Travelling to Stanhope Recreation Reserve, the Towners, buoyed by the strong challenge they brought to Rushworth the previous week, would have been optimistic heading into the clash that another competitive fixture could be produced and a second win be added to their 2026 tally.
But the Lions proved far too strong, with the Towners slumping to a 6.7 (43) to 27.16 (178) defeat to remain winless since round four.
A strong opening quarter from the home side left Violet Town with its back against the wall at the first break, trailing 2.2 (14) to 7.5 (47), a deficit which grew to 58 points by the half as Stanhope continued to pile on the goals.
The onsliaght continued after half time, too, as the Towners were unable to match the ferocity with which the Lions attacked, the home side booting nine goals to Violet Town’s one in the third term, while a six-goal-to-two final term in favour of Stanhope sealed the Towners’ fate, falling to an eventual 135-point defeat.
Five individual goalkickers nabbed one each for the Towners in the loss, which was led by JD Hayes and co-captain Nathan Abley as their sides’ best.
The tasks don’t get any easier for Violet Town (1-9), either, with the under-siege side set to face ladder leader Nagambie this Sunday at Violet Town Recreation Reserve.
Elsewhere, the top four sides in the KDL all played each other in round 12, and of those sides there was no bigger winner than Shepparton East.
Hosting reigning premier Murchison-Toolamba at Central Park Recreation Reserve, Eagles delivered a crushing 15.11 (101) to 7.7 (49) victory over the Hoppers, reminding the rest of the competition it is still a potent force.
From the opening bounce the Eagles looked on song and it was reflected on the scoreboard at quarter-time, with the home side enjoying a 3.2 (20) to 0.1 (1) lead, keeping the Hoppers goalless in a stunning start to establish a lead from which they would never be headed.
Murchison-Toolamba managed to turn it up a notch in the second term and claw back to level footing across the ground, though the visitors were unable to eat into the margin at all, with both sides booting 3.2 for the term to go into the rooms at the half with the Eagles still holding the same 19-point advantage.
It would be as close as the Hoppers got for the rest of the game, though, as the Eagles turned it on in the second half.
A 5.4 to 1.3 third term in favour of East all but ended the visitors’ hopes of a comeback as the home side flexed its muscle, racing out to a comfortable 44-point lead at three-quarter time, a margin which eventually became 52 points as the Eagles continued to surge until the final siren.
With a handful of five goals Braydon Kearns led the way for the Eagles, named his side’s best in the victory, closely followed by Jamie Spencer, while Jordan Gattuso was the other multiple goal-scorer for East, snaring two.
Lachy Seddon was the best for the Hoppers in the loss, while James Lloyd added three majors.
The win ensures the fourth-placed Eagles now move level with the third-placed Hoppers on the ladder, too, each with eight wins, however, with a game in hand over the reigning premier, could soon find themselves ahead.
In the other top four showdown, Nagambie and Lancaster did battle at Nagambie Recreation Reserve in a top two clash that had plenty on the line, with the winner to assume the top position on the ladder at the end of round 12.
It delivered early, too, as the Lakers raced to a two-goal lead at quarter-time, only for the Wombats to surge back to a four-point advantage by the half, setting up an epic finale after the main break between two likely contenders come September.
But with a wicked third quarter that yielded seven goals, the Lakers blew the Wombats out of the water, claiming a 25-point advantage at the final break, and held on for an eventual 12.8 (80) to 8.8 (56) victory, solidifying their status as the team to beat in 2026.
Around the grounds, Undera enjoyed a mammoth win over Merrigum, prevailing 24.17 (161) to 3.6 (24) at Merrigum Recreation Reserve, Tallygaroopna ground out an 8.10 (58) to 4.2 (26) win over Girgarre at Girgarre Recreation Reserve, and on a standalone Sunday fixture, Avenel survived a late Longwood fightback to win 15.10 (100) to 12.19 (91) at Longwood Recreation Reserve.
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