Eagles rule skies as home-and-away season wraps up

ONE round remains for the 2024 Geelong & District Football Netball League (GDFNL) home and away season, with plenty to play for across all the action tomorrow (Saturday, August 17).

East Geelong has gone unchallenged through 17 rounds across both football and netball, already securing minor premierships in both codes with one game to play, and will both get a week off in the finals.

In the football, Belmont (56 points) and Werribee Centrals (52 points) are already locked in for the First Qualifying Final at St Albans Reserve next Saturday, but it is still yet to be decided who will face Thomson (44 points) in the Elimination Final next Sunday.

Reigning premiers Inverleigh (38 points) can cash in its draw from earlier in the season with an away win against Anakie, but a slip up would be costly.

Sixth placed North Geelong (36 points) can complete its mission to the finals with a win over Belmont at home should the Hawks lose.

Should the Magpies and Hawks lose, the window then swings open for Bannockburn (36 points), who take on a lowly Bell Post Hill side at Victoria Park.

The goal-kicking title will also be up for grabs, with one goal separating the top three goal-getters for 2024.

Werribee’s Carmen Saliba leads the pack with 50 majors on the year but is closely tailed by Winchelsea’s Jordan Gould and Inverleigh’s Adam Donohue who both sit on 49 goals apiece.

With the Eagles (64 points) waiting in the wings to find out who they will face in week 2 of the GDNL Finals, Winchelsea (56 points) and Corio (56 points) will experiment with rotations and personnel with both clubs’ double chance already locked away ahead of Round 18.

The Devils will conclude the season against bottom-of-the-table Geelong West, while Winchelsea gets an early look at East Geelong ahead of finals, with the matchup a potential Grand Final preview.

Belmont (44 points) secured its first A Grade finals berth for the first time in 22 years following last week’s win over Bannockburn (42 points), but the Tigers can rest easy knowing its finals spot is already secured no matter their result against Bell Post Hill tomorrow.

Other fixtures to conclude the season include Thomson going up against the reigning premiers Werribee Centrals, while Belmont will go head-to-head with North Geelong.

Lions shooter Angelique Ross will comfortably win this year’s Hot Shots Award, sitting on 810 goals for the year. The next highest goal scorer is Anakie’s April McLean with 596 goals.

Head to the ladders page for the full GDFNL standings.

GDNL minor premiers Abbey Rumbiolo and East Geelong will play either Winchelsea or Corio in Week 2 of the Finals.