MPNFL 2018: Dromana beats Red Hill in gripping grand final to secure premiership
DROMANA capped a brilliant season with a gripping eight-point win over Red Hill in the MPNFL Division 2 grand final at Frankston Park on Saturday.
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DROMANA capped a brilliant season with a gripping eight-point win over Red Hill in the MPNFL Division 2 grand final at Frankston Park on Saturday.
In a seesawing contest that went down to the wire, the Tigers held off a desperate Red Hill to triumph 10.7 (67) to 9.5 (59) in front of a bumper crowd.
They ran out of beer at the ground but it was in plentiful supply at Dromana on Saturday night as the Tigers, the dominant side of 2018, celebrated another flag — five years after their last.
Red Hill’s gallant bid to snap a 28-year title drought had ended in heartache, just.
Josh Bateman, the 19-year-old Dromana excitement machine, won the medal for best-on-ground. His sizzling pace caused Red Hill concerns all game and his goal in the opening quarter was a beauty.
Zippy Tigers forward Sam Fowler, with four goals in a low scoring game, was also a key figure, as was co-captain Terry Wheeler, so poised and reliable.
Shaun Clarke and Beau McMurray also were instrumental as they became dual Dromana premiership players (having played in the ’13 flag).
Both sides controlled periods of play in the first three quarters but the longer the game went, the clearer it became that the side that seized the moment would ultimately prevail.
And so it was.
Dromana took a 13-point lead into the last quarter, but a desperate Red Hill surged.
Young Hill dasher Danny Allsopp had the chance to kick the opening goal of the term but missed from straight in front.
Teammate Dylan Hoare, though, made amends with a long bomb to cut Dromana’s lead to seven points.
For the next six minutes the ball was a hot, the pressure high and turnovers aplenty.
And then the key moment.
Teenage Dromana left footer Dean Waugh speared the Tigers forward and playing-coach Rikki Johnston flew high to take a strong contested mark, 47m out.
With the season resting on his trusty left boot, he went back and drilled what turned out to be the Tigers’ only goal of the last quarter. Indeed it was the most important kick of Johnston’s career. Dromana by 13.
Red Hill, all guts, responded. Hoare’s handball found Jake Mitchell who slotted another goal to cut Dromana’s lead to seven points again.
Dromana was surging forward when, with 24min22sec on the clock, the siren sounded.
Tigers young gun Sam Geurts had taken a mark 50m out and pumped the air in celebration before banging the ball towards the goals in celebration, his torpedo sailing through for a point.
There was drama even before the game began. Red Hill’s Rheede Hopgood injured his calf in the warm-up and was a late withdrawal and replaced by Andrew Mock.
It was all Dromana early, the Tigers sprinting to 4.1 to 0.0 lead at quarter time after goals by 38-year-old Ben Holmes, Fowler, Bateman and a ripper from the boundary by Ethan Johnstone.
Red Hill finally got on the board at the start of the second quarter when Hoare was paid a free and put it through the middle.
The Hillmen then caught fire, especially Jono Ross, who drilled three successive goals, and Sean Marchetti, who kicked two in a row as Red Hill hit the front and, in fact, zoomed 12 points clear.
Pint-sized field umpire James O’Hagan, 16, took a tumble but bounced up and got on with his job, which he did very well.
At halftime, it was Red Hill by six points and, notably, 10 of the 11 goals had been scored at the Kars St end.
The trend continued in the third quarter as Dromana regained control, outscoring the Hillmen 4.3 to 1.2 to surge 13 points ahead.
Bateman’s acceleration set up a Fowler goal and when Jay Hutchinson slotted a 52m goal the Tigers had made their winning move.
Dromana life member and former president Les Rowler presented the premiership cup to Johnston and co-captains Terry Wheeler and Dan Guerts.
Johnston said Red Hill was a tough opponent but his men deserved victory.
“Red Hill, they gave us a bit of a touch up a couple of weeks ago (in the second semi), we went away and worked on a few things and it helped today,” he said.
“I think today Red Hill were better at times but to our boys’ credit they responded really well. They’ve done it all year, they’ve been pushed over again and again but they just keep finding a way to win. Today was no different.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my boys.”
Red Hill coach Jamie Mollo said his side would use the experience as motivation going into next season.
“The last 13 or 14 weeks the footy we’ve played has been amazing, we deserve to be here to today,’’ he said.
“We’ve learnt a lot, including how good it is to be here. We will be back next year.’’
In the reserves, Karingal defeated Hastings 8.10 (58) to 2.5 (17), with Max Smith best-on-ground.
And Karingal also won the Under 19s flag, coming from behind to beat Red Hill 9.7 (61) to 6.4 (40). Bulls gun Brad Little was best-afield.
Dromana flag men: Terry Wheeler (co-captain), Dan Guerts (co-captain), Rikki Johnston (coach), Josh Bateman, Rohan Bleeker, Shaun Clarke, Beau Cosson, Sam Fowler, Sam Geurts, William Guerts, Jack Gipp, Rory Gregg, Ben Holmes, Andrew Howison, Jay Hutchinson, Ethan Johnstone, Beau McMurray, Zac Muschialli, Matthew Price, Billy Quigley, Ryan Smyth, Dean Waugh.
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