By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
The 2014 Yarra Valley Mountain District ‘Community Bank’ Football Netball League season has been run and won.
Time to celebrate, commiserate, relax and for some to hang up the boots.
Woori Yallock made it three in a row and Belgrave broke through for an impressive A Grade netball victory.
Yarra Glen took out both Seniors and A Grade netball.
Finals footy and netball is a different game and winners proved hard to pick.
Congratulations to all presidents on an outstanding year and make the most of the summer break – the 2015 season is only a heartbeat away.
GRAND FINALS
SENIORS
Woori Yallock 10.13 (73) d Wandin 9.5 (59)
The three-peat is complete as Woori Yallock triumphed by 14 points over Wandin in the grand final to make three premiership victories in a row.
The game started off with both sides hitting in hard and making a few mistakes under relentless pressure.
Goals were hard to come by and both sides booted two majors in the opening term but it was Woori that went to the break with a narrow three-point lead.
The second quarter was similar and Woori seemed to get more of the ball but wasted its chances and went into half-time trailing by one point with a score of 4.5 (29) while Wandin was more efficient booting 5.0 (30).
The game started to open up in the third as Woori started using the wide open spaces of Healesville’s ground to good effect, opening up its forward line and finding more avenues to goal while Wandin struggled to get it past the halfway mark of the ground.
Woori booted 5.3 to one goal in the third quarter to go into the last change with a very handy 26 point lead.
The last quarter had everything.
Woori had its chances to ice the game but peppered the goals while Wandin finished strong, booting 3.5 for the quarter.
Although Woori only scored one major, it was its strong third quarter performance that set up the win and Wandin just couldn’t overcome what was a match winning lead.
Best
Woori Yallock: B. Sneddon (BOG medal and three goals), B. Monkhorst (4), J. Matthews (2).
Wandin: K. Talevski (5), R. Ross, H. Dudink.
RESERVES
Upwey Tecoma 7.11 (53) d Belgrave 6.6 (42)
This was a very scratchy match with neither team able to get any real run going due to the immense pressure put on the ball carrier.
Belgrave held a four point lead at quarter time but could have been further ahead because they had four more scoring opportunities.
The second term was a real battle with neither side’s forward entries being rewarded on the scoreboard.
Both sides booted just one major for the term and Belgrave led by just three points at the main break.
The third quarter was more of the same as the pressure remained, but Upwey did start to find more of the ball.
However, it couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard as it booted 2.6 for the term while Belgrave kicked two straight.
It was Upwey that held the lead going into the last break by three points.
Upwey’s last quarter was pretty good, it certainly didn’t blow Belgrave away but it did have more of the ball and was able to control the tempo when required.
It booted 2.2 to one goal for the term and although it wasn’t a big scoring quarter, it didn’t worry Upwey because it was enough to secure the 2014 Premiership.
Best
Upwey Tecoma: K. O’Brien (BOG medal and one goal), K. Hinton, R. Van Hoorn.
Belgrave: E. Doulgeris, M. Johnson (1), J. Latto.
UNDER18
Healesville 9.7 (61) d Olinda Ferny Creek 3.12 (30)
Healesville has completed the perfect season after winning the grand final by 31 points and not suffering one defeat for the entire year.
Although Healesville won by a comfortable margin, it took until the second half to shake off Olinda with neither side playing to their potential in the first half.
Olinda led by one point at the first change and there wasn’t a goal scored in the entire second quarter as Olinda went into half-time with a three point lead.
Healesville was able to break the game open in the third as its running ability came to the fore.
The team shared the ball well and had Olinda chasing.
Healesville booted four goals for the quarter and held Olinda scoreless going into the three-quarter time break with a 20-point lead.
The last quarter saw Healesville in control and, as hard as Olinda may have tried, it wasn’t going to be good enough as Healesville had all the answers.
It booted three last-quarter goals to one to win in style and top off a remarkable season.
Best
Healesville: B. Clark (BOG medal), J. Savage, S. Fisher.
Olinda Ferny Creek: L. Taylor (2), E. Greenall, C. Horner.
