Southern league: Springvale Districts defeats Endeavour Hills in Division 3 grand final

SPRINGVALE Districts wins a premiership and promotion after defeating Endeavour Hills in the Division 3 grand final.

Springvale Districts are exultant after winning the grand final.

AT the start of the season Springvale Districts coach Kris Thompson made it clear his club could accept nothing less than a premiership.

On Sunday his Demons delivered it.

To their deep disappointment Springy Districts were relegated to Division 3 despite finishing with six wins and a percentage of 90.14 last year.

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But in 2019 they’ll be back to where they thought they belonged after they defeated Endeavour Hills in the Division 3 grand final, played under sunny skies and before a terrific crowd at the Power Rd ground in Doveton.

The Districts won 11.10 (76) to 5.9 (39), claiming their first flag since 2007.

Demon Mladen Josic claims Nick Gay of Endeavour Hills.

They made a smart start to the match, jumping out to an early lead after goals from Stefan Feehan and Sam Raru.

But they squandered other scoring opportunities and at quarter time their supporters believed they should have been four or five goals in front rather than eight points.

However, early in the second term Matt Thompson nailed a long goal after receiving a free kick when a Falcons player bombed the ball out on the full.

And the classy Raru added his second as Districts moved out to a 21-point advantage.

Uncertain early, the Hills, pacy and wanting to move the ball quickly, settled from that point.

Nathan Strom kicked their second goal, but Georgie Angelopoulos snapped a quick reply for Districts.

Districts’ William Nevill and Falcon Daniel Cann in a marking contest.

Soon after Angelopoulos argued a decision with the umpire, giving away two 50m penalties and gifting Ben Holland a goal.

When he came to the bench coach Thompson was there to eyeball him, unamused.

Jarrod Morolla followed up for Endeavour Hills and the difference was only seven points at half time.

Everyone was expecting a tight second half.

But no. Springvale Districts dominated it, kicking four of the five goals.

A snap from Todd Wills gave the Demons the perfect start to the third quarter and a few minutes later Lachlan Morrey nailed a set-shot after the Falcons fumbled the ball while trying to clear it.

Peter Heng’s goal early in the final quarter shut out the Hills and ensured the Districts would have two premiership flags to fly.

In the curtain-raiser their reserves defeated Hampton Park.

“The buy-in by everyone at the club this year has been as good as you’ll ever see in local footy and that commitment has been the key,” a proud Kris Thompson said after the siren.

“We won 17 games in a row and the reserves won 18 on the trot, so it has been a great effort by all concerned.

“We set the goal last season when it became clear we would be in Division 3 this year. It has been a lot of hard work and things had to go right for us, and fortunately they did.

“The second semi-final against Hampton Park was a really tough slog and I think we really appreciated the week off.”

Skipper Wills led by example and took out the Meneilly Medal for best-afield. Tom Wilkinson must have been in contention with his 35-plus disposals.

Springvale Districts senior premiership team:

Jack Allender, Jacob Bakes, Nathan Brown, Tom Wilkinson, Lance Baptist, Stefan Feehan, Mladen Josic, Georgie Angelopoulos, Daniel Wilson, Ben Stacey, Tom Cooper, Daniel Morris, David Monaghan, Matt Thompson, Peter Heng, William Nevill, Sam Raru, Todd Wills, Matthew Soutter-Smith, Mitch Betson, Lachlan Morrey, Matthew Ork.