Gippsland, Central Murray, Hampden, Bendigo: Leongatha completes back-to-back flags
See which teams came out on top as flag winners after a huge final weekend of country footy action.
A stunning opening-term blitz from Leongatha set up its fourth flag since 2017 in downing Wonthaggi by 40 points in the Gippsland league grand final at Morwell on Saturday.
Leongatha piled on the first four goals of the game from four different players to leave Wonthaggi’s dreams of a first flag in the league in tatters.
Mason McGannon, Aaron Hillberg, Cam Olden and Jenson Garnham were responsible for the early onslaught with Leongatha completing back-to-back premierships for the second time in a decade.
Leongatha also won two flags in a row in 2017-18 before losing to Maffra in the 2019 grand final.
Wonthaggi’s Brodie Mabilia stopped Leongatha’s early goal blitz with a neat snap from the pocket.
But more trouble came in the form of teammate Tom Davey being yellow-carded before quarter time.
Leongatha extended its quarter time lead of 16 points with two more goals in Davey’s absence before disaster struck again for the Wonthaggi player.
He received a second yellow card for a high hit on Jake van der Plight which meant he could take no further part in the match.
A 50m penalty to van der Plight made certain of a goal that extended Leongatha’s lead to 35 points near halftime.
Leongatha’s defence was brilliantly led by centre halfback Cade Maskell with 30 kicks, two handballs and 16 marks.
Midfielders Aaron Heppell and Tom Marriott won the two medals for best players on the ground.
Wonthaggi coach Jarryd Blair had his lower leg heavily strapped and had minimal impact on the game.
Wonthaggi beat Leongatha in the second semi-final a fortnight earlier.
BENDIGO
Golden Square has claimed one of its sweetest flag triumphs with a thrilling six-point win against arch rival Sandhurst at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.
The Square premiership will be forever remember for a string of key tackles and smothers in the dying stages as Sandhurst pressed repeatedly with the match threatening to go into extra time.
One of the pivotal moments was a smother from Square defender Harry Burke on Archer Day-Wickes, who had marked 40m out from goal late in the final term.
He looked to pass off to a teammate in the clear, but some brilliance from Burke saved the day.
After trailing for much of the match, a superb snap goal from Sam Conforti put Sandhurst in front in the third term.
Golden Square vice-captain Liam Barrett was a final term hero with three goals, but Sandhurst kept responding.
Square captain Jack Geary played in his sixth flag with five of them coming in succession between 2009 and 2013.
He was also named the Nalder Medal winner for best-on-ground for a third time in his career.
Christian Carter joined brother Nick as a Golden Square premiership coach with the victory.
HAMPDEN
South Warrnambool won its first flag in more than a decade with a 35-point win over North Warrnambool at Reid Oval on Saturday.
South dominated the opening term with the breeze and could have easily been further in front than its 30-point advantage.
It had 10 scoring shots to nil to have control and North also wasteful in front of goal when it had its turn with the wind in the second quarter to register only 1.5.
South lost to North in last year’s preliminary final with its premiership the first by a club other than Koroit since 2013.
Mat Battistello coached South’s first flag since 2011 with Dan Nicholson a star in the win.
Nicholson returned to the Hampden league this season after two years with Russells Creek after previously playing for Port Fairy.
His goal midway through the final term put the result beyond doubt.
CENTRAL MURRAY
Kerang turned around a heavy loss to Balranald in the second semi-final to keep its remarkable run of premiership success flowing with a 10-point win in the grand final at Swan Hill on Saturday.
The reigning premiers had not lost a match this season until suffering a 50-point defeat to Balranald a fortnight ago.
But Kerang delivered in the big moments in the second half to clinch back-to-back premierships after winning seven flags from 10 grand final appearances between 2008 and 2017.
Kerang trailed by 10 points at halftime with Balranald butchering a string of scoring chances late in the second term.
The third quarter belonged to Kerang with Caleb Nitschke kicking two of its four goals to take a four-point lead at three quarter time.
Its lead grew to 14 points when best and fairest winner Riley Smith kicked truly before Balranald mounted one last charge.
Ben Fuller’s fourth for the game and another to Matt Neagle cut the margin to only a goal before a brilliat running shot from Josh Nitschke sealed the victory.
HUME
Osborne coach Joel Mackie bowed out with a premiership following a 50-point trouncing of Holbrook in the grand final at Walbundrie on Saturday.
Mackie has completed the maximum term an Osborne coach can have in the role and has already been announced as coach of rival club Jindera next season.
Osborne went into last year’s grand final hot favourites against Holbrook, but was steamrolled in the final term to lose its only match of the season.
But redemption came with a victory set up with a six goals to two opening term.
Hayden Armstrong kicked three of the six goals for Osborne in the first quarter on his way to seven for the match and best afield honours.
Mackie was appearing in the 15th grand final of a career that isn’t over yet.
He has played in seven flags with Albury and one each with Osborne and Jindera in a previous stint at the club.
Holbrook premiership coach Matthew Sharp’s final match was a disaster when he was injured in the warm-up and couldn’t take part in the game and leaving the Brookers one player short.
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