Inverloch in a canter

Inverloch-Kongwak turned the West Gippsland competition’s inaugural grand final into an anti-climax.

Cora Lynn was never in the race in a one-sided match that Inverloch won 18-18 to 4-7.

Whopping 95-point margins are rarities in grand finals and it could by many years, if ever, until such a winning margin is overtaken in the newly formed league.

Inverloch’s 4-6 to 0-1 with the aid of the breeze in the first quarter set up the result.

The Cobras made little headway in the second term managing 2-5 with the wind against 2-1 to trail by 25 points at half time.

It wasn’t an unsurmountable margin but it was by midway through the third term.

The Ben Soumilas coached Inverloch had shrugged off some strong early physical pressure from Cora Lynn then applied plenty of pressure itself – especially on the scoreboard – in the second half.

Toby Mahoney, who’d kicked two of Inverloch’s six first half goals, kicked the first three goals of the third quarter to well and truly break open the contest. Despite some missed chances - Inverloch kicked eight behinds to go with four goals in the third term - it was well in charge by 51 points at the last change.

Cora Lynn, coming home with the wind, barely raised a gallop.

Inverloch iced its premiership cake with an eight-goal last quarter blitz while the Cobras, looking more interested in the siren and the showers, could muster just 1-1.

Mahoney, awarded the medal as best on the ground, added another two goals for a bag of seven for the match. He had plenty of helpers in the big win. Joshua Purcell, Andy Soumilas, Clinton McCaughan, Adam Cross and Tom Hams headed a list of players that played with grand final intensity. The goals were spread. Shem Hawking with two was the only other multiple goal kicker with nine players kicking one each.

Chris Johnson, Andrew Green, Ryan Gillis, Rylan Smith, Will Thomas and Heath Briggs did try hard in what was a disappointing Cora Lynn performance.

The Cobras’ four goals were kicked by Travis Woodfield (two), Nathan Langley and Jai Rout.

Juniors teams from Bunyip and Garfield celebrate landing the premierships in the inaugural West Gippsland competition, Bunyip (above) taking out the fourths and Garfield (below) winning the thirds in two close games.