by Rob Popplestone
The Mid Gippsland footy season is up and away for season 2025, with six clubs getting wins on the board.
One club - Foster - will play their first game this weekend after a bye in round one.
Surprises on Saturday included Thorpdale's comfortable victory over Morwell East and Newborough's impressive performance against MDU. What can we expect in round two?
MDU v Thorpdale
It's crazy that teams feel pressure after just one round of football in an 18-round season. However, anyone who has followed the MGFNL in recent years knows too well that very little can separate third from 12th on the ladder later in the year. This makes early wins crucial.
MDU coach Rhett Kelly is looking forward to this contest at home, noting the game marks "another big challenge for us to get the win on the board".
"There are a few players returning, and some players played well in the reserves game, so we will look to make a couple of changes," Kelly said.
Daniel "Tac" Taylor might have been ecstatic with his Blue boys in round one after their comfortable win over Morwell East. However, he is experienced enough to know that last week was last week and the Demons will be ready to perform in front of their home crowd.
"MDU this week will be another good test," Taylor said. "I'd imagine they'd be pretty keen to bounce back in their first home game of the season. I'm looking forward to it."
Big things were expected of the Demons this season. If they are to come, they cannot afford to drop games like this on their home deck.
Morwell East v Hill End
Every coach's philosophy is that you don't lose two games in a row. It's one that will ring true at Morwell East as they attempt to bounce back from their shock loss to Thorpdale.
The Hawks have the benefit of two home games to start the season and they can ill afford to drop the second of those this weekend.
Morwell East coach Paul Henry acknowledged the disappointing start to the season.
"We were outplayed all day and we just couldn't get the game on our terms," Henry said. "At home again, we just have to bounce back."
Hill End coach Adrian Burns is well aware he has work to do. Amongst identified areas of improvement is one that can't always be acknowledged; that is patience.
A win might not come this weekend but improvement is absolutely essential.
"Morwell East will be another test, but we continue on our match fitness," Burns said. "We struggled to work our way into our forward 50, so that will be another area we work on."
Burns added more numbers were "slowly making themselves available" as they continue to move forward.
The Hawks will enter the game as warm favourites and coach Henry will want to see that justified in almost every area of the game.
Foster v Newborough
The Bulldogs sent an early message to the league that they will be up and about and ready to match it with the best sides in the competition when they easily accounted for MDU in round one.
This weekend they face a fierce competitor in Foster.
"Having Foster at Foster this week is always a tough task," Newborough coach Pat Frendo. "Expecting them to be right up there at the end of the season, so we're excited to see how we go against benchmark teams like them."
The Tigers have put together a really solid pre-season and, with good numbers on the track, they are expected to be a contender once more. However, they've had to wait an extra week to test themselves.
"Round one bye for the second time in three years for us," Foster coach Sam Davies said. "We get Newborough first up, coming off a really impressive win. So we know we are going to be up against it. Hopefully we can battle away and stay in the contest for a lot of the day."
The Bulldogs' new game style of quick small forwards and equally impressive ball movement are key. These will certainly be a target for the Tigers who must manage an opposition that blew the cobwebs out just seven days prior.
Boolarra v Mirboo North
Two winning sides from round one get the chance to build on their good start to the season when the Tigers venture to the Demons' home ground.
Boolarra held off a courageous and wayward Stony Creek in round one. They will move forward with an even stronger line-up this weekend as they take on neighbouring Mirboo North.
Boolarra coach Brendan Mason said they should welcome back a couple of players against their local rivals.
"Ladder positions rarely matter when we take on the Tigers, and I'm sure this week will be no different," Mason said.
"We'll put some time into their experienced pairing of (Damien) Turner and (Hudson) Kerr but will predominantly back in our system in what shapes up as a pivotal round two clash," he said.
These 50-50 games are inevitably season changers. Either winning or losing can be reflected on as shaping the overall season.
Mirboo North coach Damian Turner said Boolarra at Boolarra was a tough assignment and he "can't wait for the challenge".
He said their respected rival "will be buzzing after a close win".
Despite their first round wins, something extra will need to be found by the victors on Saturday.
Tarwin v Stony Creek
The Sharks showed some real grit in their first round victory over local rivals Toora.
Tarwin led at every turn; 10 points at quarter time, 14 points at half-time and just eight points at the final break. However, it was their last quarter that did the damage, keeping Toora goalless and adding better than three goals themselves.
That said, Tarwin coach Lachie Jones is aware and respectful of this week's opposition.
"Stony Creek will be another test next week as Troy (Shepardson) will have them well drilled," Jones said.
The Lions may have lost last week, but the club feels they all but secured the points. They controlled long periods of the game, only to be inaccurate in front of goal. As the saying goes and has always gone, "bad kicking is bad football" and you can't afford that against an opponent like Tarwin.
"Looking forward to taking on a Tarwin side on their home deck," Stony Creek coach Troy Shepardson said. "After a good win, they will be up and about. But we are looking to bounce back and get ourselves on the winners' list."
The Lions will be hoping the likes of Kael Bergles, Zye Bergles-Brown, Tom Stone and Kurt Newton can get greater support this weekend and, most importantly, that their finishing in front of goal is much improved.
Yinnar v Toora
Yinnar confidently put the reigning premiers to the sword in round one with a courageous 10-point victory.
The challenge now is to come off what was a long pre-season build up to the grand final re-match to a round two clash with Toora.
Good sides take up these challenges as though life depends on it.
"We are looking forward to coming up against Toora for our first home game of the season, in front of our local supporters and past players," Yinnar coach Sam McCulloch said. "We will need to be on our game right from the start and are expecting a tough encounter."
The Yinnar Magpies support from the local community is one of the best in the league. After a couple of near misses in recent years, it is hoped that 2025 will give them another chance to contest the ultimate prize.
The Toora clash should be Yinnar's game to win, but that's just when you can get bitten on the behind by a side that is keen to improve very quickly.
"We can see pretty clearly where we need to improve," Toora coach Jay Acardi said. "Heading to Yinnar this week will give us the perfect opportunity to see if we have learnt from some mistakes we made (in) round one."
The clash of the Magpies will draw a big crowd. The home side would be favourites to repeat the efforts of the week prior, but beware a Toora side with plenty of talent and nothing to lose.
Bye: Fish Creek.