
Desperately trying to hang on as Richmond attacked relentlessly, the Zebras failed to score in the last term and saw the visitors find classy goals to best afield Lachlan Wilson, Jasper Alger and Phill Moi Moi before five consecutive behinds, including shots from Campbell Gray and Massimo Raso that missed by inches, squared the scores at the 29-minute mark.
With one last chance to push for the win, Sandringham’s best player Arie Schoenmaker had the ball in the back pocket but inside of thumping his superboot down the line he tried to pass to Lachlan Voss in the goalsquare and kicked it over his head for a boundary throw-in next to the behind post, which allowed the Tigers to lock it in again.
After a couple of ball-ups, recruit Billy Richardson threw a panicked kick on the boot from the goalsquare, but it landed in Garner’s lap 35m out straight in front and the siren sounded as he walked back for his kick.
Wilson was outstanding for Richmond, keeping his side in it and then sparking their comeback with his class as he had 25 disposals, laid 11 tackles and kicked that crucial goal.
Kane McAuliffe starred again with 28 touches in three quarters before being rested as the AFL emergency, Tom McCarthy and Tom McKenzie linked up well through the middle and Massimo Raso impressed again, but they did lose Liam Fawcett early to a broken nose and concussion.
Schoenmaker and Ethan Williams were tireless in the defence for the Zebras, captain Blake Watson got better as the game progressed, Hugh Boxshall cracked in with 15 tackles, Harry Boyd outpointed and regularly outsmarted his much taller opponents in Samson Ryan and Mate Colina.
Meanwhile, debutant Will Johnson snared one of the goals of the year for his first VFL major and James Barrat was much better than his numbers suggest, but Liam Henry was quiet and looks well short of being AFL ready.
BEST
Sandringham: Arie Schoenmaker, Hugh Boxshall, Ethan Williams, Harry Boyd, Angus McLennan, Billy Richardson
Richmond: Lachlan Wilson, Thomas McCarthy, Joel Garner, Kane McAuliffe, Nick Collier, Campbell Gray
GOALS
Sandringham: Zaine Cordy, Misilifi Faimalo 2, Hugh Boxshall, Liam Henry, Josh Hutchings, Will Johnson, Jet Peckett, Billy Richardson Ari Shoenmaker
Richmond: Jasper Alger, Mohammed Yassine 2, Joel Garner, Campbell Gray, Phillip Moimoi, Maurice Rioli Jnr, Samson Ryan, Tom Sims, Lachlan Wilson
DISPOSALS
Sandringham: Arie Schoenmaker 30, Ethan Williams 23, Blake Watson 22, Angus McLennan 20
Richmond: Kane McAuliffe 28, Tom McCarthy 26, Lachlan Wilson 25, Joel Garner 24, Massimo Raso 24, Tom McKenzie 23
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at RSEA Park
GEELONG CATS 3.5 6.7 8.9 13.12 (90)
NORTHERN BULLANTS 3.0 5.3 9.4 9.6 (60)
GEELONG marked captain Dan Capiron’s 100th VFL game with a victory, but it wasn’t without a lot of nervous moments before the Cats wore down the gallant Northern Bullants by 30 points at GMHBA Stadium.
The Bullants kicked the first two goals of the game through returnee Aaron Hilton and recruit Amin Naim and nipped at the Cats’ heels all day. They grabbed the lead again in the second term and once again when Maison Goodman and Paddy Fairlie hit the target to open the third.
The Bullants had the answer every time Geelong looked like gaining control and led by a point turning for home after Sam Green booted his second from next to the behind post in the 30th minute.
But like the last time they met early last season, it was the Cats who were able to run the game out better, breaking their opponents’ hearts with three goals in four minutes early in the fourth term.
Shaun Mannagh kicked two in the fourth quarter to end with 23 touches and three majors in a best on ground display.
Young midfielder George Stevens was brilliant with 34 touches (16 contested) and nine clearances and Marcus Herbert had 30 disposals, eight tackles and a goal, while Rhys Stanley dominated makeshift rucks John Jorgensen and Will Elliott for 16 disposals, 39 hitouts and two goals.
Jean-Luc Velissaris (33 disposals, 12 contested, six marks, seven entries, one goal) couldn’t have done more for the Bullants, with Josh Hamilton and Liam Mackie also putting in outstanding performances.
BEST
Geelong Cats: Shaun Mannagh, Rhys Stanley, George Stevens, Paddy Hughes, Nathan Kreuger, Daniel Capiron
Northern Bullants: Jean-Luc Velissaris, Joshua Hamilton, Liam Mackie, Maison Goodman, Patrick Fairlie, John Jorgensen
GOALS
Geelong Cats: Shaun Mannagh 3, Jack Sarcevic, Rhys Stanley 2, Paddy De Grandi, Marcus Herbert, Jay Polkinghorne, Jay Rantall, Patrick Retschko, Osca Riccardi
Northern Bullants: Sam Green 2, Patrick Fairlie, Maison Goodman, Joshua Hamilton, Aaron Hilton, John Jorgensen, Amin Naim, Jean-Luc Velissaris
DISPOSALS
Geelong Cats: George Stevens 34, Marcus Herbert 30, Darcy Edmends 23, Paddy Hughes 23, Shaun Mannagh 23, Jay Rantall 22
Northern Bullants: Jean-Luc Velissaris 33, Josh Hamilton 25, Liam Mackie 24
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at GMHBA Stadium
SOUTHPORT SHARKS 0.2 6.7 7.8 9.8 (62)
COBURG 2.3 3.6 6.9 8.11 (59)
SHARKS are known as better swimmers than Lions, but in this case it was only just, as Southport clung onto an epic three-point victory over Coburg in monsoonal conditions at Fankhauser Reserve.
Apart from a 17-minute period in the second term, the Lions were the better team despite travelling interstate and copping teeming rain that left the ground waterlogged by the final quarter. Given Fankhauser’s drainage was fixed two years ago, that shows just how heavy the rain was.
The aforementioned 17 minutes, however, ended up making the difference as Southport banged on 5.5 without reply to turn a 13-point deficit into a 22-point lead with ball magnets Jacob Dawson and Boyd Woodcock racking them up again, Wylie Buzza kicking two of the six goals in the term and Brayden Crossley having 45 hitouts.
Coburg fought back gamely despite losing Ryan Sturgess to a hamstring injury, getting within five points at three quarter-time and grabbing lead when Mitch Podhajski kicked truly a minute into the last.
The fourth quarter turned into a desperate slog and the Sharks regained the lead through Jacob Heron before Will Derrington won a free kick on the line to push the lead to nine points, only for Podhajski’s second in the 24th minute to set up a nerve-wracking finish.
But the Lions couldn’t find the decisive major, despite the ball spending most of the last six minutes within 25m of their goal, with Sam Mason’s set shot falling short and the siren sounding as the ball squirted out to Hugo Bromell on a clear passage to goal.
Coburg star Joel Trudgeon was best afield, with 17 of his 29 disposals being contested to go with 10 tackles and seven clearances. Jack Bytel starred again with 38 but missed the crucial last couple of minutes with the blood rule, Max Kennedy showed his ability with a gutsy display and Flynn Gentile again impressed in the clinches.
BEST
Southport Sharks: Wylie Buzza, Nick Williams, Brayden Crossley, Jacob Dawson, Boyd Woodcock, Max Spencer
Coburg: Jack Bytel, Joel Trudgeon, Flynn Gentile, Max Thompson, Cooper Keogh, Max Kennedy
GOALS
Southport Sharks: Wylie Buzza 2, Jacob Dawson, Will Derrington, Hugh Dixon, Jackson Edwards, Josh Gore, Jacob Heron, Max Pescud
Coburg: Mitch Podhajski, Max Thompson 2, Jack Bytel, Jordyn Gillard, Dom Payman, Ryan Valentine
DISPOSALS
Southport Sharks: Jacob Dawson 38, Boyd Woodcock 31, Mike Manteit 21, Matt McGuinness 20
Coburg: Jack Bytel 38, Joel Trudgeon 29, Flynn Gentile 26, Max Kennedy 26, Donovan Toohey 21, Lachlan Walker 20
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at Fankhauser Reserve
BOX HILL HAWKS 1.4 6.4 9.5 14.8 (92)
NORTH MELBOURNE 4.3 6.6 11.10 12.11 (83)
BOX HILL Hawks kicked four goals in six minutes during the fourth quarter to overrun North Melbourne by nine points in yet another thriller at Box Hill City Oval
The Kangaroos had a chance to lead by 21 points when Brynn Teakle’s long set shot grazed the inside of the post before their composure deserted them in a crucial two-minute period.
Teakle dropped a mark that fell to Ethan Stanley for a goal, Adam Tomlinson conceded a 50m penalty to Cal Porter which took him to the goal line and Wil Dawson did the same to gift another major to Jasper Scaife.
The advantage was gone in the blink of an eye and when Scaife launched a bomb for his third major three minutes later so was the game as North was left to rue giving up a three-goal last-quarter lead for the second week in a row.
Given they led for all but a two-minute stint in the third quarter before the late drama, it will be a tough result to take for a Kangaroos team that has now lost six in a row to the Hawks.
Second-gamer Matt Whitlock and Tomlinson were outstanding in defence for North Melbourne with 54 disposals and 14 marks between them, as their team kicked the first four goals before the Hawks hit back to within two points at the main break.
The home side hit to the front with Max Ramsden’s second goal in the sixth minute of the third, before James Tarrant caught fire for the visitors, booting three of their five goals in 17 minutes as they re-established a 29-point gap.
Stanley and then Kye Declase – snapping his 100th VFL goal in his 100th VFL match – kicked late majors before the last change to haul the momentum back and set up the remarkable finish.
Henry Hustwaite did as he pleased for Box Hill – his 38 disposals were 11 more than the next best overall and 14 ahead of best teammate Trent Bianco. Hustwaite’s performance included 25 contested possessions, 12 clearances and nine inside-50s, plus six tackles for good measure.
Porter had 20 touches and a goal and was at his niggly best when it mattered most to draw the Roo brainfades, while Ned Reeves starred in the ruck with 18 touches, 34 hitouts and two goals, although Teakle’s return of 1.4 from 16 touches could have been match-winning in what was an enthralling contest.
BEST
Box Hill Hawks: Henry Hustwaite, Callum Porter, Ned Reeves, Kye Declase, Ethan Stanley, Trent Bianco
North Melbourne: Matt Whitlock, James Tarrant, Darcy Macpherson, Oliver Lowe, Adam Tomlinson, Math Keast
GOALS
Box Hill Hawks: Jasper Scaife 3, Kye Declase, Max Ramsden, Ned Reeves, Ethan Stanley 2, William McCabe, Callum Porter, Jack Sammartino
North Melbourne: James Tarrant 3, Eddie Ford, Finnbar Maley, Geordie Payne, Zane Duursma, Cooper Harvey, Brynn Teakle
DISPOSALS
Box Hill Hawks: Henry Hustwaite 38, Trent Bianco 24, Jai Serong 23, Cal Porter 20
North Melbourne: Adam Tomlinson 27, Matt Whitlock 27, Darcy Macpherson 23
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at Box Hill City Oval
PORT MELBOURNE 2.6 2.8 2.10 4.10 (34)
FRANKSTON 3.0 5.6 5.13 5.20 (50)
FRANKSTON kicked its season off with a remarkable win that you would find hard to believe if you hadn’t seen it, outlasting Port Melbourne despite not kicking a goal after the midway point of the second quarter.
Unfathomably, the often wasteful Dolphins kicked a ridiculous 0.17 from the point Corey Ellison nailed his second goal with 10:17 on the clock in the second quarter.
However, the Borough was unable to take advantage, going goalless from the 13-minute mark of the first term until Paddy Farrant finally nailed a set shot in third minute of the last quarter.
In fact, between Ellison’s goal and Farrant’s the teams added 14 consecutive behinds between them in clear but breezy conditions at ETU Stadium – four to the Borough and 10 to the Dolphins.
Remarkably, the visitors actually outscored the home team from the Ellison major to the final siren despite not actually hitting the target. In fact, they kicked just one goal from their last 21 scoring shots.
Port Melbourne kicked 2.4 before Frankston hit the scoreboard.
But Adelaide signing Will Hamill, Geddes medallist Tom Murphy and livewire Blake O’Leary all starred and former Sandringham co-captain Darby Hipwell had a strong debut as the Dolphins never looked like losing after the slow start despite their profligacy.
The Borough would be disappointed to lose convincingly at home to fall to 0-2, but defenders Tom Hird, Fraser Rosman and Tom Highmore were the top three ball winners and could hold their heads high, as could Charlie Lazzaro, who had 23 touches and laid 14 tackles.
BEST
Port Melbourne: Thomas Hird, Charlie Lazzaro, Tom Highmore, Fraser Rosman, Dyson Heppell, Jimmy Miller
Frankston: Will Hamill, Thomas Murphy, Blake O'Leary, Corey Ellison, Ollie Moran, Nicholas Burke
GOALS
Port Melbourne: Patrick Farrant, Drew Lloyd, Sam Philp, Riley Polkinghorne
Frankston: Corey Ellison 2, Taj Campbell-Farrell, Noah Gown, Lachlan Reidy
DISPOSALS
Port Melbourne: Tom Hird 29, Tom Highmore 25, Fraser Rosman 25, Dyson Heppell 23, Charlie Lazzaro 23, Josh Green 20, Will Martyn 20
Frankston: Will Hamill 25, Tom Murphy 24, Blake O’Leary 23, Taj Campbell-Farrell 21, Darby Hipwell 21, Ollie Moran 20, Jackson Voss 20.
DETAILS: Saturday 29 March at ETU Stadium
