There were no upsets, or scares even, with each of the six contests won with relative ease.
A week on from an uncomfortably close nine-point win over Rushworth, reigning premier Murchison-Toolamba looked back to its devastating best, accounting for Avenel with a big 23.15 (153) to 7.2 (44) victory at Murchison Recreation Reserve.
The tone was set with a seven-goal first term by the Hoppers, who opened up a 39-point lead by the first break, an advantage that was expanded to 10 goals by half-time as the visitors mustered 1.1 across the opening two quarters.
Scoring got heavier in the second half as Murchison-Toolamba looked to boost an already healthy percentage, with returns of six and seven goals in the third and fourth quarters, respectively, while Avenel made the most of its forays forward to add 6.1 for the half, going down by an eventual 109 points.
Leigh Wellington booted five in a best-on-ground display for the Hoppers, with Aaron Miller and Ashton Cashion not far behind, while James Lloyd put eight through the big sticks to extend his lead at the top of the goal-kickers table, bringing his season total to 45 from seven games.
The win keeps the Hoppers perfect in their premiership defence after seven rounds, and sets up a mouth-watering clash with the also unbeaten Nagambie this weekend, with the Lakers having secured a big win of their own in round seven.
Travelling to Tallygaroopna Recreation Reserve to take on the Redlegs, Nagambie turned in a clinical performance to take a 16.13 (109) to 6.6 (42) victory on the road, its sixth win from as many games this season.
Keeping the home side goalless in the opening term, the Lakers fired home four majors of their own, doing so again in the second quarter to lead 8.8 (56) to 1.3 (9) at half-time and give themselves a nice buffer heading into the second half.
Nagambie kept the foot down after emerging from the rooms, too, with its best quarter coming in the third, piling on 6.1 to Tallygaroopna’s 2.1 to blow the margin out to 71 points at the final change of ends.
The Redlegs fought until the final siren, however, winning the final term — 3.2 to 2.4 — but it was too little, too late as the Lakers stormed to the 67-point win.
Tom Barnes continues to be a point of difference this season up forward for Nagambie, booting eight goals as he continues to find form, having slotted 13 majors across the past fortnight and earning another best-on-ground nod.
Shepparton East remains in second spot on the ladder ahead of Nagambie courtesy of the best percentage across the league, which it again added to with a 15.12 (102) to 9.7 (61) victory over Stanhope on the road.
It took until the second half for the Eagles to truly break the contest open, but it was still a relatively straightforward victory for the 2024 runner-up, who moves to 6-1 for the year.
Extending the margin at every break, Shepp East led by 18 points at half-time, but left the door ajar after kicking 7.6 (48) to Stanhope’s 5.0 (30), although they managed to double the margin in the third term alone to carry a 36-point lead into the final term, before eventually securing the four points with a 41-point advantage at the final siren.
Jamie Spencer led the way for the Eagles in the win, while Jordan Gattuso and Ryan Pfeiffer both added two goals among the better performers in the win.
Violet Town continued its stunning turnaround under new coach Brad Gleeson, with the Towners notching win number four for the year in an 11.14 (80) to 7.5 (47) win over Girgarre.
It looked as though it would be a percentage-boosting victory for the visitors at Girgarre Recreation Reserve, who were wasteful early, kicking 5.11 (41) to half-time, although they had restricted the Roos to 1.1 (7) to enjoy a 34-point lead at the main break.
But the lead evaporated in the third term as Girgarre roared back into the contest, booting five goals to two and setting up a thrilling finale, which eventually petered out to nothing as Violet Town righted the ship, slotting four goals in the final term to claim a 33-point win.
Having gone 1-15 last season, the Towners have shown significant improvement already this year, so much so that they find themselves in fifth spot after seven rounds, although they are yet to have the bye.
Elsewhere, Lancaster put Longwood to the sword with an 18.7 (115) to 5.7 (37) victory at Lancaster Recreation Reserve, with Morrie Serra booting seven goals in the 78-point win, while Rushworth had no shortage of contributors in a crushing win over Merrigum, as 14 Tigers hit the scoreboard in the 27.17 (179) to 2.3 (15) rout at Merrigum Recreation Reserve.
