Sport
7 August, 2026
MCDFNL Round 17 Football Preview — Dunolly vs Talbot
Fresh off their greatest performance of the season against Campbells Creek, Dunolly will attempt to end their 2026 campaign by challenging high-flying contenders Talbot.
The Eagles were in dazzling form at Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve, moving the football with deadly precision as they routinely punished the Magpies on the counterattack.
With captain Lachlan Tranter, Jay McDonald and Lachlan Watson dominating in the midfield, Joel Fisher was allowed to stay up forward. The star Eagle made full use of the opportunity, finishing with nine goals.
Teenagers Harrison Prigg and Silas Sayson were also major bright spots, continuing to cement their place in Dunolly’s senior squad with two goals each.
While the Eagles will be forced to revert to a more defensive game plan this weekend, McDonald and Bailey Morton will look to keep Dunolly’s counterattack effective against a Hawks team who had their top four spot virtually secured during their round 16 bye.
Averaging a staggering 167.3 points in their last three games, Talbot’s attack is heading into finals in destructive form.
Key forward Jarrod Stephens finished with 10 goals, 22 score involvements and 18 marks in Talbot’s historic 260-point win over the Magpies in their last outing, while former VFL leading goal-kicker Dean Galea ended with seven majors and Trent Barras booted five goals in his 250th game for the Hawks.