If someone had the audacity to suggest top of the football ladder Macedon would be trailing 16.15 (107) to 2.6 (18) at three-quarter-time on Saturday, their sanity would have been open to question.
Yet this is what occurred at Diggers Rest as a fired-up home side ran rampant against the shell-shocked unbeaten Cats, who failed to even score in both the first and third quarters!
After beating reigning premier Riddell by 32 points a week earlier on Anzac Day, the Cats and their supporters had every reason to anticipate a highly competitive showing.
Diggers Rest may have expected to win, but surely not by anywhere near the final margin of 79 points (the Cats regained some pride with four goals in the last term).
Put simply, Diggers Rest is now a red-hot 2026 flag favourite, but there’s a long way to go.
Such things as loss of form, an abundance of injuries to key players, tribunal visits, and some other side finding the answer to combating the Burras, could certainly occur.
Kicking with a wind advantage in the first term, the home side rattled on 7.6 to no score.
The Cats scored 2.6 in the second term to trail by 40 points at half-time, and conceded eight goals in the third term.
Some of the most damaging players are in their first season with the Burras.
From a Macedon perspective, it’s surely a case of “move on and learn from the unpredictable experience”.
Final score: Diggers Rest 18.18 (126) d Macedon 6.11 (47).
Hayden Davis and big recruit ruckman Olef Markov were best for the home side, with Harrison Huntley, Ben Dickins and Hamish Govan best for the Cats.
TOUGH AT KYNETON
Forwards in the Kyneton versus Wallan match at the Showgrounds found the going tough as both sides recognised the importance of the game.
After an even first term, Kyneton led by eight points at the long interval.
The Magpies showed they have plenty of depth, and the ability to shut down opponents.
They outscored the Tigers six goals to two in the second half, with final scores 9.12 (66) to 6.12 (48).
Vice-captain Ethan Turner and on-baller Danny Grmusa were among the Tigers’ best, and ruckman Haydn Smith did well against strong opposition.
With a healthy percentage, Kyneton’s short-term priority may well be to gain wins against the two Melton-based sides.
In the Reserves, Wallan won 13.16 (94) to 4.4 (28), indicating there is plenty of replacement players at Magpieland.
REDBACKS BY FOUR POINTS
In a vital game at Romsey for both sides, the Redbacks managed to win by four points — 10.13 (73) to 10.9 (69).
It was a see-saw encounter, with the Hawks scoring the first two goals before the home side took control in the second term.
The Hawks played well in the third term, but Romsey’s irrepressible captain Jack Jedwab kicked three last quarter goals to establish what proved to be a winning lead.
He finished with five majors, keeping up the season’s average.
Somehow the Redbacks restricted Hawks’ skipper Daniel Toman and forward Tom Gawthorpe to average matches by their high standards.
Coach Nathan Blair would have been happy with his own game, and that of a team that has potential to push for a finals berth.
Romsey 10.13 (73) d Woodend-Hesket 10.9 (69).
27 GOALS BY BOMBERS
Riddell, embarrassed by the side’s fade-out at Macedon, showed no mercy on Lancefield.
The Tigers found it hard to sustain pressure, and Zac Saad — one of the Bombers 2025 grand final heroes — finished up with seven goals, while the in-form James Wadden kicked five.
The Bombers had 14 individual goalkickers and are looking forward to this weekend’s fifth round clash against long-time rivals Romsey.
Lancefield’s refusal to give up led to five last term majors, with Warren King and Thomas Ogden listed as their best.
Final scores: Riddell 27.11 (173) d Lancefield 8.10 (58).
GIANTS GO DOWN
At their home ground, Gisborne Giants began strongly against Melton Centrals, in a match where fortunes fluctuated wildly.
There was nothing in the game at half-time, then Centrals gradually asserted their superiority.
The Giants failed to score a major in the last term, and Centrals went home with a morale-boosting 15.11 (101) to 12.7 (79) victory.