Wickliffe-Lake Bolac cap perfect season with MDFL premiership

WICKLIFFE-Lake Bolac has capped a perfect season with a premiership in the Mininera and District Football League.

Winners: Wickliffe-Lake Bolac is the 2018 Mininera and District league premier. The Magpies defeated Tatyoon in the grand final.

WICKLIFFE-Lake Bolac has capped a perfect season with a premiership in the Mininera and District Football League.

After two grand final losses in the past two years, brothers and co-coaches Joe and Nigel Otto lifted the premiership cup at Ararat yesterday after a 90-point win against Tatyoon, 17.16 (118) to 4.4 (28).

The Magpies have not lost a game since last year’s grand final to Lismore-Derrinallum, a total of 19 games. They also lost the 2016 final to Tatyoon.

Nigel Otto, who played in yesterday’s match while Joe coached from the sidelines, ­described the win as a “bloody big relief”.

“We didn’t make it a focus for today, but it makes it all the more sweeter after losing a couple,” he said.

“All we focused on was the first quarter, nothing beyond that. (The message) was we were going to be first to the footy, move the ball quickly and give our forwards the best chance.”

That pre-game message resonated, with Wickliffe-Lake Bolac kicking six unanswered goals in the opening term, and the first five of the second quarter.

Nearly 20 country football leagues finished their seasons yesterday. Longwarry’s hopes of ending a 50-year premiership drought were dashed by Nyora in a low-scoring affair, 3.4 (22) to 2.6 (18).

In the West Gippsland competition, Koo Wee Rup went goalless in the grand final, won by Phillip Island 14.18 (102) to 0.4 (4). It was back-to-back flags for Phillip Island coach Beau Vernon, who last year coached Leongatha to a Gippsland League premiership.

In the Colac and District league, Lorne upset minor premier Birregurra to win the premiership 8.10 (58) to 5.7 (37), while Harrow Balmoral won the Horsham District premiership against Kalkee after losing the past two grand finals.

Other premiers yesterday included Stratford (East Gippsland league), Newbridge (Loddon Valley) and Kiewa-Sandy Creek (Tallangatta and District). And in the Central Murray league, Kerang will not contest a grand final for the first time since 2007 after losing the preliminary final to Mallee Eagles yesterday.