THE Yarra Valley Mountain District Community Bank Football Netball League Division One grand finals were played in perfect conditions at Healesville and it was Woori Yallock that once again delivered on the big stage with a courageous victory over the highly fancied Upwey Tigers.
The Woori Yallock Tigers clawed their way from fourth position to take out the 2013 senior premiership.
And in Division One A Grade netball, Upwey delivered a masterful exhibition of high class netball to defeat a gallant Belgrave and take out its very first A Grade premiership with a strong 16-goal victory.
GRAND FINAL (SENIORS) Woori Yallock v Upwey Tecoma
A GREAT season deserves a great grand final and that is what happened.
Woori has had to come from fourth spot on the ladder and play in three gruelling finals to make it to the grand final and then it had to take on the best performed team of the year in Upwey which was primed because it also had the opportunity to freshen up with a week off prior to the big game.
This game started like most grand finals do and that’s at a frantic pace and a few nerves to go with it.
Woori actually looked to settle into the game a bit quicker than Upwey but it was wasteful booting 3.7 for the quarter which kept Upwey in touch as it managed 1.3.
The second quarter was a contrast to the first because it was Upwey that started to control of the ball and the tempo of the play.
It slammed on six goals to Woori’s two and took an 11 point lead into half time and was looking the goods to go on with it.
There was a wide held belief that Upwey would be the fresher side and start to run away with the game in the second half, however it was Woori that surprisingly looked the fresher, harder running side in the third quarter.
Upwey looked tired as Woori booted five goals to two for the quarter.
Woori held a seven point lead heading into the last quarter and their appeared to be a real belief amongst the Woori team that they could deliver back to back Premiership victories.
The last quarter was one big struggle as both defences worked overtime; there wasn’t a lot of scoring as the play seemed to be between the half back lines.
Woori did manage to break through the Upwey defence for two goals in the quarter and although that may not seem a big scoring quarter it was certainly enough as Upwey only managed one goal late in the game.
Woori Yallock ran out 12 point winners in a steely and determined performance to hold aloft the Premiership Cup for the second year in a row.
Woori Yallock 12.13 (85) d Upwey Tecoma 10.13 (73)
Congratulations to Woori Yallock, the 2013 Premiers.
GRAND FINAL (RESERVES)
Upwey Tecoma v Mount Evelyn
UPWEY held Mount Evelyn scoreless in the first quarter but it didn’t make it hurt on the scoreboard as it booted 1.7 for the term which kept Mount Evelyn in the contest.
The second quarter saw Upwey hit the scoreboard with a bit more accuracy booting 4.1 but Mount Evelyn started to get enough of the ball themselves scoring 3.2 to stay in touch, Upwey by 18 points at half time.
The third quarter was a real scrap with neither side able to penetrate going forward.
There was only one goal scored for the term and that was by Upwey which saw it take a handy 23 point lead into the last quarter.
Mount Evelyn did give it everything in the last and, in fact, outscored Upwey four goals to two but unfortunately had two goalless quarters that it just couldn’t come back from and come final siren Upwey prevailed by 14 points in what was a hard fought grand final victory.
Upwey Tecoma 8.12 (60) d Mount Evelyn 7.4 (46)
GRAND FINAL (UNDER 18s)
Woori Yallock v Wandin
THERE wouldn’t be too many sides that could boast that they didn’t kick a goal in two of the four quarters played, kick only four goals for the game and win the Premiership, but that’s exactly what Woori Yallock did, in a slog from start to finish.
Woori started the better booting two goals in the first to Wandin’s one behind to grab a 13 point lead at the first change.
In the second quarter there was only one goal scored and that was by Wandin as it held Woori goalless.
At half time it was Woori by just seven points.
The third was more of the same with scoring goals so hard to come by.
It was one goal apiece for the term and Woori held a one goal lead at the last change.
The last quarter saw just the one goal scored by Wandin which brought it to within one kick of victory but remarkably Woori’s three behinds in the last quarter was enough to seal Premiership glory come final siren.
Although it was a low scoring affair it didn’t worry Woori Yallock. A win’s a win and Woori is the season premier.
Congratulation Woori Yallock Under 18s.
Woori Yallock 4.10 (34) d Wandin 4.8 (32)
