No surprises in final round

There were no surprises in the final round of matches in Mid Gippsland football, but the cold and windy conditions kept games close for most of the time.

Newborough took out the minor premiership finishing on top after 16 successive wins.

Demons celebrate

It was Boolarra’s turn to celebrate and finish their season off on a winning note by defeating Trafalgar for only the 11th time in their 100 clashes.

The Demons eventually winning by 32 points, doubling Trafalgar’s score 910 (64) to 4-8 (32).

Trafalgar were never going to win the match although they led by a few points at the first break.

Both teams struggled in the windy conditions which marred the game as a spectacle.

Boolarra came back in the second but inaccurate kicking and a tense Trafalgar defence saw the Demons miss golden opportunities to score more goals.

With nothing to gain except bragging rights both teams went in hard in the second and third quarters and it became a dour struggle with Trafalgar leading at the three quarter break by 32 points.

The scoring in the last term was never going to be high with both teams only scoring a goal each, it looked more like a game of kick-to-kick as both teams fought hard to score.

Boolarra outlasted Trafalgar to end a disappointing season for both teams.

Boolarra’s Matt Coutts finished with three goals to finish with 38 for the season. Best were Craig Blackberry, Matt Sheridan, Kyle Sleep and Daniel Wilson.

For Trafalgar their best were Harrison Malady, Jamie Hines, Troy Wilson and Tyson Leys.

Blues end on high

Thorpdale finished their season on a high note with a 64 point win over Hill End, 17-11 (113) to 7-7 (49).

The Hillmen were very competitive for the first half of the match.

For the second successive week Hill End were leading at the first break but couldn’t keep up the pressure and allowed Thorpdale back into game in the second.

Even at half time there was very little between the two sides with Thorpdale leading by seven points.

Re-appointed coach Nick Brown got Thorpdale going in the third with a couple of goals but moreso bringing his players more into the game.

There was more talk and less mistakes as the Blues started to play strong football, Josh Collie picked up a couple of goals and Scott Clark came under notice with a brace as the Blues as extended their lead by seven goals to go in at a comfortable position by threequarter time.

Hill End were flat in the last term while Thorpdale sctatched around with a couple more goals but in the end it was a strong victory for Thorpdale.

Nick Brown kicked four and Josh Collie three for Thorpdale with their best being Nick Brown, Trent Gibson, Josh Collie and Zack O’Connell.

For Hill End, Mugsy Mooka was a great contributor along with Matt Van Tilberg, Justin Rea and Jacob Cassar.

For Thorpdale it curtains for them but Hill End live on with their thirds making the finals.

Dogs on top

Newborough holding down top position for eight weeks finished the home and away season as minor premiers with only one defeat and 16 successive wins.

The Bulldogs took their game a bit lightly in the first half and had to work

Qualifying finals

Saturday at Boolarra Seniors: Yallourn-Yallourn North v Mirboo North

Reserves: Yinnar v Yallourn-Yallourn North Under 18: Yinnar v Newborough Under 16: Mirboo North v Trafalgar hard for their scores. Yarragon with nothing to lose threw everything at the Dogs for a competitive first half.

After half time it was a different game of football as the premiership favourites Newborough ground down the opposition, showing what to expect in the finals adiing a further 11-8 to Yarragon’s 2-1 in the last half of the match to finish 17-14 (116) to 4-5 (29).

Mick Gelagotis picked at half back was switched and he became a forward again kicking five goals with James Todd four.

Best for the Borough were Damon Hansen, Stuart Robertson, Anthony Rosato and Mat Slattery.

For Yarragon James Harvey, Nick Pratt, Robert Cahill and Mitchell Jolly finished off the season with best player awards.

For Newborough they have a week’s rest while the elimination and qualifying finals are being played next week but for Yarragon all is not lost as their Reserves have made the finals playing in Sunday’s elimination final.

Tigers win battle

With very little to play for, the Mirboo North and Yinnar match was a tug of war between two competitive sides.

The Tigers finished the day ahead by 37 points, 13-7 (85) to 7-6 (48).

The Tigers led at every change giving Yinnar very little chance of overtaking the Tigers.

The match was played in extremely cold and windy conditions and it seems that Mirboo North were more suited to the arctic freeze, running hot at times.

Kris Berchtold fired up on the forward line with a good tally of five goals but the game never reached top quality as the game got buried in endless stoppages.

Josh Taylor, Luke Palmer, Kris Berchtold and Tristan Salerno were winners for the Tigers while Luke Linton, Emerson Hicks, Brandon Mahoney and Kane Grinstead-Jones were rated as best for Yinnar.

East feel pressure

Morwell East felt what the pressure will be like for them next week when they front up to Yinnar in the elimination final.

Playing against finalist Yallourn-Yallourn North, the Hawks were competitive for three of the four quarters in what had been a close battle with only a few goals between the two sides.

The windy conditions didn’t suit either side but they both adjusted with some good accurate shooting at goal.

By half time Yallourn-Yallourn North were up by 42 points, their forward line having more of the run of the ball.

A four goal to three third quarter by the East saw them close the gap by three-quarter time but they were not prepared for what happened over the last 30 minutes of the match as Yallourn-Yallourn North ran riot, blasting goals from all angles.

The Bombers set up goal practice and with good accuracy were able to add 10-2 (62) to one goal to finish the match off 20-5 (125) to the East’s 8-1 (49).

Tim Phillips and Barry Brooks finished with five each and Thomas Hutton four in their big total.

Leading goalkicker Dean MacDonald and Morwell East defender Norm Harrison had a good duel with honours going Harrison’s way keeping the goalie down to three goals which brought his tally to a creditable 84 for the season.

Best for the Bombers were Lachlan Little, Thomas Hutton, Steve Pearson and Barry Brooks. For the East who live again next week their best were Ben Marks, Norm Harrison, Frankie Marks and Jarrod Lont.

Elimination finals

Sunday at Mirboo North Seniors: Yinnar v Morwell East Reserves: Mirboo North v Yarragon Under 18:Yallourn-Yallourn North v Hill End

Under 16: Yallourn-Yallourn North v Yinnar