BOONIE DOON have cemented their place at the top of the Ovens and King League ladder, surviving a thrilling round 12 clash against long-time rival Bright at Pioneer Park on Saturday.

The two titans, in a 2023 grand final rematch, fought vociferously the entire match, with memories of the last time these two teams squared off fresh in the players’ minds: heart breaking disappointment for the Mountain Men and pure elation for the Bombers.

Once again it was the Bombers who came out victorious, claiming a 14-point victory.

However, the reigning premiers were side-lined and left panting during the first quarter, with Bright bursting from the blocks to notch the opening goal.

The mighty Bombers’ were limited to only two points, with the offence struggling to convert points to goals and get past Bright's impenetrable defence.

The second quarter saw the pendulum swing in Bonnie Doon’s favour, with the dependable Al Bennet working his magic.

Bright’s pace and accuracy began to falter and by half-time Bonnie Doon was ahead by four points.

The Mountain Men’s inaccuracy plagued them in the third and final quarter, with multiple missed attempts.

The Bombers surged ahead, booting goal after goal and increasing pressure.

Final scores saw Bonnie Doon solidify their undefeated run in 2024, winning 7.8 (50) to 4.12 (36).

Best on-field for Bonnie Doon were Matthew Hedin, Guy Murray, Peter Cairns, Al Bennett, Zak Bailey and Jack Goonan.

Stand-out players for Bright were Mikka Paulsen, Joe Gray, Cooper Thomason, Alexander Dalbosco, Samuel Dalbosco and Rodrigo Arguello.

In a quirk of this season’s fixture, this match will be the only time the two sides will face off outside of a potential bout in finals.

Unfortunately, the Bonnie Doon reserves did not enjoy similar success, losing by 87 points to Bright.

Bright was impressive from the start, booting six goals within the first quarter, limiting the Bombers to just one point.

Bonnie Doon’s Trent Smith and Patrick Smith put up a formidable fight in the second half but the game belonged to their opponents.

Finals scores saw Bright triumph 16.9 (105) to 2.6 (18).

Bonnie Doon will face Moyhu on home ground this Saturday, June 29.