Moyston/Willaura suffer biggest loss of year in country footy
A country footy club is vowing to fight back despite suffering an historic loss at the weekend.
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The club made famous by Kane Cornes earlier this season admits it needs some help but plans are underway for the club to bounce back.
Moyston/Willaura suffered one of the biggest losses of the club’s history with a 384-point loss to Wickliffe/Lake Bolac on Saturday.
In an historic day for many reasons, good and bad, it was the largest points score for a club this season in country footy.
And it rates among the top scores in country footy history.
Wickliffe/Lake Bolac had 20 of its 21 players kick a goal in the 60.30 (390) to 1.0 (6) win.
The team kicked 29 goals to half time before adding 21 goals in the final term.
“It was a very bad day at the office,” Moyston/Willaura president Terry Keilar said.
“We had a nice 10-goal win in the reserves but a big loss in seniors.
“We’ve had a challenging year this year, winning one game this season and we’ve definitely been off the ball in terms of being competitive against the rest of the teams in the competition.
“But not to this extent. We’ve just got to the point where we are at the end of the season and decimated by injuries.
“We are a little way off the mark with our senior list this year.”
The club had just 28 players available for selection for the two games with some players forced to back up and play two matches.
Moyston/Willaura’s loss is not uncommon in the Mininera league with Ararat losing by 509 points to Great Western in 2019.
Three years later the team won the premiership.
Keilar said while the club was a mile away from its own premiership success, the club is looking to build just like the Eagles did after their rock bottom moment in 2019.
“Out of all this we’ve already had a number of people coming out who have been past players or past premiership players at the club who are coming out and saying we want to help and not see this happening again,” he said.
“Some people that came out and played reserves (on Saturday) have been past players.
“Hopefully the interest that has sparked from the loss can put us in a positive stead moving forward.”
Wickliffe/Lake Bolac president Angus Gilmore expressed his sympathy for a club he respects.
“I’m not proud of that win,” he said.
“We’ve been there, a couple of years ago we were struggling really badly and we got beaten a few years ago by some astronomical amount.
“I’m not proud of it and I’m sure the players aren’t either.
“It was a good win but it was an incredible effort by Moyston/Willaura to keep fronting up every week.
“It’s tough to keep people interested.”
Gilmore said each club had a deep respect for each other, which had been built stronger this year after Moyston Willaura helped three of the Magpies players play in their under-16 team.
Wickliffe/Lake Bolac have not fielded a team in the junior competition for almost a decade and could not form with another side to play this year.
So it left those players without a club until the Pumas stepped up.
“Moyston Willaura said the boys were more than welcome to play for us, they have and have thoroughly enjoyed it,” Gilmore said.
“On the weekend they offered to wear our colours in their under-16s match so the Wickliffe/Lake Bolac got to play in their own colours.”
Keilar said the Pumas were more than happy to help.
“It was really positive environment to be in with both our supporters and the Wickliffe/Lake Bolac supporters,” he said.
“It’s great to have the community connection with the clubs you play against.
“Have the positive element to it despite the competitive nature on the field.
“You are able to walk off afterwards and still catch up.”
The under-16.5 team lost to Great Western by 83 points and have won three games this season.
If you want to help Moyston Willaura for next year, you can contact the club here.
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