FOOTBALL

MID GIPPSLAND

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT and ROB POPPLESTONE

 

Foster 8.6 (54) def Newborough 4.13 (37)

FOSTER advanced to the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League Grand Final after defeating Newborough, 8.6 (54) to 4.13 (37) in Sunday’s first semi-final.

Windy conditions were tempered at Yinnar Recreation Reserve, with many weather factors coming into play.

Light rain presented itself from the get-go, with centre-field being the primary location the ball spent for a majority of the opening term.

Both sides were determined and fixed on a successful result, with Newborough coming from the depths to beat Morwell East by a point and Foster collecting their first finals victory since joining the MGFNL against MDU the week previous.

The Tigers’ Michael Cooke booted the opener, which proved to be an exceptional result given how the rest of the quarter played out.

Ground conditions made it difficult to see a good run of play from either side. Newborough found one of their sweetest opportunities from sheer will and brilliance from a long kick-out upon a Foster miss that carried and saw the ball linked up and hit forward to Jack Robinson, who smartly fisted the ball forward with returning Bulldog Kyle Jennings running past and snapping their first.

The first quarter concluded with Newborough ahead 1.3 (9) to 1.2 (8).

Newborough controlled tempo and used the length of the field in an attempt to break down Foster meticulously.

Half-back Liam Cordner eventually had the ball on the clubroom side, and upon a hit off-ball, was taken 50 metres closer to send the Bulldogs ahead by nine points.

Newborough continued to control possession, with Foster not nearly as dangerous as they were to open proceedings. In one of their first opportunities for the quarter, Leevi Lidstone exited a pack to snap from 40 out directly in front for the Tigers’ second goal of the game.

Following that, the Bulldogs won possession again and began to chip around for a few more inside 50s, however, before anyone knew what was going on, when the ball was being fought inside the centre square, a Newborough defender was called for a hit off the ball on Jake Best – putting it in the Tigers’ leading goal-kickers hands.

Best snagged another less than a minute later, and after the Bulldogs had positioned themselves appropriately, went into halftime with a 4.3 (27) to 2.6 (18) deficit hanging over their heads.

Returning after the main break, Foster weren’t about to go back on the work, and only added to it.

Cody Banbury leapt for a fine mark in traffic before going back and easily seeing through the Tiger’s fifth of the day, to see their lead out to 14 points.

Star Bulldog Nathan Wheildon wasn’t going to let his side go down without a fight, and kicked a set shot straight in front 30 metres out to cut the margin back to nine points.

Momentum seemed to be returning the way of Newborough, who held ground for a while inside 50.

A stoppage in the middle of attacking zone had the ball flicked out the back, with Jennings on his own with no Foster defender near.

Stuck too close to the boundary line and on a tighter angle then one would like, he missed. A goal there would have brought the game under a goal.

That was one of many opportunities from the Bulldogs in front of goal that went awry in the last two quarters, either spraying through the smaller sticks or out on the full entirely.

Newborough also seemed to be losing their grip, as Foster worked it down for a stoppage in their forward pocket with a push in the back being award the Tigers way on the throw-in before players disputed the decision, which made the shot a guarantee upon a 50-metre penalty.

Three quarter time arrived and Foster led 6.6 (42) to 3.10 (28).

Newborough had one final chance to salvage its season.

Foster continued to rise above and stuck a knife in the Bulldogs, draining their confidence.

When Jake Rathjeen snapped for Foster’s eighth goal of the day, it spelt the end of Newborough’s season.

Brendan Neville was best on for the winners, followed by Dylan Williams, Josh Toner, Best (three goals), James Morris and Tom Littore.

Whieldon capped off a phenomenal season and should hold his head firmly high. Liam Flahavin returned to the squad and was an instant impact, while Nathan Curtis, Zac Skinner, Pat Charles and Max Edebohls rounded out Newborough’s best.

The game was the last for Newborough coach Craig Skinner, who is preparing to hand over to Patt Frendo.

Frendo has one more game in charge of the Bulldogs reserves, and will be aiming to see the side to premiership glory in a fortnight.

Skinner offered a succinct summation of the game.

“Both teams had their chances. Unfortunately we didn’t make the most of ours and when it’s an elimination final you don’t get another crack if your skill level isn’t at the level required on the day,” he said.

 

Fish Creek 8.5 (53) def Yinnar 4.7 (31)

AS good as Fish Creek and Yinnar had been for the entirety of the 2024 season, none of it might have amounted to anything if they weren’t able to take the opportunity that was on offer at the weekend.

That offer was a direct route to the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League Grand Final, as well as a week’s rest to prepare.

Fish Creek was the team to take the opportunity, after beating Yinnar 8.5 (53) to 4.7 (31) in the second semi-final at Newborough.

The reigning premiers performance now puts them in a position of going back-to-back.

Kangaroos coach Jarrod Walker was pleased with the result.

“A great team game, had even contributors across the ground with a couple of stand out performers,” he said.

“Our defensive game and pressure was at a level it needed to be for finals and we were able to sustain that for the whole game.

“Yinnar were able to get momentum going there way throughout the game but it was good that we were able to slow the game down and close it out.”

In blustery conditions, Yinnar got off to a start that would been labelled satisfactory – a two point lead at quarter time in a game that hadn’t hit any lofty heights.

However, in the second quarter Fish Creek showed some flashes of brilliance, with two goals inside the first two minutes.

Yinnar could just not find a way forward, as the discipline and shape of the reigning premier made it hard to break through.

The Kangaroos had five different goal scorers for their handful of goals, before a lift in work rate and attack on the ball saw Kane Grinstead Jones, who was shaping as the Magpies best, convert two majors in time on, sending his side into the main break trailing by just 12 points and still within striking distance.

The Magpies found Fish Creek’s spread hard to counter, and two quick goals in the early part of the third quarter really started to turn the screws on the Magpies.

Some really good attacks on the body slowed Fish Creek, but it didn’t stop them as they went into the three quarter time break leading by 16 points.

The final 30 minutes played out pretty much as the first three quarters did. Yinnar was honest in their efforts, but just not quite at the level to reel the Fish Creek side in.

“Fish Creek certainly handled the conditions better than us and had a lot of the play in there front half,” Yinnar coach Sam McCulloch said.

“Three early goals in the second quarter to Fish Creek was what broke the game open and we were never able to peg the margin back.”

 

Preliminary Final Preview: Yinnar vs Foster

THIS is quite the intriguing encounter given the more highly rated Yinnar is coming in after a loss, clashing with a Foster side that brings with it two impressive finals wins.

To add to the mix is the fact that these two teams have met just once during the year.

That came in Round 12, and on that occasion the Tigers were comprehensive winners by six goals, 10.11 (71) to 4.11 (35).

Foster has been tipped by many to be the side that could go all the way, and certainly their previous victory over Yinnar was one in which they took away many positives.

Finals however are a different level altogether, and some players, indeed some teams, find more than they knew they even had. Neither of these sides are showing signs of faltering to be fair, so all indications are it really can go either way.