By Cameron Hutchison
AFL YARRA RANGES
DIVISION 1 GRAND FINALS
FOOTBALL
SENIORS
Wandin 16.11.107 d Woori Yallock 9.16.70
Wandin beat minor premiers Woori Yallock in front of a record crowd at Yarra Glen on Friday 28 September.
Wandin got off to a good start, kicking 4.2, but Woori Yallock was hot on their tail with 2.3.
Wandin outplayed and outran Woori in the second quarter, holding them to just 1.5 while they took advantage of the breeze and kicked 3.5 to take a lead of 25 points into half time.
Woori Yallock could not inflict any damage on the scoreboard in the third as Wandin ran all over them, kicking 4.1 while Woori Yallock was only allowed to put on three behinds.
The margin at three-quarter time was 47 points and the last quarter was a goal feast, with 11 kicked.
Woori Yallock got a few of them early to reduce the margin until Wandin found the big sticks again to seal the deal.
Wandin – Best: R. Ross (Best on Ground Medallist), P. Bruzzese, R. Heasley, B. Foley, H. Byrne, B. Harvey. Goals: J. Van Unen 6, H. Byrne 2, P. Hodgett 2, B. Harvey, J. Ladner, D. Hirst, T. Merlino, S. Wettenhall, D. Barton.
Woori Yallock – Best: R. Monkhorst, L. Boontjes, K. Thompson, M. Lowe, C. French, J. Adams. Goals: J. Matthews 2, R. Allen, R. Monkhorst, M. Anderson, C. Cameron, B. Arnold, Z. Monkhorst, J. Smith.
RESERVES
Mount Evelyn 10.12.72 d Olinda Ferny Creek 11.4.70
Mount Evelyn came from fifth spot to knock off the more-fancied Olinda Ferny Creek by two points.
It was deja vu for Olinda as they lost by two points in the 2017 Grand Final.
Olinda got off to a great start, kicking 3.2 to 1.5 to take a lead of nine points into the second quarter and the early signs were that Olinda was more in control.
Mount Evelyn came back at them in the second, kicking 2.2 to 1.1 to reduce the lead to just two points at half time.
The third quarter was tough contested footy with both sides making the use of the wide-open spaces.
The margin at three quarter time was Olinda by three points.
Mount Evelyn had the ball on a string but was making hard work of it with its inaccuracy in front of goal but in the end, they prevailed and gave their supporters something to cheer about coming home with a heart stopping two-point win.
Mount Evelyn – Best: L. Doidge, S. Martin, B. Klaas-Henry, B. Cronkshaw, B. Maynard, J. Yeomans. Goals: L. Doidge 4, R. Fooks, M. Gibbons, B. Klaas-Henry, S. Martin, L. Fooks, A. Condello.
Olinda Ferny Creek – Best: J. Rankin (Best on Ground Medallist), O. Millwood, B. Walter, B. Schubert, L. Seal, J. Faull. Goals: B. Walter 3, O. Millwood 2, B. Schubert 2, T. Ireland 1, G. Stevens 1, B. Telford 1, J. Rankin 1.
UNDER-18S
Gembrook Cockatoo 12.7.79 d Healesville 6.8.44
Gembrook Cockatoo took home its first Under-18 Premiership after accounting for Healesville on Friday 28 September.
Gembrook started well, kicking 3.3 to two goals to have a lead of nine points at quarter time.
The second quarter was low-scoring with only two goals kicked, but Healesville had reduced the margin to eight points at the main break.
Gembrook came out a different team in the third and took control of the game kicking 5.1 to 2.2 to have a very handy lead of 25 points as they went into the last.
Healesville was left wanting in the last and could just not get the run it needed to try and peg back the lead.
Gembrook ran out winners by a very convincing 33 points.
Coach Steve Manning made special mention of the fire that destroyed the Gembrook pub on Monday 24 September.
Gembrook Cockatoo – Best: H. Snoxell (Best on Ground Medallist), J. Burchill, M. Wareham, J. Firrito, J. Hudson, Z. Loewe. Goals: M. Wareham 4, M. Watson 2, L. Ramage, F. Trott, A. Firrito, K. Wood, D. South, L. Hartley-Taylor.
Healesville – Best: J. Brookes, W. McVay, T. Millman, A. Peterson, J. Lawry, M. Renouf. Goals: M. Minney 3, H. Keeling, M. Donegan, J. George.
NETBALL
A-GRADE
Olinda Ferny Creek 58 d Belgrave 51
Olinda finished Minor Premiers in 2018 and has also gone back-to-back Premiers after a win over Belgrave on Friday 28 September.
The first quarter was tight and Belgrave had a lead of one goal at quarter time.
Olinda shot 20 goals in the second and Peri Stewart was on fire, shooting 15 of them as Olinda went into the half-time break with a nine-goal lead.
The contest tightened up in the third, but Olinda did increase its lead to 13 goals at three-quarter time.
Belgrave came home with a late charge, shooting 16 goals to 10, but the margin was too big to chase down.
Olinda Ferny Creek – Best: B. Smith (Best on Court Medallist), P. Stewart, A. Howard. Goals: P. Stewart 37, A. Howard 21.
Belgrave – Best: A. Jeffery, E. Schill, P. Keogh. Goals: L. Bennett 22, E. Schill 20, C. Timms 9.
B-GRADE
Wandin 50 d Woori Yallock 41
Wandin – Best: A. Lennie (Best on Court Medallist), A. Gedge, D. Smith. Goals: A. Gedge 42, O. Weinberg 8.
Woori Yallock – Best: M. Lee, K. Eslick, T. Osborne. Goals: H. Summers 18, M. Lee 8, R. Gorfine 8, B. Sudomirski 7.
C-GRADE
Wandin 40 d Olinda Ferny Creek 37
Wandin – Best: C. Iedema (Best on Court Medallist), R. Black, H. McInerney. Goals: C. Iedema 27, O. Speelmeyer 13.
Olinda Ferny Creek – Best: M. Rogers, J. Horner, K. Andrich. Goals: J. Horner 26, K. Andrich 11.
D-GRADE
Wandin 36 d Warburton Millgrove 17
Wandin – Best: A. Kay (Best on Court Medallist), T. Fowkes, E. Rhodes. Goals: A. Kay 30, C. Dickson 6.
Warburton Millgrove – Best: G. Woods, A. Ormsby, B. DePedro. Goals: B. DePedro 11, A. Ormsby 6.
17 AND UNDER
Wandin 47 d Healesville 17
Wandin – Best: C. Minney (Best on Court Medallist), E. Rhodes, M. Rouget. Goals: C. Iedema 29, O. Speelmeyer 18.
Healesville – Best: E. Minney, B. Erickson, A. Nikcevich. Goals: A. Stanley 9, B. Erickson 8.
