WHAT a magnificent winter’s day.
The wind was not a factor and the results relied purely on talent, teamwork, tactics and commitment.
There were some close ones, with the finals race starting to tighten.
Division 1 sees Wandin and Healesville now sharing top spot while Olinda, Woori Yallock and Upwey-Tecoma make up the five.
Division 2 sees Yarra Glen one game clear of Kinglake, with Alexandra and Gembrook – with Seville – now back in fifth position.
In A Grade netball, in Division 1, Wandin is two games clear while in Division 2, Seville and Yarra Glen share top spot.
Division 1 Seniors Football
Round 12
Warburton-Millgrove 14.20 (104) d Belgrave 10.9 (69)
Warburton has kept its finals hopes alive with a good win over Belgrave. Warburton enjoyed a good start, kicking 4.3 to 2.2 in the first to take a handy lead.
It would have been disappointed with kicking 1.10 to 2.4 to make no impact on their lead. The result could have been all over at half-time, if they were accurate.
It managed to improve that kicking ratio in the third kicking 5.3 to 3.1 to increase the three quarter time lead to 27 points.
A solid four-goal-to-three last quarter kept Warburton in front and gave it the much-needed four points.
Warburton-Millgrove Best: P. Sharp, T. McKail (2), T. Marr, A. White (4), B. Winzer, L. Barnard.
Belgrave Best: T. Stubley, D. Bilston, J. Molden (2), R. Matthews, P. Van Lambaart.
Healesville 20.19 (139) d Monbulk 12.12 (84)
Healesville has now put itself equal second on the ladder after a nine-goal final quarter.
Both teams started with a tightly fought first quarter, both kicking three goals.
Healesville took a slender lead of two points into the second quarter.
It won the second quarter and increased its lead to 10 points at the main break.
Monbulk outscored Healesville in the third kicking 3.5 to 2.5 and the lead was only six points at three-quarter time.
Healesville got its second wind for the last and came out and ran away with the game, kicking 9.3 to 1.2. Monbulk just seemed to run out of legs in the last and could not match it with Healesville’s young brigade.
Healesville Best: A. Davies (1), P. MacFarlane (4), S. Donkin, I. Vallejo, D. Plozza, N. Aldridge.
Monbulk Best: D. Werts (1), J. Rak, H. Gordic, S. McBride (1), D. Ward (3), R. Gilbert.
Mt Evelyn 22.18 (150) d Emerald 9.9 (63)
Mt Evelyn notched up its fourth win for the season after a good four-quarter effort on Saturday.
It still has a slim chance to get into the five but everything has to fall its way over the next six rounds.
Emerald will now be in a rebuilding phase for season 2017 and will try and get as much out of the rest of the season.
Mt Evelyn started quickly and never looked troubled by Emerald. Cam Carmody and Kane Jones were double trouble for Emerald and they were ably supported by six other goal-kickers.
Mt Evelyn had a healthy lead of 37 points at half-time. A big eight-goal third quarter had the result well and truly sewn up.
Mt Evelyn Best: C. Carmody (6), A. Chalkley (1), G. Gosland, K. Jones (5), R. Cowan (2), M. Sheehan.
Emerald Best: L. Sheppard (2), M. Thomas, M. Steer, L. McKenna, J. Corcoran, C. Jacobson.
Wandin 15.10 (100) d Olinda Ferny Creek 15.6 (96)
This game was touted as a grand final preview and it did not disappoint. Scores were all tied up at quarter time and there were no obvious weaknesses from either side.
Wandin got a slim lead of four points at half-time but certainly was not convincing.
Olinda came out in the third and kicked six straight to 3.1 to take a lead of 13 points at the final break.
It was game on. Could Olinda hold off the run of Wandin? Did Wandin have anything left in the tank? Olinda scored 2.3 in the last, but could not hold Wandin, which outscored them, kicking 5.2 and came away with a well-contested 4-point win.
Wandin Best: D. Ladner (1), S. Dwyer (4), B. Chapman, J. Bayliss (1), H. Dudink, C. Foley.
Olinda Ferny Creek Best: M. Hottes (2), O. Millwood, K. Currie, R. Wilson, D. Noorda, M. Mollica (4).
Woori Yallock 15.17 (107) d Upwey Tecoma 6.10 (46)
Woori Yallock has given itself a one-game break from Upwey which sits outright fifth on the ladder.
Woori Yallock will now be eyeing off third spot for that all important second chance come finals.
Woori Yallock took a six-point lead going into the second quarter.
Ben Monkhorst and Jordy Williams continued on their form that earnt them a spot in the Vic Country Team the week before.
A five-goal-to-two second quarter gave Woori a 24-point lead at half-time and it always looked like the Upwey Tigers were going to find it tough against the Woori Tigers.
The third quarter was an even affair and Upwey just could not break through to make any inroads into the lead.
Woori Yallock held Upwey goalless in the last and kicked away with a 4.6 quarter to come away with a much-needed, convincing win in the end.
Woori Yallock Best: C. Smedley, J. Williams (3), B. Monkhorst (4), D. Benson, L. Boontjes, M. Lowe.
Upwey-Tecoma Best: T. Robinson (2), B. Hinton, L. O’Brien, S. Mitchell (2), J. Hevern (1), S. Parkinson.
Division 2 Seniors Football
Gembrook-Cockatoo 15.10 (100) d Kinglake 14.15 (99)
Gembrook had a heart-stopping win over Kinglake on Saturday to keep it equal second on the ladder and one game off top spot.
Gembrook led all day kicking an impressive 6.1 to 3.3 in the first.
Another 4.3 to 3.3 in the second gave Gembrook a handy 22-point lead going into the main break. Kinglake was plagued with indirect at the hosts, kicking 3.7 to 2.2 to reduce the lead to 11 points at three quarter time.
Kinglake threw everything at Gembrook in the last and kicked 5.2 to 4.4 but just failed to get over the line. Gembrook was pushed but its defence managed to hang on to help secure the four points.
Gembrook Cockatoo Best: D. Leversha (2), A. Shipp (1l), M. Maddison, L. Scott, P. Gramc (1), C. Clarke (1).
Kinglake Best: A. Beales, A. Whelan (1), J. Crowe, M. Robertson (1), J. Butterworth, R. Mallison (1).
Seville 37.29(251) d Thornton Eildon 5.1 (31)
IT WAS a pretty tough day all round for Thornton on Saturday.
It came up against a Seville team that had itself suffered two losses in the past two weeks and needed to get the win to keep it in touch with the final five.
Seville was unforgiving and Nathan O’Keefe kicked an amazing 18 goals for the day.
Thornton battled hard all day but Seville just never gave it a look in as it secured an impressive 220-point win.
Seville Best: B. Penwill, R. Davis, N. O’Keefe (18), J. Bourke-Finn (1), M. Cecere (7), L. Scattergood (3).
Thornton Eildon: Best players and goal-kickers not provided.
Yarra Glen 16.15 (111) d Yarra Junction 13.13 (91)
Yarra Junction took it up to ladder leaders Yarra Glen on Saturday.
Yarra Glen got a very handy 27-point lead at quarter time, kicking 5.6 to 1.3.
Junction had other ideas and came out and surprised Yarra Glen kicking 5.6 to 3.2 to reduce the half-time lead to 11 points.
Yarra Junction came out in the third much like the second and had more run and team effort than Yarra Glen and outscored it by 18 points and went into three quarter time with a seven-point lead.
Yarra Glen played catch-up footy and looked slow.
A final quarter effort led by Kyle Hudson and Jie Smith saw Yarra Glen lift in the last and kick 5.4 to 1.1 to come away with a hard-fought 20-point win.
Yarra Glen Best: K. Hudson (1), J. Smith (6), J. Marks (1), A. Smith, B. Binion, L. Vanderstadt.
Yarra Junction Best: M. Duke, F. D’Agostino, J. Black, E. Wadsworth, D. Lever (3), T. Hancock (2).
Powelltown 12.14 (86) d Yea 11.15 (81)
Powelltown was fighting to stay in touch with the five. Yea needed the win to put it potentially back in the five.
After the win on Saturday, Powelltown is definitely within kicking distance with Yea now just one win clear.
A very even first quarter with four goals apiece saw the hosts take the slimmest of leads heading into the second quarter.
Powelltown turned it on in the second and kicked 4.2 to 1.5 to take a 14-point lead into half-time. Powelltown maintained its composure and only let Yea kick 3.2 to its 2.6.
Both sides had trouble at stages getting the ball through the big sticks and the hosts paid for their inaccuracy in the last, kicking 3.4 to 2.4 with Powelltown hanging on to win by five points.
Powelltown Best: P. Allen, M. McLaughlin (2), W. Dore, N. Moody, G. Newing (2), T. Hallmark.
Yea Best: R. Aldous (1), H. Jarvie (1), J. Ryan, K. Giovannini, M. Ivill, B. Cunningham (4).
Alexandra: Bye
Under 18s
Warburton-Millgrove 17.9 (111) d Monbulk-Seville 5.6 (36)
Warburton-Millgrove Best: J. McIntosh (4), M. Leeds (5), J. Blake (4), M. Read, C. Reiffel, T. Dargie.
Monbulk-Seville Best: J. Paternoster, B. Jennings-Allen, H. Dousset, T. Gelbert, L. Thomas, L. McKay.
Mt Evelyn 18.16 (124) d Emerald 4.4 (28)
Mt Evelyn Best: D. Watson (2), D. Maunder (2), A. Johnson, J. Maunder, B. Forbes (3), M. Brierley.
Emerald Best: T. Thomsen, J. Volta, C. Roma, K. Jordan-Hill, T. Ladner, R. Hall.
Wandin 13.18 (96) d Upwey Tecoma 7.4 (46)
Upwey now sees itself in fifth position after its loss to Wandin.
Wandin Best: H. Byrne (2), T. Merlino (1), W. Jongsma, A. Gray (1), J. Spencer, J. Byrne
Upwey-Tecoma Best: A. Milner, B. Raru, L. Hughes (2), A. Mott, B. Watson (1 goal), A. Aarden.
Yarra Glen: Bye
Kinglake: Bye
Woori Yallock-Powelltown: Bye
Division 1 A Grade Netball
Monbulk Hawks 52 d Healesville 47
Monbulk Hawks Best: Sophie Stubbs (19), Lauren Smith (33), Paige Whitworth.
Healesville Best: Alexandra Bryan, Amy Stanley (16), Chenile Chandler.
Mt Evelyn 58 d Emerald 29
Wandin 59 d Olinda Ferny Creek 55
Wandin Best: Rhiannan Maxwell (32), Leah Reilly, Tayissa Coppinger.
Olinda Ferny Creek Best: Louise Conway, Ashlee Howard (20), Tamara Luke.
Belgrave 71 d Warburton Millgrove 54
Belgrave Best: Kylie Bradshaw, Jennifer Dewhurst, Lauren Bennett (51).
Warburton Millgrove Best: Briannon Dodd, Georgia Stanke, Alice McKenna (34).
Woori Yallock 69 d Upwey Tecoma 38
Woori Yallock Best: Sarah Hogan (46), Jordan Maher, Shannon Gray.
Upwey Tecoma Best: Kaylea McQuade, Peta Day, Keira Venables.
Division 2 A Grade Netball
Seville 55 d Thornton Eildon 24
Seville Best: Mariah Scully, Riley Gentle, Selina Fotia (26).
Thornton Eildon Best: Anita Keddell (18), Alesha Davison, Nikki Davison (4).
Yarra Glen 60 d Yarra Junction 20
Yarra Glen Best: Elizabeth Kay (35), Hillary Grubb, Stacey Moate.
Yarra Junction Best: Katelyn Betts (16), Jessica Sweet, Rachel Young.
Yea 54 d Powelltown 32
Yea Best: Cindy Newcomen, Megan Leatham, Meg Sundblom.
Powelltown Best: Shae Berriman, Nicole Hajder, Georgie Haynes.
Alexandra: Bye
