Goulburn Valley, Ellinbank, Ovens and King, Tallangatta, Murray: Echuca, Chiltern and Cobram remain in premiership hunt

It’s grand final season and some clubs are hunting for long overdue flag wins. See who remains in the mix.

A string of clubs across the state are still in the hunt to win drought-breaking premierships as the first full season since 2019 rapidly draws to a close.

Some eyeing off long overdue silverware have been successful, including Marong in the Loddon Valley league and Gordon in the Central Highlands league.

Ararat Eagles have also won their first flag since a merger between Prestige Trinity and St Mary’s in 2000.

But others including Pyramid Hill, Avenel and Dunnstown have fallen short.

Here are those still aiming to win long awaited flags.

ECHUCA (Goulburn Valley)

Echuca is safely into the grand final, after beating Euroa in the second semi-final, and awaits the winner of Mansfield and Euroa, which face off in Sunday’s preliminary final.

Echuca was well placed to win the flag last year before Covid cut the season short, and has been the standout team of this year.

It lost the last-round match against Mooroopna and was stripped of its round one win against Rochester after admitting to an error that led to a player wrongly taking the field.

Echuca said the issue was connected to new player administration platform PlayHQ, but AFL Victoria showed no sympathy when the club mounted an appeal to have the decision reversed.

Echuca co-coach Andrew Walker. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Its flag drought dates back to its back-to-back premierships in 2001-02.

Triple Carlton premiership player Ken Sheldon coached the Murray Bombers to the flag and former North Melbourne player Craig Sholl also won the Morrison Medal, both in 2001.

After Sheldon accepted a coaching job in the VFL, Ash Byrne stepped up and completed back-to-back flags as coach 12 months later.

The flag defence had its moments with Echuca recovering from a 145-point thrashing from Shepparton Swans early in the 2002 season to win a second successive grand final over old rivals Rochester.

Rochester had beaten Echuca in the second semi-final, but Sholl, Rhys Archard and Guy Campbell played big roles in the finals.

COBRAM, MULWALA (Murray)

The Murray league grand final at Moama on Saturday will see two success-starved clubs chasing flag glory.

Cobram last won a flag under Don Rudd in 1998 with his two sons Adam and Simon playing in the grand final win against Congupna.

But Cobram’s premier player was midfielder Michael Smith, who tied with Congupna’s Shaun Gordon in the O’Dwyer Medal on 26 votes, after he had been a star in the Ballarat league with Redan.

Michael Smith was a star in Cobram’s 1998 premiership.

Mulwala’s flag drought goes back even further to 1990 when Peter “Steak” Seymour was the coach.

Mulwala had entered the league only three years earlier.

Cobram and Mulwala finished the home and away season with 15-3 records after Cobram looked unbackable flag favourites until a mid-year flat spot.

Cobram won their last meeting in the second semi-final by 12 points.

NEERIM SOUTH (Ellinbank District)

Neerm South looked a red-hot favourite heading into finals, but has had to reach Saturday’s grand final the hard way.

The club went through home and away rounds 18-0, four wins clear of second-placed Buln Buln before Buln Buln won the second semi-final by 15 points.

Seven days later Neerim South beat Ellinbank in the preliminary final by eight points with its earlier aura of invincibility gone.

Midfielder Kody Wilson finished runner-up in the league best and fairest and Trent Baker and Matt Gray are two guns for Buln Buln.

Neerim South completed back-to-back flags in 1998-99 under former Warragul player Peter Fusinato.

It beat Bunyip by six goals in the 1999 grand final with ruckman-turned-key forward Paul Whelan kicking a league-record 125 goals.

Michael Dike kicked 123 goals for Neerim South the previous season before departing for Phillip Island.

CHILTERN (Tallangatta and District)

Chiltern goes into Saturday’s grand final against Kiewa-Sandy Creek as a warm favourite to win its first flag in the TDFL.

It last won a premiership in 1998 when playing in the Ovens and King league and beat Bright by 26 points.

Paul Twycross was the coach and 16-year-old forward Dale Andrews booted six goals in the win.

Chiltern comfortably beat Beechworth in the second semi-final and Kiewa-Sandy Creek won through to another grand final by thrashing Beechworth in the preliminary final.

Chiltern coach Luke Brookes. Picture: David Johnston

Chiltern and Kiewa-Sandy Creek played out one of the games of the season in round 15 with Chiltern winning by one point.

Chiltern veteran Mark Doolan kicked five goals and young gun Tom Bracher was close to best afield.

A week later Bracher was playing at VFL level with Richmond.

SEBASTOPOL (Ballarat)

Sebastopol, the home club of Collingwood 1990 flag hero Mick McGuane, is yet to win a flag since joining the Ballarat league and comes up against Melton in the grand final on Saturday.

It has made three grand finals since being in the Ballarat league with the most recent being 2019 when it lost to East Point.

Mick McGuane in the 1990 grand final win against Essendon. He started his career at Sebastopol. (Pic: EX NEWS MELB B/C)

Sebastopol won the preliminary final against Ballarat by nine points with James Richards, Lachlan Cassidy and Luke Kiel playing starring roles against the team that had Hawthorn premiership player Josh Gibson in its line-up.

Melton dropped two games for the season to North Ballarat and Sunbury.

Mick Searl coaches Sebastopol and the grand final will be his last in charge.

BENALLA ALL BLACKS (Ovens and King)

Benalla All Blacks go into the grand final against Bonnie Doon at Wangaratta on Saturday as warm favourites.

But the road to the grand final has been delayed a week, after Greta reserves player Ben Duffield was seriously injured in week one of the finals.

The first semi-final between Bonnie Doon and Greta had to be postponed to the following weekend.

John Brunner was a country football legend and played at Benalla All Blacks, Benalla, Yarawonga and Barooga. Picture: Colleen Petch

Benalla All Blacks haven’t won a flag since 1981 when its premiership line-up included one of the greatest country footballers in the past 40 years, John Brunner.

Bonnie Doon hasn’t won a premiership since 2004.

WANGARATTA ROVERS (Ovens and Murray)

The club, which had been a powerhouse in one of the strongest leagues in the state, has not won a flag since 1994 and has to overcome Yarrawonga in the preliminary final on Sunday to make the grand final.

The Rovers last made a grand final in 2002 when league legend Robbie Walker was still the best player in the O&M.

Robbie Walker played in Wangaratta Rovers most recent flag in 1994.

Last week it won a famous first semi-final by coming from more than six goals down to beat Albury.

Brodie Filo ignited the Rovers with three goals and Sam Murray’s move into the middle of the ground were pivotal factors in the win.

Wangaratta Rovers have caused plenty of finals heartache for Yarrawonga dating back to the early 1970s.

Wangaratta is through to the grand final and the two Wangaratta teams haven’t met in a grand final since the mid-1970s.