Hosting Merrigum at Violet Town Recreation Reserve, the Towners were riding the high of defeating 2025 grand finalist Girgarre in round two before the bye, however seemingly had no answers for an in-form Bulldogs side.
Despite the best efforts of co-coach Kolby Wild, who was named best on court in the loss, well supported by Ash Antonis, the Towners suffered a 26-42 defeat to now sit 11th on the ladder at the end of round four following a turbulent start to the year.
Violet Town will look to regroup ahead of a trip to Longwood this weekend, where both sides will be hunting win number two for the year.
Elsewhere, Lancaster has returned from the early season bye to great effect, delivering a brutal blow to get its season back on track.
Having suffered a 15-goal defeat in their last outing at the hands of Shepp East back in round two, the Wombats were ferocious from the moment they stepped onto the court against Longwood at the weekend.
Hosting the Redlegs at Lancaster Recreation Reserve, the Wombats dominated proceedings from first whistle to final siren, notching a mammoth 55 to 17 victory to improve to 2-1 from three games, and taking a handy percentage boost in the process.
Lancaster, who recruited heavily in the off season, are showing promising signs early that they are building towards the lofty heights they reached in 2024 when they made a grand final, having suffered a dismal 2025 campaign in which they recorded just five wins and finished two places above the bottom of the ladder, missing finals.
If early season form is anything to go by, however, they should be right in the mix come finals this season, sitting comfortably in third with the second-best defence in the competition so far in 2026.
But any challenger for the crown will first have to wrest it from reigning premier Shepparton East, with the Eagles chalking up a third-straight victory of the season at the weekend to assume their rightful place at the top of the ladder.
It was a rather comfortable 19-goal victory over last season’s preliminary finalists in Rushworth, too, with the dominant Eagles proving too classy in the 53-34 win, extending their unbeaten streak to 21 games.
The Kate Durling and Erynn Hueston-led Eagles last tasted defeat in September 2024, and it looks like being a long time still until they are on the wrong end of a result.
Elsewhere, Tallygaroopna is finally on the board with its first win after a strong but fruitless opening two games.
Having pushed Shepp East all the way in round one, before recording a draw against second-placed Merrigum in round two, the Redlegs finally made it a win against Avenel at the weekend, notching a big 51-27 victory to give Tamara Skinner her first win at the helm this season.
Murchison-Toolamba levelled the ledger at 2-2, the Hoppers accounting for Undera 46-20 in their round four outing, while Stanhope and Girgarre had the closest result of the round, unable to be split after scoring 27 apiece at Stanhope Recreation Reserve.
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