Magpies tough season continues

CAMPERDOWN’S tough season continued, with a seven point loss to Port Fairy in last Saturday’s round nine Hampden League senior football match.

Both teams went in the game winless for season 2026; the home team getting their first points with a 7.11.53 to 7.4.46 win at the Gardens Oval.

“Port Fairy dominated the centre clearances, which we’ve been pretty competitive in the clearances for most of the year,” Camperdown coach Clinton Thomas said.

“We weren’t getting a good look at it out of the middle, but Port Fairy were really kicking themselves out of it, which kept us in the game.”

The Camperdown mentor always felt his team was in with a chance right up until the end.

Down by 21 points at the last change, Camperdown kept the Seagulls scoreless in the last quarter while kicking two goals and two behinds.

“In the wet conditions, they could’ve kicked us out of the game pretty early on in the piece, but during the game we were in with a bit of a sniff and made some good adjustments after quarter time, and were certainly in the hunt.

“We went a lot more aggressive in the last quarter but trying to win the game in the last quarter is pretty tough to do, we left our run a little bit late.”

Wilba Cheeseman was named as the Magpies best in the loss.

“Wilba’s been in some form out on the wing, he gets amongst it, what has been most pleasing from Wilba’s perspective is just his defensive game which he’s taken to a whole other level; he’s hunting both ways now.

“He’s always been able to find the ball, but what has been especially pleasing is just how well he’s shutting his direct opponent down and really having that presence through the midfield, for the last month he’s been putting in good four quarter efforts.”

Harry Sumner led Camperdown’s possession getters with 26, also having eight tackles.

“Harry’s as tough as nails, a fierce competitor, the second I saw what the weather conditions were going to be, when it’s a dry day a lot of boys can play good footy, on a wet day some of those boys go missing, and Harry’s not one of them.

“He’s one of those rare boys that can play just as fierce and be just as damaging with the dry ball as what he is in wet conditions, he had another cracking game.”

Dom Absalom was another to impress Thomas with his game.

“Both Dom and Harry have a lot of similar traits in the sense that they’re both fierce and hard at the ball, they’re really quite fast and strong in the same context, they’ve got that nice blend of being able to break through tackles when they drive with their legs, but on the same token, if they get the ball on the outside they can really exploit teams with their speed.

“Dom’s been great through there, and he continues to improve, it took him a couple of weeks to blow out some of the cobwebs of having a bit more time and space in the minor league (Absalom played for Colac and District team Western Eagles in 2025), he’s adjusted back up well to Hampden level and he’s stringing some good games together that’s for sure.”

This week the Magpies play third placed Terang Mortlake at the Terang Recreation Reserve.

“Terang are playing some great footy, they had a couple of losses against North Warrnambool and Warnambool, that’s their only blemishes for the year at this stage; they’ll be tough.”

The reserves match saw Port Fairy score a 6.4.40 to 3.7.25 win.

Paddy Baker, Issac Fowler and Scott Londregan were Camperdown’s best in the loss, with Isaac Cootesmith, Tim Fitzgerald and Nick Jones kicking a goal each.

Port Fairy had an eight point win in the under 18s, 7.6.48 to 6.4.40.

Cooper Doolan, Dustin Lane, Rory Cameron and Finn Huggins were best for the under 18 Magpies, with Huggins bagging four goals.

In the under 16 football at Camperdown on Sunday, Camperdown scored a big 80 point win, 18.14.122 to 6.6.42.

Best for the Magpies were Mason Narik, Jimmy Cheeseman, Brady Rippon and Joshua Finlayson, with Finlayson and Isaac Lawlor kicking four goals each, Nate Castle three and Bayden Ward and Ethan Shadforth two each.

The under 14 game saw Camperdown have a 11.5.71 to 5.7.37 win.

Darby Sinnott, Harry Sinnott and Oscar Pyle were best for Camperdown, with Harry Sinnott kicking four goals and Pyle three.

In the under 12 football, Port Fairy scored a 4.5.29 to 2.5.17 win.

Best for the junior Magpies were George Titmus, Aidan Gardiner and Bronte Fitzgerald, with Jay Finlayson and Roy Molan kicking a goal each.

In the Open netball, Port Fairy got the points with a 48-38 win.

Nell Mitchell, Eliza Fleming and Chloe Davis were Camperdown’s best in the loss, with Mitchell shooting 31 goals.

The division one netball also went the way of Port Fairy who had a 43-28 win.

Macy Mahony, Charlotte Hinds and Kiara Love were best for Camperdown, with Love shooting 17 goals and Isobel Marwood eight.

The division two game saw Port Fairy score a 39-24 win.

Grace Dawson shot 14 goals in the loss, with Hope Kerr, Maisie Molan and Alice Dawson best.

Camperdown scored a 38-32 victory in division three.

Best for the Magpies were Lauren Murphy, Sondi Guthrie and Lily Baker, with Lauren Groen shooting 27 goals and Lily Baker 11.

Camperdown had a tight 37-36 win in the 17 and under netball.

Kiara Love shot 33 goals, and was named in the best alongside Elle Mahony and Tatum Courtney.

The 17 and under reserves saw a 24-18 win to Camperdown.

Meg Lafferty, Ruby Johnston and Keira Johnston were best for Camperdown, with Matea McKenzie scoring 12 goals and Ruby Johnston 10.

The 15 and under game saw Camperdown score a 32-14 win.

Stella Hinds, Olive Wills and Abigail Sinnott were best for the Magpies, with Abigail Sinnott shooting 22 goals.

In the 15 and under reserves netball, Camperdown had an 18-13 win.

Best for Camperdown were Reagan Webb, Georgia Neilson and Scarlett Simmonds, with Ruby Johnston scoring seven goals, Simmonds six and Vogue Fleming five.

The 13 and under game saw a strong 34-4 win to Camperdown.

Emma Lillie, Millie Bourke and Marlee Fitzgerald were Camperdown’s best, with Essie Myers scoring 17 goals.

The 13 and under reserves game ended in an 8-8 draw.

For the junior Magpies, Olivia Simmonds, Amber Narik and Maddison Lyne were named as best, with Holly Brooks and Poppy Gaut shooting four goals each.