Premiership success for LBU, Stratford, Barwon Heads and Bambill
Lockington-Bamawm United steadied late against a never–say-die Mt Pleasant to clinch the Heathcote District league premiership.
Lockington-Bamawm United steadied late against a never–say-die Mt Pleasant to clinch the Heathcote District league premiership by 20 points in front of a massive grand final crowd at Huntly on Saturday.
LBU was undefeated when Covid cut short last year’s season and it finished on top of the ladder at the end of the home and away rounds this year before stumbling in the second semi-final to Mt Pleasant.
LBU burst out of the blocks in the grand final to lead five goals to nil late in the first quarter before Mt Pleasant booted two late to go in only 17 points down.
The margin was still 15 points in LBU’s favour at three quarter time before Mt Pleasant made a charge, twice, to get within a straight kick and Travis Baird threatening to be the matchwinner.
But each time LBU responded and finally clinched the flag with a flurry of late goals to Marcus Angove, Tony McMahon and Jarod Bacon.
Bacon kicked five goals and won the medal for best-on-ground.
LBU had some last quarter concerns when coach Brodie Collins copped a knock on his hip and spent a large part of the term on the sidelines.
“It’s unbelievable,” Collins said.
“Covid has probably slowed us down the last couple of years.
“They are a good side.
“They’ve got some seriously good players and real good top end talent.
“It’s good redemption coming back after that first final loss.”
Mt Pleasant coach Darren Walsh rued the team’s slow start.
“We started poorly, got within three points and just didn’t finish off at the end,” he said.
His decision to play Travis Baird deep forward in the final quarter almost paid the ultimate dividend as he finished with four goals for the match with his teammate and league leading goalkicker Ben Weightman kept quiet.
William Wallace bravely battled through the match with injury to be Mt Pleasant’s best player.
“It's a great feeling,” he said.
“As long as we held our structure I knew we’d get there in the end.
“It was a great game.”
LBU has won five flags since making the switch to the Heathcote District league.
BELLARINE
Barwon Heads has reversed a heavy loss in the second semi-final to thrash Torquay in the grand final by 55 points.
Barwon Heads was on the end of a 75-point mauling in the second semi-final, but in a miraculous form reversal limited Torquay to just three goals for the match.
Torquay had just one goal to three quarter time and a six goal final term sealed a famous win for Barwon Heads, which had many stars including defender Kyle Polley, Charlie Brauer, and Sammy Baker.
MILLEWA
Bambill has claimed the flag with a crushing 63-point win against Cardross in the grand final played at Cullulleraine on Saturday.
Full-forward Brad Congress, in his 50th game for the club, capped off a dominant season by kicking six goals in the grand final victory.
He finished with 142 goals for the season.
Bambill trailed by three points at quarter time before slamming on eight goals to nil in the second to open a matchwinning 51-point lead at halftime.
Justin Freeman, Callan Doering and Sam Foreman were prominent in the Bambill victory.
Bambill becomes the first side in Victoria in three years to win a premiership with an unbeaten season.
The Mildura-based club won all 17 games it played this season and won its last 15 matches, including the grand final, by more than 60 points.
In fact, before the grand final, the club was on a 14 match winning streak by a margin of 90 points or more.
It was a dominant season.
EAST GIPPSLAND
Stratford has broken away late to beat Wy Yung in the grand final by 20 points at Bairnsdale.
The eventual premiers led by only one point at three quarter time before kicking four goals to one in the last quarter to claim the flag it was on track to win last year before Covid intervened.
Despite Wy Yung claiming the minor premiership and three wins during the season against the Swans, Stratford put it all together in the finals, beating Wy Yung twice.
The grand final win added to a one point win in the qualifying final to put the Swans into the decider.
“To be honest I spoke to all my players at the start of the year and it was never about peaking early, and always riding the hill to the top,” Swans coach Jarryd Clohesy said.
“Wy Yung are a young side and were on top early (in the season).
“We just needed to go through with it and keep building.”
Clohesy said everyone played well in patches during the contest but made sure at three quarter time the team made sure it came out on top.
“I said ‘we’ve done six to eight months of hard work, don’t walk off the ground and think jeez I could have done more,’” he said.
“Everyone when they needed to stepped up.”
Midfielder Jack Bacon won the medal for best-on-ground and defender Jarryd Clohesy, Andrew Scott and forward Haydn Erfurth also played big roles in the Stratford win.
Erfurth finished with four goals.
Wy Yung’s chances weren’t helped by a succession of injuries through the match.
Jack Vickers battled a calf injury late in the year and hurt his knee in the grand final.
Dylan Somerville, Mitch Dewar and Bayden Ashwood were also injured during the match.
For Stratford it completes a decade of wins in Commonwealth Games years after winning in 2014, 2018 and this year.
Balranald’s ‘massive fish’ halts exodus
Balranald is pulling out all stops to remain one of the top teams in the Central Murray league. See the big name recruited by the small club.
Decker chases Melbourne to Warrnambool history
Tim Decker claimed the Melbourne to Warrnambool in 2007 as a rider but this weekend will chase victory in a different role. Here’s how he could create a slice of history with rising stars to lead the way.