IN FRONT of a massive crowd at Woori Yallock, including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Olinda pulled off a victory in what many are saying was the best YVMDFL grand final seen for many a year.
Not only was the day a huge occasion, the game itself was a thriller.
Kinglake, with a strong breeze in the first term, booted 5.7 to 1.2 for a 29-point lead at the first change. Olinda got itself back in the game with the breeze in the second, and by half-time led by seven points after kicking 5.6 and holding Kinglake scoreless.
Kinglake again used the breeze effectively in the third kicking 5.3 to Olinda’s 1.3 to lead by 18 points at the last change.
The last quarter was a nail biter: Kinglake kicked the first goal of the quarter to go four goals up and a fairytale finish to the season looked on the cards.
Olinda had other ideas and kicked the last five goals of the game, but with two minutes to go Kinglake had a seven-point lead. Olinda’s David Noorda converted after taking a great mark 30 metres out directly in front, and scores were level with just under a minute to go.
With 30 seconds to go a great team run down the flank by Olinda created an opportunity for man of the match Glen Stevens to snap the winning goal after a great hand pass from Ben O’Neill. With the siren sounding soon after, Olinda claimed a come-from-behind victory in a classic contest.
Kinglake was superb in defeat. The Kinglake Football Netball Club has been an inspiration to the nation and, almost singlehandedly, rekindled spirit and hope for its fire-devastated community.
Olinda was the form team all season and in an outstanding year it was a well-deserved premiership win.
Olinda Ferny Creek 12.12.84 d Kinglake 11.12.78.
Best – Olinda: Glenn Stevens, Patrick Rosier, Dylan Troutman. Kinglake: Chris Watkins, Cameron Scott, Mathew Thomas.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:RESERVES
OLINDA was the dominant force for the season and won its last 14 games in a row. Yarra Glen was the only team to get within six goals in that time.
On Saturday Olinda started the better with a 5.2 to 2.2 first quarter but that was with the aid of the breeze. In the second Yarra Glen looked threatening and drew level halfway through the term but the experience of Olinda’s older heads steadied and they finished the quarter with three goals to go into half-time with a 16-point lead.
Yarra Glen kicked the first goal of the third quarter to bridge the gap to 10 points but after that it was Olinda that started to use the ball better. It kicked only three goals for the term but that was enough to stretch the lead to 33 points at three-quarter time.
Olinda was never going to let this one slip and skipped out to a seven-goal lead at one stage but to Yarra Glen’s credit it kicked the last two goals and outscored Olinda in the final term by a point.
Olinda Ferny Creek 14.11.95 d Yarra Glen 9.9.63.
Best – Olinda: Brent Green, Simon Leone, Tim Wall. Yarra Glen: Rick Young, Mitch Thomas, Daniel Bouma.
UNDER 18
AFTER the first quarter it looked like Olinda by how much, Olinda leading 6.4 to one goal. The second term saw Olinda start with another goal but all of a sudden Emerald realised this was a grand final, started winning the hard ball and by half-time it trailed by only 20 points.
Olinda had the breeze in the third term but wasted every opportunity they had and booted seven straight behinds for the term against one Emerald goal against the breeze, which saw it within striking distance, 21 points down, at the last change.
But Olinda played smart football and outscored a gallant Emerald three goals to one to win by an impressive 31 points.
Olinda Ferny Creek 11.14.80 d Emerald 7.7.49.
Best – Olinda: Owen Raszkiewicz, Harry Cole, Tom Dawson.
