Hampden: North Warrnambool upsets ladder leader South Warrnambool
The Hampden league premiership battle was turned upside down with North Warrnambool grabbing a thrilling win. See who kicked the match-winning goal.
North Warrnambool scored a thrilling late season victory over ladder leader South Warrnambool in the Hampden league on Saturday.
Jackson Mundy converted a set shot in the dying stages to hand North a four-point win to move two points ahead of Cobden in third place with two rounds remaining.
South — ladder leaders for the majority of the season — couldn’t shake a determined North, which is playing out the year minus its coach-in-waiting Nathan Vardy because of a knee injury.
Six-time Hampden league premiership coach Adam Dowie is stepping aside at the end of the season.
.@NW_Eagles beat Hampden ladder-leader South Warrnambool in a thriller 6.13 (49) to 6.9 (45). @WboolStandardpic.twitter.com/spi9swZfC2
— Justine McCullagh-Beasy (@JustineMB_29) August 12, 2023
He took North into the grand final last season only to lose to Koroit which he had previously coached to three flags.
North and Koroit are level on 44 points and meet in the final round of the season.
Teenage defender Charlie McKinnon subdued dangerous South forward Shannon Beks when moved onto him in the second term.
South lost key playmaker Liam Youl early in the match to a back injury and had draft prospect Luamon Lual available.
OMEO DISTRICT
Swifts Creek has won an extra time thriller to move into a grand final for the second successive season.
Swifts Creek and Omeo-Benambra were tied at 11.10 (76) when the final siren sounded to end the second semi-final played at Swan Reach.
Daniel Hayes, who had kicked three goals in regulation time, produced the all important only goal of extra time from a set shot to seal a five-point win for Swifts Creek, which also made last year’s grand final with an extra time win against Swan Reach in the preliminary final.
Hayes was best-on-ground for the victors who had other good players in Richard Crabtree and Conor Harvey.
Swifts Creek trailed by more than 20 points in the second quarter before hitting the front at halftime by two.
Omeo-Benambra went into the match without former Brisbane Lions player Ryan Harwood, who booted 10 goals in his most recent outing against Buchan.
It’s expected he will return for the preliminary final against Bruthen on Saturday.
Cudgewa advanced to the Upper Murray grand final with a 111-point thrashing of Bullioh in the second semi-final.
The Picola District finals series started on Saturday with Katandra staying in the flag race with a 27-point elimination final win over Deniliquin Rovers.
Luke Smith played a starring role for the victors with four goals.
MURRAY
Congupna, which was outside the top 6 a month ago, could claim an unlikely double chance finish after a day of shocks.
The Road easily took care of Barooga by 94 points to climb to third spot ahead of a last round clash with out of contention Tongala.
But Tongala produced the upset of the round on Saturday by defeating second-placed Numurkah, which has the bye in the final round.
One round to go!
— Murray FL (@MurrayFL) August 12, 2023
Congupna who were 7th after round 15 are now favourites to finish in the top 2 & grab the double chance.
Will have to overcome Tongala.
Numurkah with the bye in the last round. pic.twitter.com/FHTOwdoD9c
Former coach Jordan Souter booted four goals for Tongala.
Finley clinched a finals berth by beating fifth-placed Nathalia by 11 points with South Australian recruit Bailey Reeves and Mitchell Reilly, another newcomer this year, starring for the Cats.
Nathalia’s defeat ended any hopes of a double chance finish.