Under-17s
Under an unseasonably bright and sunny sky in St Arnaud, the local Saints proved far too strong for a depleted Birchip-Watchem Bulls outfit, recording a comprehensive 12.17 (89) to 6.0 (36) victory in front of a spirited crowd.
With the Bulls light on for numbers, they received six top-up players from the Saints to help fill the side. Despite the imbalance, the game began with plenty of competitive spirit from both camps.
It was the Saints who struck first, with Declan Kay breaking the deadlock just four minutes into the first term, slotting a confident set shot to get the home side on the board. The Bulls found their moment late in the quarter, when Jack McAuliffe pounced on a loose ball and snapped truly two minutes before the siren to register their first.
At quarter-time, St Arnaud held sway with 3.7 (25) to Birchip-Watchem’s 1.0 (6), their inaccuracy keeping the Bulls within arm’s reach.
The Saints found their rhythm in the second quarter, with Chase Zander kicking truly five minutes in to stretch the margin. Despite the defensive efforts of Noah Dean and Koby Hamilton, who battled valiantly in the back half for the Bulls, St Arnaud added another three majors to head into the main break with a commanding lead: 7.12 (54) to 1.0 (6).
Birchip-Watchem opened the third quarter with promise, as Ollie Cook launched a long bomb from 50 that dropped short but was brilliantly marked by Jack Knights, who made no mistake with the finish. However, St Arnaud responded immediately through Rylan Leech, reasserting its dominance.
Two more goals from the Saints pushed the margin further before the Bulls were able to reply with a much-needed major. By the final break, the Saints had surged to 11.17 (83), while the Bulls sat at 3.0 (18).
The Bulls started the final quarter with renewed energy, as Cook got reward for effort with his first goal. Charlie Baldwin, one of the Saints helping fill the Bulls’ ranks, followed up with a classy finish of his own.
With five minutes remaining, St Arnaud’s Jack Batters took a strong mark directly in front and slotted the Saints’ twelfth goal. But the Bulls weren’t done yet, Finn Green, another Saint stepping up for Birchip-Watchem, answered at the other end, and Frankie Donald added one more for the Bulls before the final siren.
Final scores: St Arnaud 12.17 (89) def. Birchip-Watchem 6.0 (36).
Best for the Bulls: Ollie Cook, Noah Dean, Jack Knights, and Cameron Jones. For St Arnuad: Chase Zander, Archer Reyne, Frankie Donald, Aidan Wickham, Rylan Leach
Under-14s
Ladder leader St Arnaud proved far too strong for a developing Birchip-Watchem outfit in their most recent clash as they kicked a massive score, on the expansive St Arnaud field. 
The opening quarter saw the play swing back and forth, but it was the Saints who hit the scoreboard first with a behind, setting the scene for their errant kicking, but they quickly capitalised on early opportunities to kick two majors. Birchip-Watchem fought hard but couldn’t register a score, as the Saints took a 3.2 (20) to 0.0 (0) lead into quarter time.
The second quarter continued in a similar fashion. St Arnaud added another two goals and five behinds, despite strong defensive efforts and multiple smothers by the Bulls, particularly from Eli Dean and Archie Tyler. At the main break, they had begun to build a commanding lead: 5.9 (39) to 0.0 (0).
The third term saw the Bulls continue to apply pressure, rewarded briefly with a free kick following a great tackle. However, they struggled to break through the Saints’ structured defence and St Arnaud extended its lead with a further three goals and two behinds, while Birchip-Watchem remained scoreless going into the final change.
In the last quarter, the Bulls dug deep and showed resilience, finally breaking through for their first and only score, albeit a behind, after a strong passage of play and a push into the forward line. Meanwhile, the Saints added another three goals and four behinds to close out the game 11.15 (81) to Birchip-Watchem 0.1 (1).
The Saints showcased their depth with seven individual goal scorers, including multiple goals from Finn Wilson (3), Duncan Kirk (2) and Chase Hendy (2). Despite the impressive scoreboard pressure, they’ll be looking to straighten up in the lead up to the final series.
Best for St Arnaud: Finn Wilson, Samuel Greenaway, Patrick Zsigmond, Isaac Johns, Spencer Kay, Sami Weir.
Best for Birchip-Watchem: Archie Tyler, Toby Kemp, Eli Dean, Indya-Rose Atkinson.