Footy finals 2023: Harrow-Balmoral, Marong, Merrivale and TTU hot flag favourites
The business end of the country footy season starts for eight leagues this weekend. See which teams have been red-hot all year.
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Eight more leagues will start finals this weekend with four clubs — Harrow-Balmoral, Marong, Traralgon-Tyers United and Merrivale — finishing the home and away rounds undefeated.
Harrow-Balmoral ended the Horsham District league season four games clear of second-placed Jeparit after its run last year ended at the hands of Kalkee in the preliminary final.
Harrow-Balmoral and Jeparit have earned a bye in the first week of finals.
Marong is the reigning Loddon Valley league premier and also finished four games clear of the second-placed team, Pyramid Hill. The last time the two teams played in round 13, Pyramid Hill didn’t kick a goal.
Marong has the league’s three leading goalkickers — Brandyn Grenfell (103), Kain Robins (52) and Ryley Taylor (44). Marong has applied for a clearance to leave the Loddon Valley league and join the Heathcote District league.
Traralgon-Tyers United has been similarly dominant in the North Gippsland league.
It also finished four games clear of second-placed Woodside, which plays this season’s big improver Heyfield in the qualifying final on Saturday.
Woodside pushed TTU in both matches they have played with the round 2 encounter decided by 11 points and the return game by 23 points. TTU hasn’t won a flag for 19 seasons and Woodside is yet to win a premiership.
Merrivale ended the home and away rounds three games clear of second-placed Nirranda in the Warrnambool District league. Nirranda is the reigning premier.
Merrivale’s Dylan Weir finished the season as the joint leading goalkicker with Allansford’s Robert Hare on 89 goals.
Also starting finals this weekend: Bellarine, East Gippsland, Millewa, Mininera and District, Mornington Peninsula division 2, Outer East division 2 and South West District leagues.
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Originally published as Footy finals 2023: Harrow-Balmoral, Marong, Merrivale and TTU hot flag favourites
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