Alec Forrest Medal on the line in Dockerty Cup

With three matches to kick-off the sixth round of the Dockerty Cup this evening, attention also turns to the race for the Alec Forrest Medal, as the competition's leading goalscorers vie for individual honours.

The award was cast in the centenary edition of the Dockerty Cup, with Liston Diaz (then at Avondale) leading all comers with 7 goals, courtesy of two hat-tricks in his four appearances. The 2025 edition promises to offer a thrilling conclusion, with a three-way tie at the leaderboard offering the prospect of a winner from the VETO Men’s State League.

Leading the pack as joint leader and the first to reach 6 goals is Masee Namdar, the striker scoring in each of Hampton Park United’s three matches, including a hat-trick in the opening round against Sunbury United and a brace against Monash City Villareal. Namdar put the Sparrows 2-0 ahead against West Preston, but they capitulated in the second half, losing 4-2 and leaving Namdar atop of the leaderboard without any prospect of adding to his tally.

Namdar was joined in the following round by Leon Kyriakos, who added two goals to his four-goal haul in a thrilling contest against Werribee City. A strike in the opening round against Truganina was followed by a hat-trick at the Home of the Matildas against Footscray Rangers. He scored both goals for the Old boys to peg back the Bees in Round 4 and send the contest into extra-time, but thoughts of a monumental upset were dashed after an own goal knocked Old Ivanhoe and Kyriakos out of the Cup.

Balmoral’s Daniel Radenkovic joined them in the fifth round, scoring in his team’s exit in a nail-biting penalty shootout to Pascoe Vale. Radenkovic nabbed an opening round brace away to Mount Eliza then scored a hat-trick in its Cupset win over North Geelong Warriors in the third round. A goal in the first half of extra-time gave Balmoral the lead at Hosken Reserve, but Daniel Lucente responded with an equaliser for the hosts before Pascoe Vale sealed a place in the sixth round with a 5-3 win in the shootout.

How likely the leaders will ultimately share the spoils depends on the success of a few of the unfancied teams remaining in the competition. Clifton Hill are the only State League aspirant left, with Dean Lorenzi (5 goals) and Jacob Battista (4) hoping for a Cupset of their own when they take on Heidelberg United at Olympic Village this evening.

Northcote City may entertain ambitions of a place in the next round at John Cain Memorial Park tonight, an out-of-form Melbourne Knights sporting a new Head Coach in John Markovski standing in their path to advancement. City will be hoping the likes of Devin O’Hea (4 goals), Sam Warde (3) and Zack Appleton (3) can find the back of the net, while Darcy Anastovski (3) will be hoping to add to his tally should the Knights advance past Northcote.

Whatever the outcome, the seventh round of the Dockerty Cup could ultimately shape who and how many will claim the 2025 Alec Forrest Medal.

2025 Alec Forrest Medal : Round 5 Leaderboard 

* Updated to reflect matches played on Tuesday 20 May.

Watch every Dockerty Cup Round 6 and 7 match, as well as much more football content from across the State, on the Football Victoria YouTube Channel here.