Sport
11 August, 2026
Contenders Harcourt demolish Avoca by 214 points
Harcourt produced another ruthless display to overwhelm Avoca by 214 points at Avoca Public Park on Saturday, underlining why the Lions remain one of the competition’s premiership favourites.
The visitors took control from the opening bounce, piling on seven first-quarter goals while Avoca managed two majors to trail by 35 points at the first break. Harcourt’s pressure around the contest and ability to generate repeat inside 50s entries immediately placed the Bulldogs under enormous strain.
The Lions continued to build their advantage in the second quarter, adding another five goals while restricting Avoca to just one. By half-time, Harcourt had stretched the margin to 64 points and looked in complete control.
The game was blown apart after the main break. Harcourt kicked nine unanswered goals in the third quarter to open up a 123-point advantage at the final change, before producing an extraordinary 14-goal final term to complete the emphatic victory.
Benjamin Leech was devastating inside 50 and finished with seven goals, while Mitchell McKnight and Jack Threlfall each added four. Thomas Walters, Jed Rodda and Cameron Anderson all contributed three apiece as Harcourt once again displayed its considerable scoring depth.
Walters was named among Harcourt’s best players alongside Leech, Anderson, Matthew McArthur, Threlfall and Mark Noonan in another dominant team performance.
For Avoca, Daniel Howell battled hard throughout the afternoon and received solid support from Scott Cawthan, Tyson Gray, Jonathan Grant, Darcy Carey and Lachlan Wardlaw. The Bulldogs competed as best they could, but were unable to withstand Harcourt’s relentless pressure and superior ball movement.