FOOTBALL

MID GIPPSLAND

By ROB POPPLESTONE

 

FISH CREEK became the first team to qualify for the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League senior grand final.

They will play the winner of this weekend’s preliminary final between Foster and Yinnar.

 

QUALIFYING FINAL

Fish Creek 5.5 (35) def Foster 4.5 (29)

FINISHING first and second on the ladder respectively, two of the league’s heavyweights met in Saturday’s qualifying clash at Stony Creek.

The winner was given a direct route to the 2025 MGFNL grand final.

Previous meetings throughout the year between the two had fallen at one apiece, that of course, come finals time counted for nothing, their third and most important clash to date was all that mattered.

The reigning premier of 2024 and 2025, Fish Creek found a way to win in what turned out to be a hard fought arm wrestle for most of the day, 5.5 (35) to 4.5 (29).

Winning coach, Jarrad Walker happy to walk away and into another decider.

“Probably wasn’t a spectacle of good footy, but both defences were pretty strong, it made it pretty hard to score, both teams actually scored, or seemed to score better against the wind, as we worked in numbers, but both teams I feel were hesitant to take risks as the game was always so close, and we and I’m sure they didn’t want to make a costly mistake,” he surmised.

“We have a week off now, a rest for some sore players and wait to find who our grand final opponent might be.”

The Kangaroos led by eight points at quarter time and 13 at the main break, before the Tigers got it back to eight points again at the final change of ends.

Foster coach, Sam Davies was honest in his review.

“The scoreboard flattered us – beaten convincingly around the ball, they were cleaner and won the outside game,” he said.

“They had really good plans in place and executed accordingly which meant we could never get our game going. Our defenders stood up again to their credit, as they always do and absorbed a lot of footy coming their way.

“The beauty of finishing top two is the second chance, no time to be down and out. Big week of recovery and planning for next weekend.”

 

SEMI FINAL

Yinnar 14.12 (96) def MDU 5.8 (38)

LAST year’s runners up, Yinnar, had from early in the season to set themselves to have a second shot at the ultimate prize.

What stood before them on the weekend however, was something of a bogey side for 2025 in the shape of the Demons.

Meeniyan Dumbalk United, having accounted for the Magpies in two previous meetings throughout the home-and-away season, were lookingfor the trifecta to keep their premiership aspirations alive.

The Sunday game at Thorpdale started with Yinnar jumping out of the blocks and keeping the Demons at arms length for most of the first 30 minutes, holding a 20 point lead at the first break.

MDU had some work to do, but found it hard going with pressure being applied by a well-organised Magpies outfit.

The margin at the main break was out to better than five goals, with the Demons falling further and further behind as each minute passed.

Yinnar, in the end, were comfortable 58 point winners, 14.12 (96) to 5.8 (38).

Magpies coach Sam McCulloch paid credit to his team.

“Very even performance from the whole group. Was a four quarter performance in which we maintained our intensity throughout and were composed when needed,” he said.

The Demons felt as though they had the personnel to do the job, but just could not get their game going.

“Disappointing end to the year. I thought the boys worked hard, but Yinnar worked harder and were just too good across the board,” MDU coach, Rhett Kelly said.

“All credit to Yinnar, they played a great game, and we could not fire a shot.

“We will regroup and celebrate what I think has been a really positive year. We have had plenty of growth internally and we will look to continue to work on this over the preseason. We will get around our reserves team and cheer them on next week and hopefully beyond.”