A review of the Smithy's VFL qualifying and elimination finals.
FIRST QUALIFYING FINAL
Footscray’s irrepressible form continued in the qualifying final, with the Bulldogs proving too strong for Frankston in an 80-point romp at Mission Whitten Oval to record their 12th-consecutive triumph.
The tone was set early, with the hosts opening a 23-point quarter time lead that quickly ballooned out to 47 by the main break, with the Dolphins only managing two goals across the first half.
The onslaught continued in the final two terms, with the Bulldogs in control from start to finish to their second consecutive 80+ point win.
Adam Treloar stood out for the home side with another exhilarating performance. He had 35 disposals, 19 of them coming in the first half, while amassing 11 clearances, nine score involvements and eight tackles.
Zac Walker put on a show up forward in his eighth VFL game of the season, finishing with a season-high four-goal effort which included two goal assists.
Artie Jones was just as dangerous inside 50, booting three majors to go with 22 disposals and seven intercept possessions.
Jackson Voss was Frankston’s best in his return from injury, finishing with 27 disposals, 10 rebound 50s and seven inside 50s in the absence of Will Hamill, who was a late withdrawal.
Despite the Dolphins forwards having little impact, Noah Gown was hard at it all afternoon and finished with a game-high 11 tackles.
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS 4.6 9.7 12.13 15.15 (105)
FRANKSTON 1.1 2.2 2.5 3.7 (25)
BEST
Footscray: Zac Walker, Arthur Jones, Liam Jones, Cooper Craig-Peters, Adam Treloar, Lachlan Smith
Frankston: Not submitted
GOALS
Footscray: Zac Walker 4, Arthur Jones 3, Anthony Scott 2, Josh Dolan, Will Lewis, Luca Muratore, Caleb Poulter, Lachlan Smith, Fred Valpied
Frankston: Harrison Coe, Noah Gown, Trent Mynott
LEADING DISPOSALS
Footscray: Adam Treloar 35, Cooper Craig-Peters 24, Cooper Hynes 24, Lachie Jaques 22, Arthur Jones 22, Lachlan Smith 22
Frankston: Jackson Voss 27, Tom Blamires 22, Darby Hipwell 21, Taine Barlow 20, Tyson Milne 20
SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL
For the third time in four seasons, the Southport Sharks will feature in a Smithy’s VFL preliminary final after handing the Box Hill Hawks their third-straight defeat in the second qualifying final.
The Sharks ran rampant early in the fourth quarter to claim an 18.7 (115) to 13.16 (94) victory at Box Hill City Oval.
The margin was always within three goals across the opening three quarters of the game, with both sides gaining multiple opportunities to create a handy advantage.
This was especially the case for the Hawks who led by 16 points halfway through the second term after kicking four majors in a nine-minute period, with only inaccuracy keeping the Sharks in the hunt.
That inaccuracy would bite the hosts by the end of the afternoon.
Southport put the foot down in the final term, piling on seven unanswered goals in 20 minutes to open a 47-point buffer, before the Hawks kicked the four majors to cut the final margin to 21 points.
Jesse Joyce starred for Southport with a season-high 36 disposals as well as 11 rebounds 50s, eight marks, seven intercepts and seven inside 50s to steer the Sharks towards victory.
The visitors had five multiple goal kickers, with Wylie Buzza booting three, while Boyd Woodcock also produced a great performance with 26 touches, nine tackles and two goals.
Box Hill, who sat atop the ladder for 10 matches before losing its final two home and away matches, now itself in a sudden death final against the Brisbane Lions this week.
Sam Butler racked up 34 disposals as well as 10 clearances against the Sharks, while Max Ramsden’s was back in great form despite the loss, booting four majors.
BOX HILL HAWKS 3.7 7.9 9.13 13.16 (94)
SOUTHPORT SHARKS 4.3 8.3 11.5 18.7 (115)
BEST
Box Hill Hawks: Max Ramsden, Sam Butler, Henry Hustwaite, Trent Bianco, Jai Serong, Ned Reeves
Southport Sharks: Jesse Joyce, Jacob Dawson, Wylie Buzza, Jackson Edwards, Keegan Gray, Finn Hay
GOALS
Box Hill Hawks: Ned Reeves 4, Matt Hill 2, Cody Anderson, Jake Arundell, Kye Declase, Sam Frost, Henry Hustwaite, Will McCabe, Jasper Scaife
Southport Sharks: Wylie Buzza 3, Jackson Edwards, Keegan Gray, Max Pescud, Boyd Woodcock 2, Brock Aston, Brayden Crossley, Hugh Dixon, Zac Foot, Josh Gore, Hewago Oea, Jack Sexton
LEADING DISPOSALS
Box Hill Hawks: Sam Butler 34, Henry Hustwaite 31, Jai Serong 23, Cam Mackenzie, Seamus Mitchell 20
Southport Sharks: Jesse Joyce 36, Jacob Dawson 29, Boyd Woodcock 26, Zac Foot 23, Michael Manteit 22
FIRST ELIMINATION FINAL
Casey Demons won their first final since the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, blowing away Williamstown in a 76-point thumping at Casey Fields in the first qualifying final.
Kicking into a strong wind in the first quarter, the Demons booted six goals to two to lead by 23 points and never looked back.
The Demons won all four quarters to extend their margin throughout the match, and reached three figures for the eighth time in 2025.
No player stood out more than Noah Yze, the 19-year-old son of Richmond coach and former Melbourne star Adem, who took over with a seven-goal performance having kicked just eight VFL majors heading into the match.
Yze’s haul came from just 12 disposals and four marks, highlighting his ability to make the most of his opportunities on goal.
Others to star included Bailey Laurie and Blake Howes, who combined for 56 disposals and 19 marks, while Paddy Cross also bobbed up with four majors for the afternoon.
Tom Campbell too was terrific with 23 disposals, 12 clearances, nine score involvements and 29 hitouts.
The triumph was marred however by an injury to Charlie Spargo, who did not return after dislocating his shoulder in the third term.
Whilst their season ended in disappointment, Williamstown produced a mighty effort to reach the second week of finals after sitting outside the top 10 heading into the final round of the home and away season.
Jake Greiser (26 disposals) and Joel Fitzgerald (23) were the key ball winners for the visitors, while Brodie McLaughlin ended his season with 71 majors after kicking a further three goals on Saturday.
CASEY DEMONS 6.2 11.5 15.6 20.12 (132)
WILLIAMSTOWN 2.3 4.3 7.4 8.8 (56)
BEST
Casey Demons: Noah Yze, Jed Adams, Bailey Laurie, Paddy Cross, Blake Howes, Tom Campbell
Williamstown: Not submitted
GOALS
Casey Demons: Noah Yze 7, Paddy Cross 4, Aidan Johnson, Luker Kentfield 2, Jed Adams, Jack Billings, Kynan Brown, Bailey Laurie, Taj Woewodin
Williamstown: Brodie McLaughlin 3, Damon Hollow 2, Nathan Colenso, Riley Collier-Dawkins, Lachie Gollant
LEADING DISPOSALS
Casey Demons: Bailey Laurie 29, Blake Howes 27, Mitch Hardie 26, Tom Campbell 23, Koltyn Tholstrup 23
Williamstown: Jake Greiser 26, Joel Fitzgerald 23, Jack Toner 19, Hugo Kall-Kahan 18, Mitch Cox 16
SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL
Brisbane earned its place in a semi final after coming from behind to defeat Richmond by 20 points in the second elimination final at Brighton Homes Arena.
In a game that had many ebbs and flows due to a howling wind blowing to one end, the Lions may have won the game when they restricted Richmond’s advantage in the first quarter to just nine points.
The hosts then piled on seven goals in the second quarter to rocket to a 24-point lead at the main break.
In response the visitors produced 10 of the 12 scores in the third quarter while keeping the Lions goalless to take back the advantage heading into the final change, however their two-point advantage didn’t ever look like being enough.
And that proved to be the case, with the Tigers failing to find the big sticks in the last term, while Brisbane booted a wayward 3.6 to finish 20-point victors.
Leading the hosts to victory was Deven Robertson who starred again in midfield with 31 disposals, six inside 50s, five clearances and a goal.
Big man Oscar McInerney dominated once again with 26 disposals, 11 clearances, 15 hitouts and a major.
Conor McKenna also booted a season-high four majors for the Lions to go along with 16 disposals.
A gallant Tigers outfit had multiple contributors including Kaleb Smith (24 disposals), Jacob Koschitzke (three goals), Massimo Raso (nine tackles), Jacob Blight (nine intercept possessions) and Liam George (five inside 50’s).
BRISBANE LIONS 2.4 9.7 9.9 12.15 (87)
RICHMOND 4.1 6.1 10.5 10.7 (67)
BEST
Brisbane Lions: Deven Robertson, Oscar McInerney, Conor McKenna, Shadeau Brain, Darcy Craven, Daniel Annable
Richmond: Liam George, Liam Fawcett, Jacob Koschitzke, Harry Scott, Samson Ryan, Lachlan Wilson
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Conor McKenna 4, Fergus McFadyen 2, Darcy Craven, Curtis McCarthy, Oscar McInerney, Will McLachlan, Deven Robertson, Brandon Ryan
Richmond: Jacob Koschitzke 3, Jasper Alger 2, Liam Fawcett, Mykelti Lefau, Sam Toner, Lachlan Wilson, Mohammed Yassine
LEADING DISPOSALS
Brisbane Lions: Deven Roberston 31, Oscar McInerney 26, Daniel Annable 24, James Tunstill 24, Shadeau Brain 21
Richmond: Kaleb Smith 24, Austin Johnson 20, Harry Scott 20, Nick Collier 17, Mutaz El Nour 17, Liam George 17
