What an absolute terrific day at Deakin Reserve, Shepparton on Sunday 27th September 2009. A very good well behaved crowd turned up despite the very cold wind and blustery conditions with the threat of rain and hail all day. Deakin was in terrific condition despite it being a bit gluey in the middle during the first half of the day. Well done to Mark LAMBORNE and the City of Greater Shepparton in getting the ground into such a good condition and to be so well presented. Bit of a shame that the electronic scoreboard was not up and running but that is something we can look forward to in Season 2010. It is with a touch of sadness that these summaries are being prepared because this means that footy is not being played for the next 6 months and 3 days. At this stage it looks like Round One for next year will be played on April 3rd and April 10th with Echuca v Seymour, Shepparton v Swans under lights and the Premiers Mansfield hosting Shepparton United and then a week later on the 10th Mooroopna v Euroa, Kyabram v Rochester under lights and Benalla v Tatura. Footy might not be played for premiership points but all clubs will still be involved in the game over the summer to try and go back to back or go that one step better or to get up into the finals. This is when the rumour mongers are really in their element with red hot mail declaring players will be signing on with a club. If we can repeat season 2009 we should be reasonably well satisfied but the name of the game is of course to improve. Congratulations to the Mansfield Football / Netball Club who are the Senior Premiers for 2009. This is a pretty remarkable achievement as the Eagles are the baby of our League having only joined us in 1998. Two Senior flags in this time is a fantastic effort and very rewarding to all the hard work done by the Mansfield people. Perhaps the highlight of the year would be the magnificent turn-around by the Tatura Football Club - the Seniors played deep into the finals and the Reserves are in fact the 2009 Premiers having only won one game in 2008 and picking up the wooden spoon. To win the flag after being down by 19 points at 1/2 time and kicking into the strong wind in the last quarter to get up and win by two goals really exemplifies the fantatic Bulldog fighting spirit. Kyabram 3rds have won their 10th GVFL Under flag by defeating last years Premiers Echuca by just one solitary behind after being down by 26 points at 3/4 time.
Seniors :- Kyabram captain Josh VICK won the toss and kicked towards Skene Street (the United end) with the aid of a 4/5 goal wind coming in from the Nixon Street gate. Mansfield Coach Craig KELLY was very complementary to his players at the 1/4 time huddle, praising them for keeping Kyabram to 4.6 while they kicked 1.2 into the wind. As it so often happens in footy, the wind dropped a bit in the second quarter and Ky. were able to kick 4 goals 2 into the wind while Mansfield kicked 5 goals 4. At half time Kyabram lead 8.8 to 6.6. It was in this Premiership third Quarter where the Eagles set up their win. Ky kicked 4 goals straight with the aid of the wind but the Eagles were able to kick 5 goals 3 behinds to be only 5 points behind Ky. at 3/4 time. You could see that Linc WITHERS and David NEWMAN for Kyabram were sore and struggling and Guy TAYLOR was doing a terrific job on Paul NEWMAN. Very inspiring and probably the play of the day came in this vital third quarter when Brett MAHONEY for the Eagles got the footy outside the centre square down the United end and took off with wonderful ball handling skill and determination. With four bounces he carried and bounced the footy for a good 50 metres and let go with a very strong but low kick from about 40 metres out to bring up the two flags down the Harold Street end. The Eagles were really elated and got behind their young gun and you could sort of sense it was going to be the Day of the Eagle. Mansfield kicked 5 goals 3 behinds in the last quarter with the wind at their back - Kyabram only managed one goal one. Probably everybody at the ground would have believed Mansfield had the flag sewn up still with ten minutes left to play and that was the case. Mansfield have won the 2009 Senior Flag - Mansfield are the Premiers. Final score was :- Mansfield 16.12 (108) to Kyabram 13.9 (87). Mansfield Goals :- David MENSCH (4), Tim DEMETRIOU (3), Fraser STEVENSON (2), Matt STORER (2), Ross HOPKINS, Nathan HART, Brett MAHONEY, Simon HART and Craig FLINT each kicked 1. Mansfield's best six were named as :- Ross HOPKINS, Fraser STEVENSON, Nick GIESCHEN, Brett MAHONEY, Guy TAYLOR and David MENSCH. Kyabram's Goals were kicked by :- David O'SULLIVAN (4), Paul NEWMAN (3), Chris ATKINS (2) and singles to Scott BEATTIE, Brad MANGAN, Brad VICK and Nathan BECK. (Kyabram's Goal of the day most certainly by young Brad MANGAN who kicked it due South and let the wind push it left about 45 degrees and go straight through down the United end. The actual Goal of the day would have to go to Brett MAHONEY with his run through the centre heading into the wind). Ky's best players were listed as :- Scott THOMSON, Brad MANGAN, Chris ATKINS, Josh VICK, Linc WITHERS and Scott BEATTIE. The Barry CONNOLLY Medal for the best player over the finals series was awarded to Fraser STEVENSON who was half way back down the grand-stand stairs when he was called back by the M.C. Wes CUSWORTH to also receive the V.C.F.L. Medal as best on the Ground as voted by the Umpires. Ross HOPKINS was awarded the Wilf COX Medal being voted best on the ground by the Media. You certainly cannot argue with those awards - very, very worthy winners. The presentations and speeches were conducted very well with the Kyabram President Mr Peter CROXFORD congratulating the Mansfield Club and also his boys. Likewise the Premiership Coach Craig KELLY and the Premiership President Peter MORGAN were very complimentary to Kyabram and so very pleased with and proud of their players and Club. Well Done to Kyabram players, Coaching staff and officials who remained out on the ground during these presentations - this is one part of Grand Final Day that really hurts. So well do I remember the Year 2000 and that is probably more in my mind and gut than the Premiership Flags I have been invovled with - so for Ky to remain out on the ground is to be applauded. Well Done. And there is more good news coming from Mansfield. Things are really underway to get their little undulating ground up to scratch. Perhaps flags might cost a quid but they can certainly get things done too. WELL DONE EAGLES !!!!
Reserves :- No doubt a highlight of the year is the fantastic turn-around by the Tatura Football Club in all grades compared to the two previous seasons. At the end of the Home & Away season Tatura seniors finished with 12 wins & 6 losses while the Reserves finished in 3rd spot with 14 wins and 4 losses. The Reserves had the inglorious title of winning the wooden spoon the two previous seasons, a history that you would want to end and ended it is! The Mighty Bulldogs Two's are the Premiers in Season 2009! This is now Tatura's 5th Reserve's flag since 1949 with previous victories in 1966 & 1968, 1972 and their last in 1988 - 21 years ago. And what probably makes this Flag so much sweeter is the fact that even Tat. were 10 points up at 3/4 time leading 6.12 (48) to 5.8 (38), they were kicking into a 5 goal wind in the last quarter - probably every non-Bulldog at Deakin would have thought Seymour were going to go back to back under Coach Craig ZOTTI but the fighting spirit of the Bulldogs prevailed - Tatura kicked 3 goals into the wind - Seymour sprayed their shots and kicked 2 goals 4 behinds. Had the Lions kicked 4 goals 2 things would have been a fair bit different - but them's the facts! Bulldog Captain Josh STAMMERS was sensational for his team - he was all over the ground pushing the ball forward and getting it out of the stoppages. Jonathon BARNETT who was given a 15 minute spell by young Central umpire Cruz O'SHEA came back on the ground and straight into the action by kicking his first of two vital goals in that last quarter. Goal-kickers for Tatura were :- Jonathon BARNETT with his two, Josh GLEDHILL kicked 2 as did Terry DURWOOD and singles were kicked by Adam MacGIBBON, Steve KIRBY and Daniel MAHER. Tatura's best 6 were listed as :- Josh STAMMERS, Luke McPHILLAMY, Dylan McWHINNEY, Steven BURNS, Josh GLEDHILL and Josh HARRIS. Seymour's Goals were kicked by :- Brett O'DONNELL (2), Ryan KLIEMT (1), Jarrod PINK, Paul ELLIS, Cael McCARTHY and Nick LANE. The Lions best 5 were named to be :- Darcy WAUGH, Luke CROZIER, Ryan KLIEMT, Joe AHMAD and Daniel BELSTEN. Up on the apron of the Grandstand for the presentation of the Premiership cup and the flag was a very, very happy Peter RYAN who announced that Josh STAMMERS was the winner of his Medal to recognise the best player in the Grand Final. Josh STAMMERS was also the joint winner of the Max MURLEY Medal as being voted the (equal) best player in the finals series and what a terrific cheer went up when it was revealed Luke McPHILLAMY also from the Bulldogs was the joint winner. A terrific day, a terrific year for the Tatura Football Club. Well Done Bulldogs!!
Under 18's :- Congratulations to the Kyabram 3rds who have won their 10th GVFL Flag by defeating Echuca 12.7 (79) to 11.12 (78) - that's right - one behind!!!! And, the fact is, Ky were down by 26 points at 3/4 time. Echuca lead 9.12 (66) to Kyabram's 6.4 (40) and had kicked a pretty good 7 goals 6 in the 3rd quarter to Kyabram's 2 goals. The Murray Bombers may not have realised how determined the Kyabram Bombers were and perhaps under estimated the strength of the wind that Ky. had in the last quarter. Ky. kicked the first 3 goals of the last quarter and a point or two to now be only 5 points behind Echuca with about 5 minutes left in the game. The Kyabram hearts missed a beat of two as James PARTINGTON from Echuca ran into an open goal at the Harold Street end to have the Murray Bombers 11 points up. Ball back in the centre, scramble, scramble, scramble, whistle, free kick to Kyabram's James CURNOW and then a 50 metre penalty and Goal! Ky. 5 points down with the clock running. Ball back in the centre, a good clearance to the red and black Bombers, mark and set shot by Patrick WEARDON to put Kyabram one point ahead and then after the centre bounce Ky. went forward again to see Rhys CLARK take a courageous sliding mark to slot it through the middle to put the Kyabram kids 7 points up and surely the siren must sound! But, in the 3rd and 4th quarter of the finals, time-on is applied and the clock stops for all stoppages, boundary throw-ins, behinds and goals. Ky's hearts went back in Ky mouth's as the pressure was really on. Echuca's Jake MILLS goaled for the Murray Bombers after a 50 metre penalty was applied. One point the difference, ball back in the middle, bounce down, siren! Jubliation for Kyabram - Despair for Echuca! The Agony and the Ecstacy. The high's - the lows. No doubt footy can be a heart breaking bugar of a game but on the other side the absolute joy of winning is totally worth it and just the best feeling ever! Congratulations to the Echuca club for putting up such a fantastic contest and having an excellent year after being Premiers in 2008 having defeated Ky twelve months ago. Perhaps it was Ky's turn this year. The final score was :- Kyabram 12.7 (79) to Echuca 11.12 (78) Kyabram's goals were kicked by :- Rhys CLARK (2), Jake REEVES (2), James CURNOW (2), Patrick WEARDON (2) and singles to Auden McGILL, Andrew CIAVARELLA and Nick COULSTOCK. Ky's best players were listed as :- Jack YOUNG, Brodie THOMSON, Andrew CIAVARELLA, Jake REEVES, Ben HOLMAN and Brodie GARTH. Echuca's goals were kicked by :- Jake MILLS (2), Ben REID (2), Sean MORRIS (2) and singles to Matt COSTELLO, Ayden WALTON, James PARTINGTON and Sam McNEILL. The Murray Bombers better players were listed as :- Ben REID, Axel CHILDS, Sean MORRIS, David TONNINI, Mitchell COWAN and Kyle MANLEY. The Freddo McMAHON Medal for best player on the ground in the grand final was awarded to Echuca's Ben REID who really played his guts out and the Gary LYON Medal for the best player over the finals series was awarded to Echuca's David ISMAIL. A truly magnificent game played in terrific spirit and so very well coached by Ben WELCH for the Echuca boys and the Premiership Coach Peter VARCOE Congratulations Kyabram!!!!
Last Modified on 10/06/2010 20:06