Burras lift premiership

WARBURTON-Millgrove are the 2006 Commodore Press Second Division premiers, after defeating Thornton-Eildon by 9 points in the Grand Final at Healesville on Saturday.
In generally fine conditions, the Burras hit the front in the last quarter and withstood a late charge from the Shinboners to hang on, 15.15.105 to 14.12.96.
After comfortably accounting for Thornton-Eildon during the home and away season, Warburton-Millgrove did not get it all their own way in the final, with the northern club probably playing its best match for the year in the Grand Final, as reflected in the final margin.
Vin Muccitelli managed to kick five goals, despite the close attention of Thornton’s Lucas Smith, who was clearly his side’s best player in the two previous finals when given licence to roam around the forward line and through the middle.
No doubt the decision to anchor him at fullback would have caused some agonising on Thursday night for Brad Coller and his coaching staff, but the move looked to have paid dividends for the bulk of the game, with their combination of penetrating kicking and incessant runs proving difficult for the Burras to counter, and Muccitelli being starved of opportunities.
Ultimately, Warburton-Millgrove proved slightly steadier in the final quarter, and, perhaps ironically in such a fast-paced game, the best-on-ground medal went to one of the older players on the field, Warburton’s Jason De Graaf.
In the other football Grand Finals played:
Warburton made it two from two (football-wise) when they took out the Reserves title, accounting for Alexandra, 19.16 to 5.10. Best on ground – Shahin Ajce (Warburton).
South Belgrave upset Yarra Junction in a close U18 decider, winning by four points, 6.9.45 to 5.11.41. South’s Danny Clarke capped off a week in which he won the league’s best-and-fairest with a best-on-ground performance in the Grand Final.
Two Grand Finals in the Sticks Yarra Valley Netball competition were also played on Saturday, with Warburton-Millgrove keeping their undefeated record intact by defeating Alexandra (45) to (36) in a high-scoring B-grade final, with the Rebels’ Sam Westwood taking out best-on-court honours.
It wasn’t all gloom and doom for Yarra Junction, with their A-grade netballers, who went into the game as favourites, defeating Thornton-Eildon (41) to (27). The scoreline actually didn’t do justice to the closeness of the physical encounter, but the Eagles seemed to have their opponents at arm’s length for most of the game. The Eagles’ Jade Hottes was adjudged best player on the day.
While the curtain has now fallen on the Second Division for another year, football and netball in first division still has a fortnight to go. In Sunday’s semi-finals, Upwey-Tecoma progressed straight into the Grand Final, with a seven-point victory over minor premiers Monbulk, 13.15.93 to 12.14.86.
A goalless second term, for Monbulk, arguably decided the match, as they saw an 18-point lead at quarter time evaporate into a 14-point deficit at the long break.
The Van Hoorns (David and Ryan) were best for Upwey-Tecoma, while the Hawks’ Mark Haley was ably assisted by four goals from Tim Wragg. Their opposition in the preliminary final will be Healesville, who did their best to kick themselves out of the finals race before subduing Woori Yallock, 9.20.74 to 9.9.63, at Gembrook. The competition’s leading goalkicker, Jye Conrau, didn’t kick one this week, and the fact that the Bloods were still able to win would be seen as a positive sign for Healesville supporters.
In the netball semi-finals, Monbulk booked themselves a place in the Grand Final with a nail-biting one goal win over minor premiers Upwey-Tecoma, who will play Healesville for the remaining spot, after they were too strong for Mt Evelyn, winning (35) to (17).