Hosting rival Avenel at Nagambie Recreation Reserve, the Lakers proved far too classy, claiming a 53-34 victory to ensure they remain at the pointy end of the ladder, one game behind reigning premier Shepp East.
The 19-goal win is Nagambie sixth from seven games this season, which has started brightly under the tutelage of Ashley Chapman, who has come on board to help the Lakers contend on the final day of the season.
Meanwhile, the Swans find themselves down in eighth with a 3-4 record, locked in a battle for the top six with a throng of sides in and around the middle of the ladder, as they attempt to replicate their finals berth from last season.
Elsewhere, Tallygaroopna is back among the winners – and back in the top six – after they cruised to a mammoth victory at the weekend.
Having suffered a 21-goal defeat at the hands of Lancaster the previous weekend, it was an impressive Redlegs outfit that arrived at Violet Town Recreation Reserve on Saturday out to make amends.
Taking on the fifth-placed Towners, themselves on a three-game winning streak, the Redlegs barely missed a beat in a mammoth victory, comfortably accounting for the home side with a 43-16 triumph to once again improve to a winning record.
Tallygaroopna now holds a 3-2-1 record with six games played, having had an extra bye to most other teams and, although it sits sixth, has only lost to two of the top four sides in Shepparton East and Lancaster, and has come the closest of anyone to toppling the high-flying Eagles this season, going down by seven goals in round one.
Around the courts, East had another comfortable victory at Central Park Recreation Reserve to remain unbeaten through eight rounds, proving far too strong for Merrigum in a 53-26 demolition.
With the victory, the Eagles’ winning streak now stands at a remarkable 24 outings without loss, having last tasted defeat in the 2024 preliminary final against Girgarre, and will look to notch the quarter-of-a-century streak in round nine when they take on Longwood.
Elsewhere, Girgarre secured a second victory and first since round four, as it delivered a 59-11 belting of Longwood, restoring some percentage and climbing to ninth on the ladder, a far cry from the lofty heights it has enjoyed over the past few seasons, but showing steady improvement as the new group spends more time on court.
Rushworth continues to close the percentage gap to Nagambie and Lancaster around it on the ladder, too, adding a 59-19 smashing of Murchison-Toolamba to the 47-goal victory the Tigers earned the previous week, to now move to three per cent behind the Wombats in the race for second, although ahead for the time being given Lancaster has a game in hand.
Stanhope and Undera played out the closest clash of the round, with Stanhope claiming bragging rights in the all-Lions clash, prevailing 33-27 at Stanhope Recreation Reserve to claim a second win, while Undera remains winless and rooted to the bottom of the ladder.
