Sport
15 April, 2026
Super Max: Saints make stunning season start
The Saints powered to a 118-point victory over Charlton with Max Hungerford snapping six telling goals in windy conditions at Charlton Park.
BIG improvers St Arnaud and Wedderburn starred in the opening round of North Central football on Saturday.
The Saints powered to a 118-point victory over Charlton with Max Hungerford snapping six telling goals in windy conditions at Charlton Park.
Strong off-season recruiting and a game plan that looked polished saw St Arnaud dominate the first and fourth terms and now sits on top of the ladder after round one.
Nick Maishman who made the move to Lord Nelson Park after a storied career in the strong Barwon league, was best on ground for St Arnaud. He was part of the Saints goal spree with two majors.
The Saints have immediately shown they will be at their most competitive in several years and have the chance to further stake their improvement credentials on home turf this Saturday against Donald.
They shared lower rungs on the ladder in 2025. The Royals, coming off a low base, notched up their first win since the 2024 home and away season by downing Boort.
Clarity on how much the fortunes of the Royals and the Pies have changed in 2026 will take a few rounds to emerge,
The word out of the St Arnaud dressing rooms last Saturday was it’s only round one, there’s a long way to go this season.
Wedderburn was announcing new recruits until just hours before the first bounce against reigning premiers Calder United.
Matt Perri took to the field for the Redbacks at Nullawil, his four goals crucial to Wedderburn quickly ending the Lions premiership honeymoon.
Perri played the last four seasons with Wallan in the Riddel league.
“His smarts around goal have seen him kick 100 goals in a season on multiple occasions,” said coach Tom Metherell.
Co-captain Jackson McEwan played with Perri at Leitchville Gunbower while coach Metherell has previously played against the new forward at Donaldson Park.
“He is going to be a huge addition to our side for season 2026 and is going to give defenders nightmares,” said Metherell.
Charlton heads south down the Calder Highway on Saturday to meet Wedderburn in the annual Woosang Challenge and can expect a torrid welcome.
The Navies showed glimpses of improvement last Saturday. The challenge will be to inject more system into the game plan and lift communication around the ground.
As coach Carl Thiesz urged players during the quarter time huddle, be more committed and and begin erasing fumbles from play.
The Navies have that challenge again against a rising Wedderburn combination in North Central round two this weekend.
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