Sport
14 August, 2026
Frustrating final quarter
DESPITE three highly competitive quarters, Camperdown finished with a 71-point loss to Portland in the round 16 Hampden League senior football match last Saturday.
Portland led by nine points at three-quarter time before kicking 11 goals to one in the final term to run out 21.11.137 to 9.12.66 winners at the Leura Oval.
“It’s not that they stepped up, we just stopped and that’s the frustrating thing,” a disappointed Camperdown coach Clinton Thomas said.
“In many ways we felt that we should’ve been up at half-time, three-quarter time but we weren’t kicking with accuracy, so we missed some really good opportunities.
“To be within nine points, it was still a very, very winnable game, but when you break down the data, it’s not that they played anything really different so much as we stepped away from what wins us games and wins us quarters.”
Charlie Lucas and Cameron Spence were best for the Magpies in the loss.
“It was one of those games we didn’t have everyone put in a full game effort,” Thomas said.
“Charlie and Cam certainly did put in solid games across the four quarters.”
Zach Sinnott led Camperdown’s possession getters with 26, with Spence gathering 21, Myles Sinnott 21 and Riley Arnold 20.
Charlie Lucas and Harry Sumner led the tackle count with six each.
Zach Sinnott and Tom Baker were the multiple goal kickers with two each.
“Zach knows how to find the ball for sure.
“If he can connect up and we can get a surge in the contest anywhere in the front half, he’s a real threat with his good finishing and composure in front of the goals.”
Tomorrow sees the Magpies head to Cobden to play the Bombers.
“Cobden at Cobden are always a very tough prospect.
“They’re in a similar position to us in that their game against Koroit (Koroit won by 98 points) didn’t go as well as they’d have hoped, so both teams will be out to show something.”
The reserves match saw Portland score a 10.9.69 to 5.8.38 win.
Brock Stephens, Issac Fowler, Paddy Baker, Nick Jones, Ethan Coates and Cooper Doolan were Camperdown’s best in the loss, with Jones kicking two goals.
Portland had a 12.15.87 and 6.3.39 win in the under 18s.
Zackary Regan, Charlie Londregan, Harvey Roberts, James Wallace, Lenny Stephens and Isaac Cootesmith were best for the under 18 Magpies in the loss, with Harvey Roberts kicking two goals and one each to Wallace, Ollie Delaney, Rorey Cameron and Isaac Cootesmith.
Camperdown’s under 16 team continue on in the finals, scoring an 8.7.55 to 8.3.51 win over Warrnambool in Sunday’s first semi-final at Terang.
The under 16 Magpies, the club’s first junior football team to see finals action since 2017, had lost to Warrnambool by 68 points and 75 points in their two home and away clashes in 2026.
Warrnambool led by seven points at quarter time, three points at half time and three points at the last change before the Magpies finished strongly.
Joshua Finlayson, Max Rees, Jonty Raven, Nate Castle, Ethan Shadforth and Jimmy Cheeseman were Camperdown’s best, with Darby Sinnott, Harry Sinnott and Josh Finlayson kicking two goals each, Cheeseman and Miller Lockhart kicking one each.
The under 16 Magpies are now through to Sunday’s preliminary final at Bushfield, where they will take on North Warrnambool for a place in the grand final.
HAMPDEN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
ROUND 16
SENIOR FOOTBALL
CAMPERDOWN v PORTLAND
Camperdown 9.12 (66) lost to Portland 21.11 (137)
Best Players
Camperdown: Charlie Lucas, Cameron Spence, Harry Sumner, James O'Neil, Gryff Dwyer, Riley Arnold
Portland: Tylar Watts, Daniel Jackson, Harris Jennings, Kodi Jones, Tom Burns, Jake Wilson
Goal Kickers
Camperdown: Tom Baker 2, Zach Sinnott 2, Luke Bone, Gryff Dwyer, Jonty Lafferty, Ned Molan, Cameron Spence
Portland: Connor Giddings 5, Jake Wilson 5, Tom Burns 2, Kodi Jones 2, Jett Lovell 2, Tanna Blackney-Noter, Jake Edwards, Toby Jennings, Kade Lovell, Tanner Lovell
In the Open netball, Camperdown had its third win of the season with a 62-43 victory.
The Magpies welcomed Piper Stephens back to the team, with the teenager having a big impact in the win.
“We love it when we have Piper back, she makes such a difference to our team,” Camperdown coach Jill Leader said.
“Everyone can play their normal positions when we have Piper back, and she’s playing some beautiful netball at the moment.”
Stephens shot 25 goals, with goal shooter Nell Mitchell shooting 37 in the win.
Along with Stephens, defensive players Rosie Pickles and Madison Lucas were best for the Magpies.
“Our defenders played really well, our assistant coach Peta Henderson has been working as our defensive coach and came in with a few tips for Rosie and Maddie.
“The girls put that into practice and got some nice intercepts and really just gave us a lot more ball into the attacking end which our attackers really capitalised on.”
Tomorrow the Open Magpies play fifth-placed Cobden.
“Cobden are playing really well at the moment.
“We’ll have everyone except Indi Cameron who has football commitments, we gave them a good push for part of the game last time, it’s always keenly fought so it will be interesting to see how it ends up.”
The division one netball went the way of Portland who had a 45-43 win.
Kiara Love, Macy Mahony and Chloe O’Brien were best for Camperdown, with Love shooting 28 goals and Isobel Marwood 11.
The division two game saw Camperdown score a 41-37 win.
Kirby Stonehouse, Grace Dawson and Sarah Spokes were Camperdown’s best, with Grace Dawson shooting 26 goals and Jocelyn McDonald 15.
Camperdown scored a 33-23 victory in the division three netball.
Best for the Magpies were Emily Helmore, Lily Baker and Poppy Kerr, with Baker shooting 17 goals and Lauren Groen 16.
Camperdown had a 42-36 win in the 17 and under netball.
Kiara Love shot 34 goals and was named in the best alongside Charlotte Hinds and Madison Lucas.
Camperdown had the bye in 17 and under reserves.
The 15 and under game ended in a 38-38 draw.
Stella Hinds, Abigail Sinnott and Edie Molan were best for the Magpies, with Sinnott shooting 25 goals and Taylor Cameron 13.
In the 15 and under reserves netball, Camperdown had a 23-22 win.
Best for the Magpies were Scarlett Simmonds, Vogue Fleming and Essi Myers, with Ruby Johnston shooting 18 goals.
The 13 and under game saw a 34-9 win to Camperdown.
Luella Rylance, Marlee Fitzgerald and Bella Brebner were Camperdown’s best, with Brebner, Essie Myers and Alexa Raven shooting eight goals each.
The 13 and under reserves game ended in a 36-6 win to Camperdown.
For the junior Magpies, Olivia Simmonds, Amber Narik and Pippa Woodmason were best, with Simmonds shooting 20 goals and Poppy Gaut 16.
HAMPDEN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
ROUND 16
OPEN NETBALL
CAMPERDOWN v PORTLAND
Camperdown 62 defeated Portland 43
Best Players
Camperdown: Rosie Pickles, Madison Lucas, Piper Stephens
Portland: Tess Norman, Lily Raymond, Gracie Piergrosse
Goal Scorers
Camperdown: Nell Mitchell 37, Piper Stephens 25
Portland: Lily Raymond 26, Kate Burt 17
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