GEELONG FALCONS 12.8 (80)
BENDIGO PIONEERS 10.20 (80)

EURIAH Hollard booted a goal after the siren as a blistering finish from Geelong made Bendigo pay a heavy price for its woeful kicking in a thrilling NAB League draw at Deakin University on Saturday.

The Falcons trailed by 48 points at half-time and 41 at the final change but flew home with 7.6 to 1.1 in the last quarter, with Hollard marking a short pass from Jhye Clark a split second before the siren sounded, slotting a clutch set shot from 45m to pinch a share of the points.

But it shouldn’t have been so close, with the Pioneers having 28 scoring shots to seven in the first three quarters but only managing 9.19 to keep the Falcons within touching distance.

They led 7.14 to 1.2 at the main break, with their big lead built on the back of strong displays from Michael Kiraly having 22 disposals and five rebound-50s in defence and Max Dow – the younger brother of Carlton’s Paddy and Richmond’s Thomson – and Ben Cameron having 20 touches each, while Harley Reid (16 possessions, six marks, 2.1) was solid up forward, Carlton VFL-listed Hugh Hamilton had seven inside-50s and Oskar Faulkhead laid eight tackles.

Jai McGough was a key factor in Geelong’s comeback with 23 disposals, four marks, four inside-50s and five rebounds, defender Archie Sinnot (20, seven rebounds) kept the pressure on down back, Ted Clohesy (20, two goals) did his job up forward, Clark (20, five marks) was important in the middle, ruckman Olivier Northam took five marks and had 25 hitouts and Felix Henderson-Burch kicked three goals.

The Falcons did lose Harry Wall (ankle) early on, while Clark will miss the next two matches after being suspended for rough conduct on Pioneer Harvey Gallagher.

GIPPSLAND POWER 14.18 (102)
WESTERN JETS 13.9 (87)

GIPPSLAND produced a Powerful start and a strong finish to account for Western Jets by 15 points in an enthralling contest at Morwell on Sunday.

The Power piled on eight goals to two in the first term to lead by 40 points at the first break but failed to kick one in the second as the Jets booted six to slice the deficit to just four before taking the lead through Harry Miller in the first minute of the third.

The teams went goal-for-goal until the eight-minute mark of the last when Gippsland banged on three goals in six minutes to put the contest to bed as Jonti Schuback (20 disposals, five rebounds, three goals) did the damage at both ends, Patrick Cross (21, eight inside-50s, one goal), Mitchell Moschetti (20, six tackles, one goal) and Koby Grass (19, one goal) provided strong support through the middle and Thomas Hamilton (16, six marks, 2.3) caused headaches up forward.

Massimo D’Ambrosio, who made his Smithy’s VFL debut for Richmond in Round 1, was Western’s best with 22 disposals, five marks and seven rebounds, while Jaelen Pavlidis (19, seven inside-50s), Jake Whybrow (15, five marks, six tackles, six inside-50s), Matthew Payne (16, two goals) and Jhett Gaskett (14, three goals) were also important in the comeback.

CALDER CANNONS 8.7 (55)
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 14.14 (98)

BRISBANE LIONS father-son prodigy Will Ashcrost stamped his reputation as a possible NAB AFL No.1 draft pick with a masterful display as Sandringham got its campaign up and running with a comfortable 43-point win over Calder at Highgate Reserve on Saturday.

The Dragons trailed at the first break but won each of the last three quarters as Ashcroft ran riot with 38 disposals (including 22 handballs) and seven inside-50s, dragging his team along with the assistance of Cam Mackenzie (21 disposals), Charlie Clarke (17, five marks, two goals), Harry Sheezel (16, two goals), Archie Roberts (17, five marks), Matt Clarkson (16, six marks) and Ben Andrews (seven marks).

Michael Ktona (29 disposals, 11 marks, five inside-50s, one goal) and Jack Newitt (27, eight marks, eight inside-50s, one goal) were magnificent for the Cannons, with Essendon father-son Josh Misiti (21, eight marks, six rebounds, one goal), Joey Dimasi (23, 10 marks), Paul Pascu (25, five marks), Tom O’Sullivan (22), Caleb Burquest (eight marks), Jamieson Jarvis (seven marks) also putting in good performances.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS 7.11 (53)
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 12.12 (84)

OAKLEIGH blew Northern off Preston City Oval with seven goals to none in the first quarter before cruising to a 31-point win on Sunday.

The Knights kicked six goals to two in the second half, but all it did was rescue percentage and left them ruing staying in the rooms for too long as a brilliant performance from Oakleigh’s Elijah Tsatas (36 disposals, seven marks, seven inside-50s) tore the game away from there inside 25 minutes.

Angus Currey (20, eight tackles, two goals), Blake Drury (18, six marks, five inside-50s, one goal), Jack O’Sullivan (17, five inside-50s, two goals) and Riley Voulanas (nine marks, five inside-50s) rode shotgun for the Chargers, while Cooper Harvey (25, six marks, five tackles, one goal) and Patrick Dozzi (23, eight tackles, five rebounds) were Northern’s best, with Jonathan Tomasiello and Josh Hamilton (19 disposals each) also going well.

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 10.12 (72)
GWS GIANTS ACADEMY 10.5 (65)

MURRAY Bushranger Mitch Way snapped a terrific 45m goal with the last kick of the game to seal a nervewracking seven-point win over GWS Giants Academy at Lavington Sportsground on Friday night.

Both teams had their chances to win it in the dying stages before Way found the sealer, with the siren sounding before the ball made it back to the centre.

The Bushrangers were led by Noah Bradshaw, the son of former Brisbane Lion and Sydney player Daniel, who had 24 disposals and six inside-50s, Nicholas Quigg (22, 10 inside-50s, eight tackles) and Swans coach John Longmire’s nephew Jedd (19, seven inside-50s, five tackles), while Ewan MacKinlay (18, five inside-50s, two goals) and Darcy Wilson (16, five marks, 3.4) also impressed and Tom Gorman had 29 hitouts.

Giant Luke Lawrence was best-on-ground, however, knocking up 27 disposals, taking six marks, providing six inside-50s and kicking a goal, while Luke Fellows (23, four inside-50s, five rebounds) impressed, Nicholas Newton (19, six marks, 11 rebounds) and Harvey Thomas (18, five rebounds) were strong in defence, Mackinley Miller (16, five marks, two goals) was dangerous up forward and Nick Madden (20 hitouts, two goals) also made an impact.

SYDNEY SWANS ACADEMY 7.18 (60)
TASMANIA DEVILS 10.11 (71)

TASMANIA enjoyed a successful start to the season, but only after a lot of help from the Sydney Swans Academy in the 11-point result at Blacktown International Sports Park on Sunday.

The Swans were woeful in front of goal, going down despite having 25 scoring shots to 21, with the Devils kicking the last three goals after the home team had taken the lead through Hamish Anderson three minutes into the last quarter.

Lachlan Cowan was outstanding for the Devils with 31 possessions, five marks, five tackles, eight rebounds and a goal, while Seth Campbell (22, five tackles, two goals) and Sam Banks-Smith (21, eight marks, six inside-50s, one goal) also dominated and Tom McCallum (21, eight marks), Liam Jones (24), Brandon Leary (17, six marks, two goals), Will Splann (eight marks, two goals), Isaac Hyatt and Bryce Alomes (seven marks each) and Colby McKercher and Jack Callinan (five inside-50s each) all contributed strongly.

Sydney also had plenty of strong performers, led by Caiden Cleary (29 disposals, eight marks, seven inside-50s), VFL listed Luke Giacometti (27, six inside-50s, one goal), Christian Webster (25, seven rebounds), Austin Ball (25, one goal) and Jackson Endemann (29), while James Tidemann (17, five marks, eight rebounds) and Mitchell Kunigiskis (16, six marks) played their part.

DANDENONG STINGRAYS 13.14 (92)
BRISBANE LIONS ACADEMY 11.6 (72)

IT WAS a similar story in the early match of the Ikon Park double header on Sunday, where Dandenong kicked six unanswered goals in the first quarter before answering a mid-match comeback to account for Brisbane Lions Academy by 20 points.

The Stingrays led by 34 at the first break before the Lions worked their way back into the contest with seven of the next eight goals, including four in the first six minutes of the third term to take the lead, but the Victorians responded with four of their own in nine minutes to re-establish their advantage.

Mitch Szybkowski had 29 possessions, eight tackles and six inside-50s, Taj Campbell-Farrell 27, seven inside-50s and a goal and Jaxon Biggs 19, six marks and three goals) to be Dandenong’s best, while Jai Culley (22, one goal), Nick Collier (22) and Hugo Nosiara (19, five marks, five inside-50s) and Finn Emile-Brennan (16, five marks, seven rebounds) provided strong back-up.

Another Lions father-son prospect in Jaspa Fletcher was the visitors’ best with 19 disposals, 10 marks, five rebounds and a goal, while 13 teammates had between 12 and 14 touches, with Liam Hude (seven marks), Ben McCarthy (six marks), Zac Young (nine inside-50s, one goal), Max Nelson (nine rebounds) the best of them and Nathan Jensen having 21 hitouts.

EASTERN RANGES 17.12 (114)
GOLD COAST SUNS ACADEMY 8.7 (55)

NICHOLAS Watson booted five goals as Eastern Ranges kicked 13 to five in the second half to run away from Gold Coast by 59 points in Ikon Park’s second match on Sunday.

The Ranges only led by 14 points at the main break after kicking 4.10, but straightened up with 13.2 for a dominant win led by Kai Windsor (30 disposals, five marks, seven inside-50s, one goal) and Watson (, with Josh Bennetts (20, five marks, five inside-50s, two goals), Connor Smith (20, two goals), Zac Greeves (22, one goal), Daniel Wynd (20, five marks), Callum Verrell (19, six rebounds), Lewis Hayes (22), Cam Nyko (17, seven marks) and Sahaf Ali (six rebounds) also proving important.

VFL-listed Jed Foggo, who debuted last year, led the way for the Suns with 23 touches, five tackles, six inside-50s and five rebounds, while Jared Eckersley (18, six inside-50s), Marlin Corbett (18), Tony Lockett’s nephew Jye (17), another VFL-lister in Finn Brown (16, one goal) and Max Masters (six rebounds) also played well.

GWV REBELS bye

NAB LEAGUE BOYS LADDER, ROUND 2

* Top three qualify for the finals, with positions 4-13 playing sudden death Wildcard matches for the final five positions in the top eight

THIS WEEK

ROUND 3: Thursday, April 14: GWV Rebels v Geelong Falcons (CE Brown Reserve, Wendouree, 7pm). Friday, April 15: Sandringham Dragons v GWS Giants Academy (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, 11.45am); Tasmania Devils v Northern Knights (Dial Park, Penguin, 12.30pm); Gippsland Power v Sydney Swans Academy (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, 2pm). Saturday, April 16: Calder Cannons v Western Jets (Highgate, 10am); Murray Bushrangers v NT Thunder (Highgate, 12.30pm); Bendigo Pioneers v Dandenong Stingrays (Queen Elizabeth Oval, 1pm); Eastern Ranges v Oakleigh Chargers (Box Hill City Oval, 2pm). 

NEXT WEEK: ROUND 4: Saturday, April 23: Sandringham Dragons v Tasmania Devils (RSEA Park, 12pm); Murray Bushrangers v Northern Knights (Deakin Reserve Shepparton, 1pm); Gippsland Power v Dandenong Stingrays (Morwell, 1pm); Calder Cannons v Oakleigh Chargers (Highgate, 2.30pm). Sunday, April 24: NT Thunder v Geelong Falcons (TIO Stadium, 11.30am); Bendigo Pioneers v GWS Giants Academy (Highgate, 11.45am); Brisbane Lions Academy v Eastern Ranges (South Pine, 11.45am); GWV Rebels v Sydney Swans Academy (Highgate, 2.15pm); Gold Coast Suns Academy v Western Jets (South Pine, 2.15pm).

THEN: ROUND 5: Sunday, May 1: Bendigo Pioneers v Gippsland Power (Queen Elizabeth Oval, 9.45am); Murray Bushrangers v GWV Rebels (Queen Elizabeth Oval, 12.15pm); Tasmania Devils v Northern Territory Thunder (Highgate, 1pm); Geelong Falcons v Dandenong Stingrays (Queen Elizabeth Oval, 2.45pm). Bye: Calder Cannons, Eastern Ranges, Northern Knights, Oakleigh Chargers, Sandringham Dragons, Western Jets.

(All games are streamed live on the NAB League app except for the Herald Sun game, which is on that website).

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL