WEDDERBURN outran Calder United Lions in Saturday’s round 15 clash in Goldacres North Central senior footy.
The Redbacks made their way to Wycheproof for a crucial showdown with the reigning premier.
The ladder-leading Wedderburn made a confident start and was up 22-8 at quarter-time.
Calder United hit back to win the second term, 25-20.
As the Redbacks scored 4.2 in the third they worked hard to limit the Lions to just two goals.
A 23-point buffer for Wedderburn at the start of the last quarter was 35 at the siren.
Noah Furlong kicked four goals in a best afield performance as Wedderburn marked a 100-65 victory.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Redbacks were Jye Mortlock with three and Oscar Holt on two.
Dale Pearce kicked a match-high seven goals for the Lions.
Best for the Tom Metherell-coached Wedderburn were Noah Furlong, Zach Pallpratt, Hamish Lockhart, Lachie Raymond, Jackson and Mitch McEwen.
Daniel Watts, Dale Pearce, Oscar Madden, Boe Bish, Matt Trzeciak and Steven Kennedy were best for the Jordan Humphreys and Tom Bickley-coached Lions.
The Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers withstood a final quarter fightback from Birchip-Watchem Bulls to claim a 20-point win at Sea Lake Oval.
A high-scoring first term went the way of the Tigers, 32-20.
Sea Lake Nandaly then scored 3.2 in the second as the Bulls were held to a score of 1.3.
The Tigers won the third, 26-18.
The Ash Connick-coached Bulls lifted their intensity and run in the last to score four goals, but it was the yellow and black which led 92-72 at the final siren.
Max Cahoon led the Tigers’ attack on four goals as Boyd Bailey, Lachy McClelland and Billy McInnes kicked two each.
Leading goalkickers for the Bulls were Rhona Conboy, Zane Connick and Ben Lakin on two each.
Zac Bailey, Cooper Roberts, co-coaches Boyd Bailey and Wade Donnan, Adam Pattison and former Richmond and North Melbourne player Robin Nahas were best for SLN.
Birchip-Watchem’s best were Ty Colbert, Daniel Bell, Ben Lakin, Ben Hogan, Heath Smith and Rhona Conboy.
The Boort Magpies swooped for a 90-56 victory on Donald’s turf.
Boort charged to a 39-9 lead by quarter-time.
The Royal Blues fought back to score three goals in the second as the Magpies added a major.
By the long break the Andrew Rutley-coached Boort led 50-27.
An evenly-fought third term went Boort’s way, 26-22.
Jack Smith went on to kick a team-high four goals as Liam Bianco, Connor Dalgleish and Lachlan Fitzgerald kicked two goals each for Boort.
Donald’s attack was led by Blake Grant and Ashley Reed on two each.
Best for Boort were Jonathan Lanyon, Connor Dalgleish, Jack Smith, Liam Bianco, Lachlan Hall and James Byrne.
Donald’s best were Luca Rica, Thomas Guljas, Blake Grant, Bill Sam and Baxter Donnellon.
The Royal Blues are jointly coached by Daniel Pearce and Matt Walder.
St Arnaud marked an 87-point win at Charlton Park.
The Saints led 26-2 at quarter-time and then scored six goals in the second as the Navies were kept to a tally of 1.3.
By the long break St Arnaud led 64-11.
Best quarter of the contest was the third where the Carl Thiesz-coached Charlton scored 3.2 and the Saints added 5.2.
By the final siren St Arnaud led 125-38.
Max Hungerford and Jay Kirwood kicked five goals as Josh Hicks and Nick Maishman added two majors for a St Arnaud team coached by Darby Schilder and Harley Durward.
Charlton’s leading goalkicker was Jake Lawry on two.
Best for the Saints were Jay Kirwood, Sean Holroyd, Lachlan O’Connell, Nick Maishman, Max Hungerford and Oliver Rogers.
Charlton’s best were Ben Lanyon, Jake Lawry, Jeff Debast, Billy Sexton, Bailey Hooper-Dixon and Declan Ryan.
North Central FNL senior footy ladder after 15 rounds:
Wedderburn 205 per cent, 56 points; Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 225, 52; Calder United Lions 156, 40; Birchip-Watchem 144, 34; St Arnaud 90, 24; Boort 83, 20; Donald 80, 14; Charlton 13, 0.
The home-and-away series will be completed next Saturday when round 16 matches start at 2.30pm.
Bendigo Bank Round features the rematch of ’25 grand finalists Birchip-Watchem and Calder United Lions in the Bulls’ pen at George Cartwright Oval in Birchip.
Wedderburn and Charlton clash in the Redbacks’ web at Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park.
It’s the clash of the Saints and Royal Blues as St Arnaud hosts Donald at Lord Nelson Park.
Boort and Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers will fight for premiership points at Boort Park.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
70 Max Cahoon, SLN.
63 Dale Pearce, CUL; Steven Stroobants, CUL.
40 Ricardo Liparota, BW.
31 Ashley Reed, D.
30 Matt Perri, W.
29 Oscar Holt, W; Jay Kirwood, SA; Joseph Reid, BW.
28 Max Hungerford, SA; Torin Petrie, SA.
26 Boyd Bailey, SLN.
25 Lachy McClelland, SLN.
24 Kayne Rutley, B.
23 Tyler Curtis, W; Rylee Smith, CUL.
22 Rhona Conboy, BW; Billy McInnes, SLN.
21 Jack Smith, B.