Eight rounds of shifting momentum and exhilarating footballing action.

A lot has gone right for many clubs so far this year, from big scores to drought breaking wins.

Here's our breakdown of the year so far.

Ararat Rats

The Rats have raced into premiership contention in 2022 and are sitting comfortably on the top of the table, undefeated after eight games.

The Rats' biggest win came in round three, a 141-point victory over the Saints at Coughlin Park.

A seven-goal opening term set the tone for the match, with reigning best and fairest winner, and recent VFL signing, Tom Mills going on to kick eight goals.

Ararat were closest to defeat during a thriller against 2021 minor-premiers Minyip-Murtoa, where the Rats prevailed by just four points.

Minyip-Murtoa

Minyip-Murtoa have continued their classy form of recent years and sit second on the ladder at the mid point of the season, with the ladder leaders giving the Burras their only loss of the season so far.

The Burras' biggest win this season was a comfortable 50-point win over the Warrack Eagles at home.

While they haven't reached their explosive form of 2021, the Burras have still found ways to see off most opponents in tight matches.

An 11-point win over Horsham and a one-point win over Stawell have helped secure the Burras a strong position heading into the second half of the season.

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Stawell

After dropping the first game of the year, Stawell have managed to put on a run of form that has seen them rise to third on the standings after eight rounds.

Stawell's biggest win came in round six; an 82-point thumping of the Warrack Eagles at Central Park, 111 to 29.

Mitch Thorp lead the goalkicking with five, while veteran onballer Jackson Dark was superb.

However, losses to finals fancies Ararat, Minyip-Murtoa and Dimboola will raise questions the Warriors' will want answered come September.

Horsham

Horsham have put together an exciting first half of season 2022, building from the groundwork laid in 2021 to sit fourth on the ladder.

Horsham's biggest win came in round two during the traditional ANZAC Day clash between the Demons and the Saints.

Horsham came out on top by 58-points in a lop-sided affair.

Ruckman Rhys Barber was best on ground, taking home the Bert Perry Medal.

However, an upset loss to the Warrack Eagles has put a question mark over the consistency of this exciting, young side.

Dimboola

Despite a tumultuous off season, Dimboola have established themselves as one of the teams to beat this season, with a 5-3 win-loss record.

A tough draw saw the Roos face the two best sides of 2021 in the opening rounds, along with Ararat in round four, Dimboola have managed some impressive performances.

The Roos biggest win came in round six, a 54-point win over Nhill at Davis Park, in which Jack Landt bagged five goals.

The Roos biggest loss came in round one, when the Giants won by 39 points.

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Southern Mallee Giants

The Giants have enjoyed a hot and cold start to season 2022, with some impressive wins belied by costly losses.

Despite a strong start to the season, the Giants have now lost their past five games and appear to be in a form slump.

The Giants' biggest win of the year came in round two, a 76-point mauling of the Warrack Eagles, with Josh and Benjamin Webster combining for nine goals.

The Giants' biggest loss came against Horsham, with the Demons winning by 58-points.

Horsham Saints

The Saints struggled to hit the ground running in 2022, but have managed to arrest some of the downward momentum to sit seventh on the ladder, with a win-loss ratio of 2-5, at the midpoint of the season.

The Saints biggest win was a 40-point win over Nhill at Coughlin Park, with both Matt Combe and Angus Martin booting four goals each in the victory.

The Saints biggest loss was a 141-point thrashing at the hands of the Rats, a side which the Saints haven't beaten since 2019.

With a young side and seasoned coach, punters can only wonder if the side can recapture some of the form that catapulted them into finals contention last season.

Warrack Eagles

After winning just one game in 2021, the Eagles have already doubled that record before the mid-point in 2022, to sit eighth on the ladder with a 2-6 tally.

The Eagles biggest win came in round seven; a 41-point victory over Nhill at ANZAC Park, in which ex-AFL player, and homecoming star, Kyle Cheney bagged four majors.

The Eagles biggest loss came in round one by 76-points against the Giants.

The Eagles will face the Giants again on July 2, with the Giants on a five-game losing streak.

Nhill

What could have been a forgettable season for Nhill has turned into an unforgettable one, with retired AFL superstar helping the club to its first win over 1000 days.

Nhill started the year off struggling, with a big 119-point loss to Ararat its worst for the year.

However, the Tigers showed signs of something special, and have managed to stay competitive for large portions of games.

After a drought-breaking win over the Giants, the Tigers face a huge challenge when they take on reigning minor-premiers Minyip-Murtoa.

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