It is a winter staple as seasonally enjoyable as pumpkin soup or slow-cooker casserole — watching with bated breath to see which country footy star crosses the line first in the race to 100 goals.
And this year’s ton-run was fierce as ever — with four footballers eyeing off the milestone across the Picola District, Kyabram District and Loddon Valley football leagues.
But the race to the ton has been won.
Before the weekend, as noted by countryfootyscores.com four players had all reached the nervous 90s — but three of them sat on the sidelines with their boots unlaced on Saturday.
Two — Strathmerton’s Tim Looby and Murchison-Toolamba’s James Lloyd — slammed head-first into league-wide byes with Looby previously leading the way on 97 majors after a stunning 20-goal haul in his latest outing against Yarroweyah.
Lloyd only managed three against Tallygaroopna in round 10 to take his tally to 91.
In between them sat a familiar face in Josh Mellington.
The Benalla product — and former Echuca United and Violet Town star, among others — has booted 93 goals for Bears Lagoon-Serpentine this campaign.
But with the three-figure mark in sight, injury seems to have cruelled his hopes of compiling yet another 100 in a season.
The Bendigo Advertiser reported that a hamstring injury Mellington suffered requires surgery and is likely to keep him out for the remainder of the season.
It left fellow Loddon Valley league forward Lachlan Sharp — with 91 goals to his name for Bridgewater — as the last man standing in search of the magical mark.
And he did it.
The Bridgewater marksman kicked exactly nine goals on Saturday against Inglewood in a 24.11 (155) to 8.5 (53) rout, taking him to exactly 100 goals for the season.
Bridgewater’s Facebook page shared a video of Sharp kicking the goal — an easy set shot from straight in front — before being swarmed by family and friends.
He amassed the major milestone in 11 games, having booted double figures on five separate occasions this year — including a haul of 15 against the same opponent in round three.
While the race has been run, district forwards in search of breaching triple digits will look to do so this weekend.
Looby eyes off a home fixture against Mathoura — which his side is yet to face this season, but sits ninth on the PD table — and Lloyd will circle a tough fixture against Stanhope at Stanhope Recreation Reserve.