Urie’s day to remember gives Cats the win
It was Chris Urie's day at Neerim South on Saturday.
The Cats' star led the team onto the ground and through a banner and guard of honour recognising his 200th game with the club, kicked the first goal of the match to start the side's domination of fellow finalist Ellinbank and came from the ground after the final siren with five goals to his name and best on ground honours.
Urie looked a class above anybody else on the oval in Neerim South's 18-16 to 8-9 win that completed an undefeated home and away season.
Despite what the scoreboard might have said few EDFL followers will be writing off Ellinbank as a premiership contender just yet although it won't be an easy task starting from an elimination final.
The Eagles were well down on full strength; some recovering from injuries or rested ahead of the finals series and a couple of others given a chance to show their abilities at senior level.
A Neerim South win was well and truly on the cards after the first quarter and beyond doubt by half time.
Ellinbank, although kicking with the benefit of a slight breeze in the first term and opening the scoring with a behind, fell well off the pace against a slicker and quicker South.
The Eagles didn't score again until the 25-minute mark when Daniel Pratt goaled, helped considerably by a 50-metre penalty, and when the quarter-time siren sounded it was Neerim South well in command - 5-7 to 1-1.
By half time the margin was out to a commanding 48 points, 9-10 to 2-2.
"Jack Ginnivan lookalike" Luke Kinder slotted two of South's four goals for the term and would finish with three for the match.
Ellinbank had tightened its play and held its own at the contests but fell down up forward again a tight Cats' defence.
The match-up of Daniel Pratt on South captain Kody Wilson was one of the highlights of the game, both having solid games.
The Eagles didn't throw in the towel.
Their pressure was high from the start of the third term, rewarded with two goals in the opening five minutes as well as a couple of behinds.
It was nine minutes before Neerim South was able to mount its first attack for the quarter when Ashley Lockett sold a good dummy around two opponents and delivered a well weighted pass to the leading Urie who made no mistake with the shot at goal.
By the last change Ellinbank had pegged the margin back to 27 points, 11-11 to 7-8, only the eighth time across 72 quarters for the season that South had been outscored.
Both teams had squandered use of the ball with some poor disposal and decision-making but perhaps could blame the pressure of the contests for some of that.
The final quarter was largely academic. Neerim South took full control to add another seven goals to one as the Eagles defence cracked after battling hard all day.
Ellinbank's cause was not helped with coach Ben Wragg and fellow defender Jake Harper two of its best for much of the game - off the ground for a large part of the second half nursing minor injuries.
The Eagles would draw some consolation from the fact it was able to pressure the premiership favourites with forwards Adam Cook and Shaun Phelan, the latter who played in the reserves on Saturday, ruckman Kyah Karavasills, Michael Urie, Tim Mashado, Daniel Risol and Ben Drew all possible inclusions next week.
While last Saturday was Chris Urie's day he had plenty of strong assistants led by Matthew Edwards, Ashley Lockett, Cooper Clancy, Tyssen Morrow and Nathan Bayne.
In addition to Urie's five goals, Kinder and Lachlan Bambridge each booted three with Wilson two and ruckman Alex Johnston, Ashley Lockett, Nicholas Caddy, Josh White and under 18 player Matt Roberts kicking one each.
Ellinbank named its best as Daniel Pratt, Tony Wright, Gaige White, Jacob Walker, Jake Harper and Liam Anderson.
Jake Dean, with two, was its only multiple goal scorer.
Reserves
In a clash between the top two, Ellinbank, that sat in the top spot, came from 10 points down at three-quarter time to grab a 12-point win over Neerim South.
The 'Bankers rammed through five goals in the final term to South's two for a 7-11 to 6-5 win.
The match was hard-fought from the start with goals at a premium, each side managing only one in the first half.
With the game flowing a bit more freely after half time it was Neerim South, that had first advantage of the little assistance a south-westerly breeze gave, got a mini-break to lead 4-4 to 2-6 by the last change.
Regular senior player Shaun Phelan had a significant say in Ellinbank's comeback kicking two of the five final term goals to snatch victory.
Best players for Ellinbank were Sam Barwick, Jack Cole, Andrew Quirk, Brad Berry, Alan Miller and Phelan.
Cole joined Phelan as double goalkickers with David Miller, Barwick and Berry scoring the others.
For Neerim South it was well served by Tim Beaurain, Adam White, Matthew Pecoraro, Christian Robertson-Edgar, Eddie McGillivray and Lachlan Smith.
Its goal scorers were McGillivray and Toby Bayne, two each; Chris Saunders and Mitchell Sayburn.