By Tyler Lewis
Gembrook Cockatoo Football Netball Club will host the biggest day on the Outer East calendar.
After a difficult season, with no access to its recently developed rooms, the Brookers will play host to the two best Premier Division outfits on the penultimate Sunday in September.
The entire Premier Division finals series will be played on Sunday’s, in attempt to dodge splitting crowds with Division One, which will be played on Saturday’s.
The Division One grand final will be played at Yarra Glen on the following Friday, 23 September, continuing the competitions AFL Grand Final Eve tradition.
While work to the Gembrook Cockatoo rooms is about to be completed, works to Officer, Pakenham, Woori Yallock, and the obvious intent to avoid competing teams hosting finals, made the decision of selecting finals venues a meticulous process for the league.
If the Gembrook Cockatoo rooms aren’t ticked off by the first final, Officer will host the match between the first-seed of the home-and-away season and the winner of the qualifying final.
And if the rooms are still yet to be completed by grand final day, Healesville will host the Premier Division grand final.
The Premier Division finals series is top five, with the minor premier earning the week off in the first week of finals.
Division One is a four-team qualification; with one and two playing in a ‘win and in’ final with a double chance, while three v four face off in an elimination final.
The winner of the elimination final will play the loser of first and second in a preliminary final the following week.
OUTER EAST FINALS VENUES
PREMIER DIVISION
WEEK 1
Sunday 28 August
QUALIFYING FINAL: Narre Warren
ELIMINATION FINAL: Emerald
WEEK 2
Sunday 4 September
SEMI FINALS
Gembrook Cockatoo
Emerald
WEEK 3
Sunday 11 September
PRELIMINARY FINAL: Healesville
WEEK 4
Sunday 18 September
GRAND FINAL: Gembrook Cockatoo
DIVISION ONE:
WEEK 1
Saturday 10 September
SEMI FINAL: Yarra Junction
ELIMINATION FINAL: Warburton
WEEK 2
Saturday 17 September
PRELIMINARY FINAL: Woori Yalllock
WEEK 3
Friday 23 September
GRAND FINAL: Yarra Glen
