Wimmera: Will Holmes stars in Minyip-Murtoa premiership glory

Will Holmes was a star for Holbrook before joining Minyip-Murtoa and both clubs won flags on Saturday.

Minyip-Murtoa’s Will Holmes has played a starring role for the Wimmera league premiers on the same day his home club Holbrook scored a famous flag win against long standing arch rival Osborne.

Holmes won the Hume league’s Azzi Medal in last year’s Covid-shortened season before heading to western Victoria to attend Longerenong Ag College and joining Minyip-Murtoa.

Minyip-Murtoa's Will Holmes, centre, with former Lowan MP Hugh Delahunty and Longerenong College's Donna Winfield after the Wimmera league grand final. Picture: Supplied

Minyip-Murtoa book-ended the Covid era with flags by beating Ararat in the grand final by seven points with Holmes edging out teammate and triple Toohey Medallist Kieran Delahunty for best-on-ground honours.

Holbrook came from seven points down at the last change to blitz red-hot flag favourite Osborne by kicking seven goals in the final term to win by 29 points at Walbundrie.

John Mitchell, a multiple premiership player for Albury Tigers, was the matchwinner for Holbrook with four goals including one in the opening minute of the final term to ignite the eventual premiers.

Hume Football League premiers Holbrook. Picture: Supplied

Mitchell’s former Albury teammate Joel Mackie was coach of Osborne, which was undefeated last season and hadn’t dropped a game until the grand final this year.

Holbrook coach Matt Sharp kicked two goals as did Kolby Heiner-Hennessy, who finished the season with 60 goals including six in last week’s preliminary final.

The premiership-winning side included brothers Hamish and Ewan Mackinlay with the latter playing at VFL level for Essendon in the second half of the season.

Their cousin Andrew Mackinlay also played for Holbrook after returning from Lavington where he was a member of its 2019 Ovens and Murray premiership side.