IT was a fantastic opening round of NAB League Boys action as teams dusted off the cobwebs and there were a number of top performers across the weekend. Ahead of our Scouting Notes and Team of the Week, we take a snapshot into Round 1 and how the six matches played out across the Easter Weekend.

GWV REBELS 12.9 (81) defeated GEELONG FALCONS 9.4 (58)

IN A SENTENCE:

After a tight start to the game, the Rebels kicked four goals to one in the second term to give themselves a 23-point lead at the main break, with the Falcons attacking hard in the third, before the Rebels again kicked away in the last.

TEAM STATS:

• Geelong Falcons won the disposal count (280-255), marks (69-55) and hitouts (44-21)
• GWV Rebels won the inside 50s (44-43) and rebound 50s (34-31)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Ben Hobbs (GWV Rebels) 22 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
• Marcus Herbert (GWV Rebels) 21 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 3 inside 50s
• Josh Gibcus (GWV Rebels) 14 disposals, 6 marks, 4 rebound 50s
• Sam Butler (GWV Rebels) 13 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 goals
• Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons) 24 disposals, 9 marks, 3 inside 50s, 5 rebounds
• Archie Hilderbrandt (Geelong Falcons) 25 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 5 inside 50s
• Flynn Young (Geelong Falcons) 11 disposals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 3 goals

DC MEDAL VOTES:

5 – Josh Gibcus (GWV Rebels)
4 – Marcus Herbert (GWV Rebels)
3 – Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons)
2 – Sam Butler (GWV Rebels)
1 – Flynn Young (Geelong Falcons)

NEXT UP:

Geelong Falcons vs. Murray Bushrangers @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Sunday April 11
GWV Rebels vs. Dandenong Stingrays @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Sunday April 11

—

CALDER CANNONS 10.6 (66) defeated by EASTERN RANGES 14.14 (98)

IN A SENTENCE:

An 11 goals to three first half wrapped up the game early on for the Ranges in what was a tale of two halves, as the Cannons piled on seven goals to three in the second half, only to go down by 32 points in the end.

TEAM STATS:

• Eastern Ranges won the inside 50s (52-44) and tackles (41-34)
• Calder Cannons won the marks (115-85), rebound 50s (36-34) and hitouts (33-26)
• Both teams were level with disposals (304-304)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Tyler Sonsie (Eastern Ranges) 34 disposals, 6 marks, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Corey Preston (Eastern Ranges) 18 disposals, 5 marks, 4 inside 50s, 4 goals
• Tyreece Leiu (Eastern Ranges) 17 disposals, 5 marks, 6 inside 50s
• Mitchell Sruk (Eastern Ranges) 21 disposals, 9 rebound 50s
• Flynn Lakey (Calder Cannons) 27 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
• Flynn Gentile (Calder Cannons) 25 disposals, 15 marks, 3 tackles, 5 inside 50s
• Sam Clohesy (Calder Cannons) 24 disposals, 10 marks, 3 inside 50s, 7 rebounds 50s, 1 goal

DC MEDAL VOTES:

5 – Tyler Sonsie (Eastern Ranges)
4 – Corey Preston (Eastern Ranges)
3 – Zac Taylor (Calder Cannons)
2 – Sam Clohesy (Calder Cannons)
1 – Tyreece Leiu (Eastern Ranges)

NEXT UP:

Calder Cannons vs. Tasmania Devils @ UTAS Stadium, Saturday April 10
Eastern Ranges vs. Oakleigh Chargers @ Preston City Oval, Saturday April 10

—

NORTHERN KNIGHTS 8.13 (61) defeated WESTERN JETS 7.10 (52)

IN A SENTENCE:

In a low-scoring tussle with not much between them all day, the Knights managed to kick away with the final goal of the game after Western Jets drew within a point midway through the final term.

TEAM STATS:

• Northern Knights won the disposals (344-272), inside 50s (55-41) and marks (96-70)
• Western Jets won the rebound 50s (47-33), tackles (73-58) and hitouts (31-20)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Joel Fitzgerald (Northern Knights) 32 disposals, 12 marks, 4 tackles, 7 rebound 50s
• Ned Long (Northern Knights) 26 disposals, 9 marks, 3 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 3 goals
• Josh Ward (Northern Knights) 22 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 4 inside 50s
• Harrison White (Western Jets) 26 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s
• Sam Clifford (Western Jets) 19 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 6 rebound 50s
• Harrison Schumann (Western Jets) 16 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 4 rebound 50s

DC MEDAL VOTES:

5 – Ned Long (Northern Knights)
4 – Joel Fitzgerald (Northern Knights)
3 – Darcy Wilmot (Northern Knights)
2 – Paul Curtis (Western Jets)
1 – Billy Cootee (Western Jets)

NEXT UP:

Northern Knights vs. Sandringham Dragons @ Preston City Oval, Saturday April 10
Western Jets vs. Oakleigh Chargers @ Avalon Airport Oval, Saturday April 17

—

GIPPSLAND POWER 7.6 (48) defeated by DANDENONG STINGRAYS 12.15 (87)

IN A SENTENCE:

The Stingrays never looked like making it a tight contest with eight goals to one in the first half to open up a 49-point half-time lead, before the Power hit back with six goals to four in the second half to reduce the final deficit to 39.

TEAM STATS:

• Dandenong Stingrays won the disposals (337-331), inside 50s (55-40), marks (77-64) and hitouts (27-19)
• Gippsland Power won the rebound 50s (43-32)
• The teams both laid 64 tackles in the match

KEY PLAYERS:

• Judson Clarke (Dandenong Stingrays) 23 disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
• James Cahill (Dandenong Stingrays) 23 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles, 8 inside 50s
• Mac Andrew (Dandenong Stingrays) 22 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s
• Connor MacDonald (Dandenong Stingrays) 24 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Max Walton (Gippsland Power) 32 disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 10 rebound 50s
• Luis D’Angelo (Gippsland Power) 21 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 3 rebound 40s
• Mitchell Moschetti (Gippsland Power) 26 disposals, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 5 inside 50s

DC MEDAL VOTES:

5 – Connor Macdonald (Dandenong Stingrays)
4 –  Josiah Kyle (Dandenong Stingrays)
3 – Judson Clarke (Dandenong Stingrays)
2 – Miller Bergman (Dandenong Stingrays)
1 – Mac Andrew (Dandenong Stingrays)

NEXT UP:

Gippsland Power vs. Bendigo Pioneers @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Sunday April 11
Dandenong Stingrays vs. GWV Rebels @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Sunday April 11

—

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 9.7 (61) defeated by BENDIGO PIONEERS 19.11 (125)

IN A SENTENCE:

A fairly even contest for most of the first half, the Pioneers booted 11 of the last 14 goals to storm to a massive 64-point victory over the Bushrangers.

TEAM STATS:

• Bendigo Pioneers won the disposals (310-300), inside 50s (59-41), marks (93-76) and hitouts (33-30)
• Murray Bushrangers won the rebound 50s (40-30) and tackles (49-42)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Sam Conforti (Bendigo Pioneers) 25 disposals, 3 marks, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal
• Hugh Hamilton (Bendigo Pioneers) 19 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Harvey Gallagher (Bendigo Pioneers) 18 disposals, 6 marks, 4 inside 50s, 3 goals
• Xavier Mitchell (Bendigo Pioneers) 16 disposals, 8 marks, 7 inside 50s, 3 goals
• Cameron McLeod (Murray Bushrangers) 18 disposals, 6 marks, 4 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Paddy Parnell (Murray Bushrangers) 22 disposals, 5 marks, 8 tackles, 7 rebound 50s
• Josh Rachele (Murray Bushrangers) 19 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

DC MEDAL VOTES:

5 – Sam Conforti (Bendigo Pioneers)
4 – Xavier Mitchell (Bendigo Pioneers)
3 – Josh Rachele (Murray Bushrangers)
2 – Hugh Hamiliton (Bendigo Pioneers)
1 – Charlie Byrne (Murray Bushrangers)

NEXT UP:

Murray Bushrangers vs. Geelong Falcons @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Sunday April 11
Bendigo Pioneers vs. Gippsland Power @ Queen Elizabeth Oval, Sunday April 11

—

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 11.16 (82) defeated OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 10.6 (66)

IN A SENTENCE:

In an unbelievably high-quality game, the Dragons had the breeze in the last quarter to kick five goals to one, and run over the top of the Chargers by 16 points.

TEAM STATS:

• Sandringham Dragons won the disposals (306-272), inside 50s (45-36) and marks (63-58)
• Oakleigh Chargers won the rebound 50s (34-24), tackles (64-50) and hitouts (36-30)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Campbell Chesser (Sandringham Dragons) 23 disposals, 2 marks, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
• Lachlan Riley (Sandringham Dragons) 24 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
• Josh Sinn (Sandringham Dragons) 20 disposals, 4 marks, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s
• Logan Young (Sandringham Dragons) 17 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 2 goals
• Nick Daicos (Oakleigh Chargers) 28 disposals, 8 marks, 7 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 3 goals
• Lachlan Rankin (Oakleigh Chargers) 8 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 3 goals
• Scott Beilby (Oakleigh Chargers) 21 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 9 rebound 50s
• Patrick Voss (Oakleigh Chargers) 11 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

DC MEDAL VOTES:

5 – Nick Daicos (Oakleigh Chargers)
4 – Campbell Chesser (Sandringham Dragons)
3 – Lachlan Riley (Sandringham Dragons)
2 – Scott Beilby (Oakleigh Chargers)
1 – Logan Young (Sandringham Dragons)

NEXT UP:

Sandringham Dragons vs. Northern Knights @ Preston City Oval, Saturday April 10
Oakleigh Chargers vs. Eastern Ranges @ Preston City Oval, Saturday April 10