Sport
4 July, 2026
Reinforcements are coming
NEWBRIDGE’S season is on a knife-edge but the return of club captain and key forward Brandon Dimech in a couple of weeks has coach Jayden Cordy optimistic of a strong run for the finals.
NEWBRIDGE’S season is on a knife-edge but the return of club captain and key forward Brandon Dimech in a couple of weeks has coach Jayden Cordy optimistic of a strong run for the finals.
Dimech injured his knee in round five, but a feared ACL tear did not occur and he is set to play against either Calivil in round 13 or Macorna a week later.
That clash with the Tigers may well decide the Maroons’ top-five prospects, with winnable games against Mitiamo and Calvin to come in the next fortnight.
Dimech’s marking power and booming kick has been desperately missed by Newbridge, which also lost full-forward Billy Schilling for the season. The lack of a key marking target up forward has blunted the Maroons’ scoring in recent weeks.
Newbridge was well beaten by Maiden Gully last Saturday, losing by 63 points, and Cordy said his team “didn’t appear to show up”. Whether it was a let down after the excitement of playing with Gary Ablett junior a week earlier, or due to an increasingly deep injury list, the Maroons dropped the sort of game they need to win to remain in finals’ contention.
Reinforcements are on the way, with Zaiyden Richards, Caleb Argus and Jackson Eadon all set for returns in the next few weeks. Cordy said Eadon was probably leading the club best and fairest, so his loss has been notable.
Nine or 10 wins would be needed to reach the finals, Cordy said. “We know our best is good enough to pinch a few wins.”
Maiden Gully has won three matches in a row, including a game against Macorna, the side that sits above them in fifth place, with the Eagles making a push for the five.
Saturday’s match against Pyramid Hill is a crucial contest, with the Bulldogs missing a host of key players while the Eagles have loaded up with players such as Shaun McKernan as the transfer window closes.
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BACK on the winners’ list after five consecutive defeats, Bears Lagoon Serpentine has entered “must-win” territory, according to coach Jake Wilkinson.
Macorna will visit Serpentine this week for the first time and is likely to face a tricky surface after so much rain this week.
“Hopefully it gives us a little advantage,” Wilkinson said.
The Bears’ 43-point win came against a Calivil team on a high, coming off a famous victory over Mitiamo.
Wilkinson said his side had been “playing reasonably well in recent weeks without being able to put the score on the board”, pointing to a narrow loss to Marong and a fighting effort against Newbridge.
Serp will face Marong, Maiden Gully and Newbridge in the next four weeks, with wins essential to make a late charge towards the finals.
The team will be without experienced onballer Ross Turner, whose season is over after breaking an ankle against Calivil.
The Demons’ history of slow starts hit them again, with only one goal to half-time.
While the second half saw them boot seven goals to the Bears’ 10, the game was already out of reach in a frustratingly familiar scenario for coach Sam Maher.
Farren Priest’s consistency as a forward shouldering more than his fair share of the attacking workload for the Bears saw another three goals added to his season’s tally, now at 28.
Young star Jaxon Addlem was best for Serp, while co-captain Jack Maher led the Demons well in his 100th senior match for Calivil.
The Demons face an uphill battle at Malone Park this week against top side Marong.
Read More: Newbridge, Serpentine