MONASH UNIVERSITY MONDAY REVIEW - ROUND 1 2026
- Apr 20
- 3 min read
Updated: May 1
Sunday 19th April 2026
Welcome to a refreshed format of the Monash University Monday Review for 2026. In these articles, you will get a recap of the action from the weekend that will include key callouts such as (but not limited to) team performance of the round, honorable mentions, various special mentions and much more. We hope you enjoy the new format, and welcome to footy for 2026!
TEAM PERFORMANCE OF THE ROUND
Waverley Park Hawks U17.5 Wyllie def. St Peters Murrumbeena U17.5 by 20 points
Waverley Park Hawks 12.11 (83) def. St Peters Murrumbeena 9.9 (63), Columbia Reserve
The final game of the Ben Austin Memorial Round was always going to be a special occasion, and the Waverley Park Hawks (WPH) U17.5 boys made sure they turned up for it. WPH controlled the game for the most part, building a lead in the first quarter and holding it through the middle terms with solid defensive work and good ball movement.
MILAN VELONA
Earnt himself the Ben Austin Memorial Medal during the game for being sharp up forward, finishing with three goals.
St Peters Murrumbeena had their say late, piling on 5 goals to 3 in the final quarter to make it a proper contest. But the Hawks showed real maturity to hold their ground and close out a 20-point win, playing with the kind of effort, heart, and team spirit that the day called for.
A strong start to the season, and a performance the whole club could take pride in.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
St Peters/Cheltenham U16 Girls def. Murrumbeena U16 Girls by 1 point
St Peters/ Cheltenham 5.4 (34) def. Murrumbeena 5.3 (33), RSEA Park
History was made at the 2026 season opener. For the first time in the SMJFL's history, a female team kicked off the season, and what a blockbuster game they delivered.
Under the lights at RSEA Park on Friday night, the St Peters/Cheltenham girls held off a fast-finishing Murrumbeena side to win by just one point in a fantastic season opener clash. Murrumbeena started slowly but came storming home kicking 5 goals to 2 in the second half to make it a real nail-biter all the way to the finish.
St Peters/ Cheltenham showed great composure to hold on in a game that had everyone on the edge of their seats!
St Bedes Mentone U13 Mixed Red def. East Brighton Vampires U13 Mixed Teague by 1 point
SBMT 5.11 (41) def. East Brighton 6.4 (40), Elsternwick Park #2
As close as it gets. SBMT U13 Mixed RED led from the front all day but had to fight for every point of it as E Brighton refused to go away. A one-point win at the final siren, the kind of result that reminds you why we love this game. Jess Gamble chipped in with 2 crucial goals in what was a brilliant team effort.
SMDJFC U11 Girls Red def. East Malvern U11 Girls Gough by 20 points
A dominant display from the SMDJFC U11 Girls RED, who put on 100 points in a high-energy team performance that was entertaining from start to finish. Consistent scoring across every quarter told the story of a group firing on all cylinders, and one player in particular was absolutely impossible to stop. More on her below.
PLAYER OF THE ROUND
Felicity Gregory
South Melbourne Districts JFC U11 Girls Red.
Eight goals. In a single game. Felicity Gregory was the standout individual performer of the round, booting 8 goals in SMDJFC's big win over East Malvern! What makes Felicity Gregory's performance even more impressive is that it came in her second game of the day, having already played for the U12 Girls earlier.
A remarkable effort that was central to her team's dominant display, well done, Felicity!
WELCOME TO FOOTY CARNIVAL
A massive Sunday at McKinnon Reserve as all clubs came together for the Welcome to Football Carnival. An incredible 50 games were played across the day's four mini ovals, with our Under 8 Mixed and Girls competitions getting their first taste of junior footy in a brilliant carnival atmosphere.
For many of these kids, it was their very first time pulling on the boots and running out for their club, and what a day to do it. A big thank you to everyone who volunteered and helped make the day such a success. Here's to a great 2026 season ahead for all our Under 8s!
What a fantastic start to the 2026 season! Seeing the girls' teams kick things off at RSEA Park was a brilliant move by the league—the atmosphere was electric, and that one-point thriller really set the bar high for the rest of the year. I actually found myself reading through the Monash University Round 1 review while I was on crown slots on my phone earlier today; the site was incredibly smooth and easy to navigate, which made it simple to check the scores and the ladder while I was grabbing a coffee here in AU. It is great to see the junior pathways expanding every year. Do you think the new U8 competition will have a big impact on participation numbers…