Dylan Weir and Robbie Hare top 2023 WDFNL goal-kicking chart

Merrivale's Dylan Weir and Allansford's Robbie Hare were crowned joint league-leading goal-kickers on Saturday after an enthralling round 18 shootout saw them both finish the year with 89 majors.

Hare, who won the award in 2022, held a six-goal lead heading into the last round and looked a certainty to go back-to-back.

Weir however had other plans, producing a monster 13-goal haul against finals-bound Russells Creek to propel himself to the summit alongside Hare, who ended with a tidy seven-goal effort against Kolora-Noorat.

Weir, who joined the Tigers from Hampden league side South Warrnambool this year, was pleased to receive the accolade but said he was focused on the weeks ahead.

The Tigers finished the season undefeated and now have a week off before playing in the second semi-final on August 26 while the Cats were just four points away from securing a finals berth.

Weir kicked 28 goals across the final three rounds and said he was happy to finish the season in good touch.

He was quick to credit his teammates for his individual success.

"I had a bit of a patch in the middle where it was wet and windy and I was having a few slow games and I came home pretty strong which was nice," he said.

"It's definitely good to come in with a little bit of form but it makes my job pretty easy when the boys are getting it so clean out of the middle all the time, so I've got to thank the rest of the boys really because they've just delivered it on a platter to me.

"Half the time me and the defenders end up laughing because there's nothing they can do when it's coming in that clean."

The Tigers tall was acutely aware how tight the race between himself and Hare was.

"On the sidelines just by people's reactions I could tell it was close," he said.

"I think everyone was following it and I heard there was people from Allansford over at our game. I think there was a bit of back and forth between the two clubs but I didn't have any idea.

"And even after the game there was a bit of conjecture about whether he kicked five or seven."

Cats coach Tim Nowell was impressed with Hare's campaign, in particular his selfless attitude.

"To give Robbie some credit, at the start of the year we spoke about it and it wasn't going to be about him winning the goal-kicking, it was about us trying to make finals," he said.

"One of the things that Robbie did this year and something he should be proud of was this year he's given a lot of goals off and brought other players into the team.

"For him to still come equal with Weiry and be up the top there is a great achievement on his behalf because as his coach I can honestly put hand on heart and say this year it wasn't about that for him."

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