HILL End hoisted the Balfour Trophy for the first time in 12 years after defeating Trafalgar in round 16 of the Mid Gippsland Football League.
With the home crowd urging on the Hillmen the host secured victory for the second time this year by 12 points.
It was anyone’s match in the first half with neither team gaining much advantage; Trafalgar led by a point at the first change but by half-time Hill End was up by the same margin.
The difference came in the third quarter when Hill End broke the shackles.
Mugsy Mooka was giving drive from the half forward line and Ben Rotheram, drifting down from centre, was able to give the forwards a lift and they responded with a 5.1 (31) quarter.
Karl Sobott was solid in defence for Hill End, keeping the Bloods’ response to a dull roar.
Jack Duncan was strong in the ruck and fed the ball effectively to the sharking Luke Ravenhorst.
Trafalgar seemed to lose the plot, letting Hill End create expansive plays across half forward, although Tyson Leys and Harrison Malady were playing well for the Bloods.
At three-quarter-time the Hillmen had increased their lead to 19 points but was expecting Trafalgar to make a run in the final term.
Trafalgar goaled within the first minute of the final term and it was game on; players were switched to combat the Bloods’ drive and Hill End was able to limit the damage.
Hill End scored two goals but missed two sitters while Trafalgar managed one more major before time ran out.
The Hillmen held on to win 11.12 (78) to 8.9 (57).
Mooka, Matthew Ponton, and Ben Rotheram (six goals) were best for the Hillmen while Leys, Malady, Jackson King and Jamie Hines performed well for the Bloods.
Their first game next season will be the 100th between the two clubs.
Newborough v Thorpdale
NEWBOROUGH came within 17 points of its highest score against Thorpdale and managed its biggest winning margin over the Blues with 172 points, beating the 1978 score of 167 points.
The Bulldogs amassed another 30-goal game, their second in two weeks, which has created another record as no other Newborough side has ever kicked 30 goals in two successive matches. The competition leader didn’t allow Thorpdale into the game and right from the start it was goals galore for the Dogs.
Eight in the first paved the way for another eight in the second and with 16 to two by half-time the match was over.
Newborough had many goal sharks with seven up to half-time on the sheet.
The Dogs continued the onslaught in the third with another package of 5.5 (35) while Thorpdale scored a couple of consolation goals.
Newborough had players lining up to score in the final term but pressure and bad kicking resulted in 9.7 (61).
If players were a bit steadier in front they could have smashed the Newborough record of 217 points. Twelve players were responsible for Newborough’s 30.20 (200) to 4.4 (28) demolition job.
Best for the Doggies was a toss up between Josh Pearce (four goals), Luke Mulqueen, Andrew Philip and Stuart Robertson while for Thorpdale Rory Gilliate tried hard as did Mitch Gorman and Nick Fairbank.
YYN v Yarragon
YALLOURN-Yallourn North continued to put pressure on second placed Mirboo North with another strong victory.
The third placed Bombers downed Yarragon by 41 points in a match that never reached great standard with little at stake.
The Bombers are entrenched in third position and should be content there, as second won’t give them any additional advantage as far as finals go where they would expect to play Mirboo North in the qualifying final.
The game was keenly contested by the Panthers who didn’t let YYN intimidate them.
But the Bombers had more players on the loose ready to go hard.
Tyler Brown and Troy Dobson were in the play, causing all sorts of headaches for the Yarragon defence.
By half-time there wasn’t much on the scoreboard with YYN leading by 22 points.
Dean MacDonald proved his worth again as a forward and the leading goalkicker added a further six goals to his already impressive tally.
It was still a competitive game up to three-quarter-time but in the last YYN put the brakes on Yarragon’s goal scoring ability.
The Panthers were limited to two behinds while the Bombers added a further 3.6 (24) to finish 14.13 (97) to Yarragon’s 6.5 (41).
Jack Casson, Darcy Shelcott and Troy Dobson were the Bombers’ best while Tim Farthing, Michael Price and Rob Wallace were Yarragon’s bright lights.
Mirboo North v Morwell East
MIRBOO North is safely sitting in second position and was too good for Morwell East, reversing its first round loss to the Hawks at the weekend.
The North knew the importance of a win against a finalists side with the post-season only a few weeks away.
It wasn’t always easy for Mirboo North as the East put the pressure on the Tigers from the start.
They made them work hard and the scoreboard tally at the end of the first wasn’t a true reflection of how close the match was as the Tigers led 4.3 (27) to 1.2 (8).
Mirboo North fired up in the second but its lack of a full forward had players working hard to kick goals; the Tigers put another four goals to one on the board by the long break.
With the coach out of the side it was up to others to stand up and wingers Damien Turner and Hudson Kerr worked hard, giving the forwards plenty of ammunition. Mirboo North ran away with the match 12.11 (83) to 5.8 (38).
Kris Berchtold booted three with eight other players contributing to the scoreline.
Morwell East’s Brayden Darby-Lock was the best on the day with four from five.
Yinnar v Boolarra
JAIME Aitken was one of the stars in Yinnar’s 61-point win over neighbour Boolarra.
The usual defender was switched to a forward role and proved his versatility with a six goal haul, two goals more than Boolarra’s overall tally.
The Demons couldn’t buy a goal and at one stage through the last term were 1.10 (16) before sensibility returned and they finished with 4.11 (35) in a poor day out. Yinnar is on the cusp of another finals appearance and secured fourth position, winning 14.12 (96) to 4.11 (35).
Yinnar’s best were Jarrod Henderson, Matt Dyke and Brandon Mahoney while for Boolarra Matt Sheridan, James Holmes and Matthew Windsor played well.
