Ovens & Murray: Wang Derby grand final for first time since 1977
History beckons as fifth-placed Wangaratta survives a final-quarter scare to book first grand final showdown against cross-town rival Rovers since 1977.
Wangaratta withstood a final term fightback from Myrtleford in the preliminary final to set up an Ovens & Murray grand final clash against fierce rivals Wangaratta Rovers for the first time in almost 50 years.
Teenager Blake Newton, who kicked the final term sealer for Wangaratta on Sunday, has a strong family tie to the 1976 grand final when Wangaratta beat Rovers before the tables were turned the following season.
His grandfather Laurie Newton was a member of the Magpies’ 1976 flag team and his dad Mick played for Rovers and Magpies in the late 1990s.
Myrtleford started the final term 35 points down, but narrowed the margin to nine points when 16-year-old Newton won a free kick for holding the ball and converted to ice a 15-point win.
Rovers hold a 3-1 win-loss edge on the Magpies in O&M grand finals.
The latest Wang Derby premiership showdown also marks the first time in the competition’s 132-year history that the two grand finalists will be coached by Melbourne-based coaches — Sam Murray (Rovers) and Jason Heatley (Wangaratta).
Murray coached Rovers to a drought-breaking flag last season and Heatley is in his first season in charge of the Magpies.
“(Myrtleford) were always going to come at us,” Heatley said.
“This competition has a habit of taking you to places that I haven’t been to as a coach before.
“We showed some poise, we got a few things wrong which we will talk about, but these are big games.
“It’s a really euphoric feeling, but we dial in on next week now.”
The former St Kilda player was a premiership coach in the Northern Football League before taking on the coaching job at Wangaratta where he spent one season as a player in 1991.
“The guys underneath do a power of work, vision, reviewing, planning,” Heatley said.
“I’m blessed with the set up we’ve got.”
The Magpies are into a grand final for the first time since 2022 whey beat Yarrawonga, but had the premiership stripped for a salary cap breach.
Myrtleford missed finals the last two seasons and suffered injuries to crucial players late including defenders Zac Pethybridge, Lachie Hourigan and Ryley Sharp.
“In the first half we got smacked at stoppages,” Myrtleford coach Craig Millar said.
“Irrespective of what was happening behind the ball we were getting smacked around the source, but in the last quarter we wrestled it back really well.
“We had a chance to win it, but unfortunately weren’t good enough in the end.
“Credit to Wang, they’ve come from fifth, they’re in a grand final, their good players stood up when they needed to.”
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