The TAC Cup round six kicked off with the state teams Queensland and Tasmania entering the fray, but unfortunately suffering heavy losses to Calder and Eastern Ranges respectively. Bendigo Pioneers held on against a fast-finishing Oakleigh Chargers while the Dandenong Stingrays comfortably accounted for the Murray Bushrangers. Geelong Falcons wiped the floor with the Northern Knights while the Gippsland Power held on in a close match against the Western Jets. In the final match of the round, the Sandringham Dragons won in an ugly contest that saw three goals kicked to three quarter time. All teams break for the Intra Trials between Vic Metro and Vic Country next week.

TAC Cup round six:

Queensland Scorpions 4.10 (34)
Calder Cannons 21.15(141)

Scorpions goals: Freeman (3), Hammelmann
Cannons goals: Schraven (3), Foster (3), Owen (2), Cooke (2), Barnes (2), Cauchi (2), Clothier (2), Corigliano, Christensen, Ahern, Cavka, Kovacevic
Scorpions best: Rutledge, Smith, Freeman, Radford, Taylor
Cannons best: Merlo, Lever, Ahern, Owen, Schraven, Clothier

Calder Cannons have continued on their good form, defeating Queensland in the sunshine state by a whopping 107 points. They had a host of goal kickers who managed to find the sticks with seven multiple goal scorers in a 21 to four goal rout. Matthew Merlo was superb for the Cannons while Jake Lever continues to impress down back. Aden Rutledge was an interest from the Scorpions point of view, taking 14 marks despite the heavy loss.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Matthew Merlo (Calder Cannons)
4- Jake Owen (Calder Cannons)
3- Jake Lever (Calder Cannons)
2- Aden Rutledge (Queensland Scorpions)
1- Ricky Schraven (Calder Cannons)

Bendigo Pioneers 11.17 (83)
Oakleigh Chargers 11.3 (69)

Pioneers goals: Mangan (2), Chisari (2), Payne (2), Evans, Hywood, Maher, Conway, Bacon
Chargers goals: Toohey (2), Kennedy-Harris (2), Indovino (2), Buggy, Hogan, Milham, Canterbury, Dove, Higgins
Pioneers best: Heavyside, Chisari, Payne, Maher, L. Barrett, Mangan
Chargers best: Kennedy-Harris, Dickson, Smith, Toohey, Urban, Mioni

Bendigo Pioneers have bounced back from some shocking form of late to knock off a Jay Kennedy-Harris inspired Oakleigh outfit. Jacob Chisari, Sam Heavyside, Joel Helman, Fergus Payne and Blake Poyser were all impressive as the Pioneers kicked away to a five goal lead at the first change. A heavily undermanned Chargers outfit used the breeze to fight their way back into it by half time, but with the Pioneers holding a 38 point lead at the last change, things were all but done and dusted. Kennedy-Harris tried to force his team back into it with two last quarter goals, but the likes of Chisari and Helman steadied the ship and ensured the Pioneers collected their second win for the year.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Jacob Chisari (Bendigo Pioneers)
4- Jay Kennedy-Harris (Oakleigh Chargers)
3- Fergus Payne (Bendigo Pioneers)
2- Joel Helman (Bendigo Pioneers)
1- Sam Heavyside (Bendigo Pioneers)

Tasmania 9.10 (64)
Eastern Ranges 19.9 (123)

Tasmania goals: Wiggins (2), Boscott (2), Deverell (2), Fox, Templeton, Dickenson, Grey
Eastern goals: Boyd (5), McStay (3), Petracca (2), Roth (2), Evans (2), Walker, Apeness, Crowe, Cavarra, Belo
Tasmania best: Webster, Nankervis, Templeton, Fox, Smith, Boscott
Eastern best: Walker, Belo, Welsh, Boyd, Cavarra, McStay

Eastern Ranges has continued its fantastic form with a comfortable 59 point win over Tasmania. Thomas Boyd couldn’t be stopped, booting another five goals in the win while the likes of Jordan Walker, Ben Cavarra and Daniel McStay were again prominent. Eli Templeton was the most impressive for the Tasmanians with a few players hoping to get drafted from the apple isle. Christian Petracca and Andreas Roth were again dangerous up forward with five goals between them.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Jordan Walker (Eastern Ranges)
4- Thomas Boyd (Eastern Ranges)
3- Ben Cavarra (Eastern Ranges)
2- Daniel McStay (Eastern Ranges)
1- Eli Templeton (Tasmania)

Dandenong Stingrays 13.9 (87)
Murray Bushrangers 5.7 (37)

Stingrays goals: McCartney (5), Rennie (3), Gardiner (2), Joyce (2), Gawley
Bushrangers goals: Brett (2), Impy, Drummond, Cary
Stingrays best: Harnett, Crawford, Gray, Foote, McCartney, Gains
Bushrangers best: Sharp, Cleeland, Holman, Drummond, Clarke, Gibbons

Dandenong Stingrays have bounced back from an ordinary patch of football to claim the scalp of the Murray Bushrangers at Shepley Oval on Saturday. Livewire small forward Clayton McCartney booted five goals in the win to single-handedly ensure that the Stingrays claimed the four points. Others that impressed for the Stingrays included Nathan Foote and Jordan Bastinac, both players working tirelessly. Bushrangers co-captain Michael Gibbons was again prominent while Jake Sharp was also impressive in the loss.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Clayton McCartney (Dandenong Stingrays)
4- Jake Sharp (Murray Bushrangers)
3- Nathan Foote (Dandenong Stingrays)
2- Michael Gibbons (Murray Bushrangers)
1- Jordan Bastinac (Dandenong Stingrays)

Geelong Falcons 18.11 (119)
Northern Knights 3.5 (23)

Falcons goals: Boag (5), Goddard (3), Thompson (2), Crawley (2), Beardsell (2), Sharp (2), Fort, Lang
Knights goals: Smith, McDonald, Porter
Falcons best: Boag, Lang, Adams, Taylor, Miles, Gardiner
Knights best: Smith, Haynes, Short, Iacobaccio, McKeown, McDonald

Geelong Falcons are looking every bit as ominous as their AFL counterparts, recording their fifth win of the season in a devastating 96 point belting of the Northern Knights. A full strength Falcons outfit took no mercy on a Knights side missing its AIS kids, belting  them from the word go with midfielder Matthew Boag outscoring the Knights with five goals. Darcy Lang and Lewis Taylor were superb while Darcy Gardiner also did some nice things across the field. Matthew Haynes and Jacob Smith did their best for the Knights, but the Falcons were simply too good.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Matthew Boag (Geelong Falcons)
4- Darcy Lang (Geelong Falcons)
3- Lewis Taylor (Geelong Falcons)
2- Matthew Haynes (Northern Knights)
1- Jacob Smith (Northern Knights)

Gippsland Power 18.11 (119)
Western Jets 16.13 (109)

Power goals: Scott (4), Saunders (3), Morris (3), Carr (2), B. Thomas, Channing, J. Thomas, Kearns, Pattison, Nash
Jets goals: Norton (5), Sicily (3), Said (2), Abou-Zeid (2), Orr, Burton, O’Leary, Hickey
Power best: Morris, Nash, Heppell, Saunders, Waddell, Carr
Jets best: Duggan, Norton, Robinson, O’Leary, Walshe, Laverde

Gippsland Power have maintained second spot on the ladder with a tough-fought victory over the Western Jets at Morwell Football Ground. Josh Scott was again lively with four goals, but it was his opponent down the other end in Mitch Norton whose five goals kept the Jets in it. The Power skipped away to a five goal lead before the Jets hit the front late. The Power steadied the ship and held on by ten points, but it much closer than first anticipated. The Jets will be happy they pushed a top four challenger to the limit, but disappointed they couldn’t hold on.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Edward Morris (Gippsland Power)
4- Aaron Heppell (Gippsland Power)
3- Liam Nash (Gippsland Power)
2- Mitch Norton (Western Jets)
1- Nathaniel Paredes (Gippsland Power)

North Ballarat Rebels 1.7 (13)
Sandringham Dragons 5.9 (39)

Rebels goals: Bennett
Dragons goals: Cathcart (2), Smith, E. Langdon, Manteit
Rebels best: Herbert, Vearing, Crouch, Bowman, Robinson, Cassidy
Dragons best: W. Hayes, Hodges, Grace, E. Langdon, Smith, Merrett

Sandringham Dragons have held off the North Ballarat Rebels in the worst contest of the season. A blustery, cold day saw both teams playing with more hope than skill and this showed with only two goals scored in the first half. By three quarter time, the Dragons led two goals to one and had it not been for a three goal last quarter, it may have ended with the winner below 30 points. Taylor Grace and Nathan Smith were among the best for the Dragons while Xavier Vearing was everywhere for the Rebels along with Louis Herbert who was impressive up forward and down back. Top ten pick Matthew Crouch broke his wrist and will need time on the sidelines to let it heal.

BFGN Rising Stars Medal
5- Taylor Grace (Sandringham Dragons)
4- Louis Herbert (North Ballarat Rebels)
3- Xavier Vearing (North Ballarat Rebels)
2- Matthew Crouch (North Ballarat Rebels)
1- Zachary Merrett (Sandringham Dragons)