But there is no disputing first place, at least for the moment, as the Eagles maintain a one-win buffer in top spot, extending their unbeaten streak by another week with a demolition of Stanhope on Saturday.
Hosting the Lions at the Central Park Recreation Reserve courts, Shepp East was in no mood to even flirt with the idea of an upset, promptly dishing out a 66-12 pasting of bottom-placed Stanhope to record the biggest victory of the year so far.
Marni Thorne and Lauren James were named the Eagles’ best in the big win, masterminding the victory at either end of the court.
The 54-goal drubbing improves the Eagles’ percentage to a massive 195 per cent, too, aided largely by the fact they are the league’s best defence conceding a miserly 25 goal per game so far this season, while also extending the unbeaten streak to a remarkable 22 games, having last lost in the 2024 preliminary final to Girgarre.
It is the Kangaroos that Shepp East faces next week in a huge grand final rematch from last season, although Girgarre hasn’t been able to capture the sort of form it showed last year, having slumped to another loss at the weekend.
The Roos hosted a resurgent Nagambie side at Girgarre Recreation reserve on Saturday afternoon, and while they tried valiantly to stop the rot, they eventually fell to 23-61 defeat, their third from four games to start the season.
The loss puts Girgarre down in 11th on the ladder, a stark contrast to the Lakers, who are flying high in second with a 3-1 record following the win.
Elsewhere, Tallygaroopna may have been pipped for the biggest win of the year, but it didn’t stop the Redlegs from posting the season’s biggest total in their victory over Undera.
The Redlegs have been in good touch to start the season, and it was no exception on Saturday at Undera Recreation Reserve, as they poured in 67 goals to the Lions’ 16 to record a 51-goal victory, good enough to cement fifth spot on the ladder with a 2-1-1 record.
Tallygaroopna is now sandwiched between Rushworth in fourth and Merrigum in sixth, after the Tigers claimed a hard-fought victory over the Bulldogs at the weekend to improve to 3-1.
After last weekend’s hiccup against Shepp East, the Tigers scrapped out a strong 40-32 victory over the Bulldogs, with both sides having shown plenty of promise to begin the year. The loss leaves Merrigum in sixth, level with Tally at 2-1-1 following their draw earlier this season, although behind on percentage.
In other contests, Lancaster proved too strong for Avenel, with the Wombats cruising to a comfortable 64-33 victory at Avenel Recreation Reserve to slot into third with a 3-1 record, relegating Avenel to seventh at 2-2 at the same time, while Violet Town notched a second win of its campaign with a 46-31 victory over Longwood, improving to eighth spot on the ladder.
