FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
HEYFIELD capped off a good North Gippsland grand final day by winning the North Gippsland reserves football premiership.
The Kangaroos defeated Woodside by 41 points, 11.5 (71) to 4.6 (30).
Heyfield led by just 10 points at three-quarter-time, but the fourth term was all the Kangaroos.
Five minute into the quarter, Hamish Nettleton kicked his fourth goal of the day before Ben King booted a major to extend the margin to 23 points. A minute later, Daniel O’Keefe set-up a goal for Murray Casella.
Nettleton’s fifth goal and a major from Brandon Manson provided icing on the cake, as the Kangaroos kept the Wildcats score-less in the final term.
Heyfield ruckman Jackson Reid was named best-on-ground. Reid combined surerbly with onballers Nicholas Dinsdale and Daniel Burton.
Scott Anderson and Jesse McDiarmid led a tight defence, while Nettleton was the Kangaroos’ stand-out forward, kicking five goals.
Best for the Wildcats were Alex Walpole, Trent Askew, Angus Dean, James Mattern, Tanner Hall and Braydn Wilson.
FOR the first time, Heyfield has claimed back-to-back North Gippsland thirds football premierships.
For the second year in a row, the Kangaroos defeated Churchill in the grand final. Last year’s dramatic grand final went to extra-time – this time the result was more clear-cut, 9.6 (60) to 2.4 (16).
But this match was far from straight-forward, with the game paused for around an hour after a Churchill player was knocked out in an accidental collision with a teammate.
The incident happened around 15 minutes into the first quarter. After paramedics took the player from the field (he appeared to be moving), the rest of the term was played before a full second quarter took place, with the third and fourth periods shortened.
The Kangaroos scored the only point of the opening period, before they booted the first three goals of the second. Mitch Leslie kicked the Cougars’ only goal of the second term, before Kobe Parsons kicked two goals in quick succession to give the Kangaroos a 27-point lead at the main break.
The sides kicked a goal each in the third term, before the Kangaroos ran out the game with three unanswered goals in the fourth.
The end of the match was marred by a scuffle, which saw a Churchill player shown a yellow card. The animosity continued after the match, but the players settled before the presentations.
Cooper Hole was adjudged best-on-ground, and along with Harrison Vera, helped the Kangaroos control proceedings in the midfield.
Fabian Vera did a power of work in the ruck, as did Jesse Parker off half-back.
Up forward, Parsons kicked three goals and Mac Birss two.
Max Grimes, Jye Reyke, Jack Towers, Mitch Leslie, Bailey Beecher and Sam Robinson were best for Churchill.
Heyfield has now won three of the last four thirds flags. The success has played a big part in the Kangaroos having a quality production line of senior footballers.
