Facing what they knew would be a monumental challenge, Woori Yallock took on Narre Warren in the 2022 Outer East Premier Division Senior Grand Final on Sunday 18 September at Gembrook Recreation Reserve.
Lightning delayed the beginning of the game, as the anthem concluded and the league sent players and officials back into the clubrooms. Luckily they did, because it was an extremely chaotic 30 minutes that followed with lightning, thunder, hail and then sunshine and a glorious rainbow.
Parking was reportedly full at the ground at 8am with the parking officials sending cars back from that point onwards – it’s believed around 4000 people rolled into the big dance.
The Tigers led at every stage bar at the final siren, holding leads of 15, 6 and 2 points respectively at every change.
A final quarter surge from Narre Warren was the straw that broke the camel’s back, or the Tigers in this instance, as Narre Warren overcame their inaccuracy throughout the game to end up 9.17, 71 to 8.10, 58 winners.
Narre Warren president Stuart Stephenson said he was relieved after the win over the Tigers.
“Woori Yallock were fantastic, they were brave in the conditions and halfway through the last quarter I thought you might be talking to them,” he said.
“Thommo (Tigers president Robert Thompson) and his club do a fantastic job, Woori Yallock, they’re a small township and they always fight above their weight and they did it again today.”
Luke Boontjes, Baylin Spencer, Benjamin Monkhorst, Robert Allen, Joel Adams and Hayden Smith were the best players for Woori Yallock in the loss, with their goals coming courtesy of Jak Ryan (3), Kody Busoli (2) and Jude Hay, Jason Lindgren and Liam Odea all with one.
