The four Monbulk sides who had qualified for Premier Division finals travelled down to Kalora Park in Narre Warren for Elimination and Qualifying Finals on Sunday.
The Senior footballers lined up against their old rivals, Olinda-Ferny Creek. These two teams first met in a final 110 years ago when Monbulk won the 1912 premiership and most recently met in a final in 2015 when Olinda won a Semi-Final. Monbulk had fallen short against the Bloods in both home and away games this year and was hoping to turn the tables in the knockout Elimination Final. The Hawks took advantage of the breeze in the opening term to open up a 15-point break. Olinda did likewise in the second quarter and went in at halftime with an 8-point advantage now in their favour.
The game was an entertaining contest between two determined and evenly matched sides. Whenever Olinda kicked a goal, Monbulk would strike back with one of their own but the Hawks weren’t able to string together goals to reclaim the lead. Deep in time-on in the last quarter, Monbulk got to within a point and were able to force the ball forward again with some desperate play but the siren sounded before they were able to make their final assault on goal. Olinda ran out winners by the narrowest of margins as Monbulk was left to lament what might have been. The players did themselves, the club and its supporters proud with the way they had played, not just in this match but over the course of the season. To make the finals after being promoted to a higher division was a good result but the disappointment of getting so close will drive the players to keep improving next year and go deeper into the finals. Retiring club legends, Jared Major and Shane Van Seters were chaired off the ground to applause from the considerable Monbulk contingent at the match.
Olinda 8.11.59 def Monbulk 8.10.58
Best: Thomas Taylor, Mackay Bateson, Johnathon Hevern, Nicholas Wall, Jared Major, Taylor Joyce
Goals: Mackay Bateson 3, Taylor Joyce 3, Nicholas Wall 1, Hayden Finlay 1
Monbulk’s Under 19s had a Qualifying Final encounter with Narre Warren. The Hawks were only able to muster 19 players to the Magpies’ 24 and three further injuries during the game left them short on numbers. Despite these odds, the team fought out the final quarter like Trojans, on the back of a strong fitness base, and have given themselves great belief that they will be ready for Emerald next week. The silver lining of the Seniors losing means that the Unders will regain an additional 4 players who had been playing up in the firsts for most of the year.
Narre Warren 7.12.54 def Monbulk 2.6.18
Best: Riley Finlay, Tully Ford, William Henderson, Lachlan Smith, Noah Rutherford, Charlie Barge
Goals: Ziggy Hatherley 1, Jayden Spencer 1
