TRFM Gippsland League won three of its four interleague matchups against Yarra Valley Mountain District Football Netball League at Drouin Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
Click here for a full photo gallery of TRFM Gippsland League's four interleague clashes with Yarra Valley MDFNL
The league's senior interleague team Yarra Valley by 71 points to return to eighth on the Worksafe AFL Victoria Country Championships rankings.
The all-star team was slow off the mark, with Traralgon coach Mark Collison opening Gippsland’s tally after four minutes.
The home team managed just one more major in an inaccurate opening term, which saw it take an 11-point lead into quarter-time.
“Twelve entries to one and we have kicked two goals, it’s not good enough is it? We need to convert better than that,” coach Steve Hazelman said.
“We have had a good start. Let’s put some scoreboard pressure on. Let’s run ‘em off their feet and get some clean entries.”
Gippsland had the upper hand early in the second, before the visitor leveled the contest, to be within 10 points at half time.
“It’s game on here boys! We have got to make sure we get off to a good start. Don’t panic, (go) down the line, reset and go again. We have had most of the footy, we just have to capitalize,” Hazelman said during his half-time address.
Gippsland was two players down heading into the second half, with Jack Lipman (kidney) joining Sale teammate Jordan Dessent (hamstring) on the sidelines.
“We are a couple down, it’s a big ground here (and) we need to make sure this second half we don’t give them a sniff,” Hazelman said.
His side was able to open the game up in the third term and took a 31-point lead at the final break.
The host side slammed on six goals to none in its best quarter of the afternoon, to run out a convincing winner, 13.17 (95) to 3.6 (24).
“It was a bit a struggle in the first half, (Yarra Valley) put numbers behind the footy and tried to clog us up, but I thought the guys really worked hard and in the second half we were able to open the game up and have a win,” Hazelman said post-match.
“We had the majority of the play, it was just about trying to get the game on our terms a bit.”
Drouin’s Daniel Nicholls was awarded the medal for best-on-ground.
“It’s always good to play these games (with) the best of the best players,” Nicholls said.
“It’s always a tough hit out. We were lucky to get the win and and I was lucky to get the medal, so I’m pretty happy with that.”
Nicholls was one of four Hawks in the line-up, all of which played their part.
Captaining the league for the first time, McCallum was also named among the best and finished with two goals.
“I’m pretty happy with the performance. It’s pretty tough coming together at short notice, but I thought we did well,” McCallum said.
“At a couple of points I saw the Drouin boys link up coming out of the back line and do exactly what we do at training, so it’s good to see they listen.”
Other standouts for the home side were Collison, Michael Stockdale and late inclusions Luke Dyer and Kane Martin.
Nicholls capped his performance with three goals, McCallum and Tim Northe finished with two each, while Martin, Collison, Hughes, James Gibbs, John Gooch and Jarryd Drew also contributed majors.
Big forward Scott Dwyer was awarded the AFL Victoria Country medal as Yarra Valley’s best.
TRFM Gippsland League now has a date with Bendigo Football Netball League in next year’s clash between seventh and eighth on the interleague rankings.
“We’ve been there before, we just need to go up there and try and win now,” Hazelman said.
Hazelman has signed as coach for two years.
TRFM Gippsland League also tasted success in two of days three other matches.
Morwell’s Riley Hogarth was awarded the best-on-ground medal in Gippsland’s 28-point win in the under-18 football, while Kasey Guttridge was best-on-court in the 17-and-under netball team’s 41-35 win.
Unfortunately Gippsland was unable to record a clean sweep, with the league’s Regional State League Champions Challenge-winning open netball team falling to a classy Yarra Valley side 63-38.
2015 Worksafe AFL Victoria Country Championships results
Senior football
TRFM Gippsland League 13.17 (95) d Yarra Valley Mountain District "Community Bank" Football Netball League 3.6 (24)
Goals
Gippsland: Nicholls 3, McCallum, Northe 2, Martin, Collison, Gooch, Hughes, Gibbs, Drew
Yarra Valley: Dwyer, Busoli, Sneddon
Best
Gippsland: Nicholls, Collison, McCallum, Stockdale, Martin, Dyer
Yarra Valley: Dwyer, McKenna, Kift, Stubley, Miller, Batten
Worksafe AFL Victoria Country medals: Daniel Nicholls (Gippsland) and Scott Dwyer (Yarra Valley)
Under-18 football
TRFM Gippsland League 11.11 (77) d Yarra Valley Mountain District "Community Bank" Football Netball League 7.7 (49)
Goals
Gippsland: Cooper 3, Bishop, Farmer 2, Rowley, Mulqueen, Kingi, Dowsett
Yarra Valley: Glass 3, Edmonds, Taylor, Nicholls, Sund
Best
Gippsland: Cooper, Hogarth, Mulqueen, Duve, Rowley, Bishop
Yarra Valley: Glass, Horner, Aldous, Benson, Fraser
Worksafe AFL Victoria Country medals: Riley Hogarth (Gippsland)
Open netball
Yarra Valley Mountain District "Community Bank" Football Netball League 63 d TRFM Gippsland League 38
17-and-under netball
TRFM Gippsland League 41 d Yarra Valley Mountain District "Community Bank" Football Netball League 35
Last Modified on 24/05/2015 19:33