Qualifying final
Yinnar v Mirboo North
MIRBOO North secured its place in the Mid Gippsland grand final via a hard-fought win over Yinnar, 13.13 (91) to 8.4 (52).
After a goal-for-goal first quarter, Mirboo North took control of the game and got out to a 22-point lead at half-time.
Yinnar kicked to within a goal in the third quarter, but the Tigers were able to edge away and extend their lead in the last.
Coach Troy Hamilton said Tigers Jake Nash, Matt Holland and Donny Webb played “fantastic” in their returns to the side.
“Our first half was good, but we wasted a lot of opportunities in the first quarter I thought. Second quarter we really got on top,” Hamilton said.
“It was a tough game. A lot of guys were running out of gas in the last quarter I think from both sides.”
Yinnar now faces Newborough in a repeat of the qualifying final at Yallourn North next Saturday.
Mirboo North’s reserves also secured a grand final place.
Newborough’s unbeaten streak came to an end when it was unable to kick a goal in the second half, allowing Mirboo North to run out the game 9.7 (61) to 4.8 (32).
Mirboo North was two points up at half-time and came out hard in the last quarter to boot five goals and seal the victory.
Yarragon’s thirds were able to shake off challengers Thorpdale, 10.8 (68) to 5.6 (36).
In the fourths match Yinnar’s second quarter efforts ensured a win over Yarragon, 7.7 (49) to 3.6 (24).
Elimination final
Trafalgar v Newborough
NEWBOROUGH led the entire match to push Trafalgar out of the finals, 13.8 (86) to 8.6 (54).
The Bulldogs kicked the first goal of the match to be up by two at quarter-time and outplayed Trafalgar in the second quarter, leading 47 to 14 at half-time.
Despite Trafalgar’s improved efforts in the third quarter it trailed by four goals going into the final term, where it could not make up the difference.
Newborough coach Allan Chandler said after what felt like the “worst game” the Bulldogs played all season last week, his side “lifted to the required level” for the majority of this match.
“They threw everything at us throughout the day, but I think we probably had more contributors across the ground, which helped us,” Chandler said.
Trafalgar coach Chris Kyriacou said he was frustrated the side had not started well and was behind from the start.
“You can’t give a good team a head start like that… they deserve to go through. They’ve been second best team all year,” Kyriacou said.
“We didn’t execute the ball well into our forward line, they were executing well… (we) probably just got out played in general in the first half all over.”
In the reserves Yinnar pulled away from Boolarra at three-quarter-time to win, 10.11 (71) to 3.1 (19).
Newborough’s thirds held Yinnar to just two points in the second and third quarters, building up a big lead to run out the game, 15.7 (97) to 6.6 (42).
In the fourths Mirboo North had a comfortable victory over Newborough 10.14 (74) to 2.5 (17).
Netball
In an exciting second semi-final Boolarra just got up over Mirboo North 43-41.
On Sunday Morwell East knocked Yarragon out of the finals 51-34.
