South Gippy teams dominate Central Gippsland juniors

IT WAS grand final day in the Central Gippsland Junior Football League on Sunday, August 31 and South Gippsland clubs were well represented in all four grades: Under 16s, 14s, 12s and 10s, indicating the sport of AFL football is alive and well south of the Strzeleckis.

In the first match of the day, starting bright and early at 9.30am on the magnificent surface of the Ted Summerton Reserve at Moe, Meeniyan Dumbalk United faced local rivals, Corner Inlet Stingrays Junior Football Club.

By all reports, the game was a “hard-fought battle right until the last seconds”.

MDU got out to a winning start with one point in the first quarter, Corner Inlet went ahead with two points to nil in the second, there was no score in a defensive battle in the third but MDU peppered the scoring zone in the fourth quarter, for two points, claiming a last-gasp win. Two of MDU’s points came in the last few minutes of the game.

But clearly it could have gone either way.

Final scores CGJFL Under 10 Grand Final: MDU 0.3.3 to Corner Inlet 0.2.2.

In a close match score-wise, MDU got the win.

Congratulations to Darcy Evans of MDU for winning the Best on Ground Medal awarded by the umpires.

Best players: MDU – Darcy Evans, Sam Horkings, Albie Harris, Blake Horkings, Trey Cope, and Corner Inlet – Isaac Purton, Bray Anedda, Jobe Johnston, Cian Roberts, Tex Cripps, Frankie Butinar.

CGJFL Under 12 grand final

In another close but hard-fought game, Meeniyan Dumbalk United came out on top of the local side, the Newborough Bulldogs Junior Football Club.

Again, the game went right down to the wire after Newborough kicked a goal in the fourth quarter to cut MDU’s lead to just one point, clearing the way to a frantic finish.

After an opening in which neither team scored, Ryder Pedlow kicked one for MDU in the second. The Demons produced the winning point in the third quarter and Newborough’s Cruz Stellini pulled one back in the last quarter.

Final scores CGJFL Under 12 Grand Final: MDU 1.1.7 to Newborough 1.0.6.

Congratulations to Ryder Pedlow from MDU for winning the Best on Ground award. MDU went through the season undefeated.

Best players: MDU – Ryder Pedlow, Benjamin Lacy, Bohdi Helms, Aiden Cook, Tyeson Helms, Riley Hocken and Newborough – Mason Peresso, Jack Peatey, Huxley Kennedy, Mason Robertson, Oscar Murdoch, Cruz Stellini.

CGJFL Under 14 grand final

The Under 14 grand final was won in convincing style by Moe, who sailed through the season undefeated, producing 10-goal wins or better each week, making it a real success for Tarwin to win through to the grand final as “the best of the rest”.

Final scores: Moe 17.10.112 to Tarwin 0.1.1.

Congratulations to Mekhi Hayes from Moe for winning the Best on Ground Medal.

CGJFL Under 16 grand final

In the last match of the day, Tarwin Under 16s were opposed to the team that had pushed them hardest all year, Mirboo North, and the game opened up that way with the teams evenly matched for much of the first half.

They both had four scoring shots each in the first quarter and much the same by halftime with a more accurate Tarwin side leading 7.1 to Mirboo North 4.3.

But Tarwin careered away with the game in the third quarter, stretching the lead to a decisive 30 points by three-quarter time.

The goal-scoring by Tarwin was shared between six players, but with Oscar Bright kicking a bag of five on the day.

Despite threatening clouds, they made it through all grand finals with only a few spits of rain across the day, including during the presentation for the U16s awards.

Final scores: Tarwin 14.8.92 to Mirboo North 8.3.51.

Congratulations to Noah McLennan for winning the Best on Ground award.

Best players: Tarwin – Isaac Joske, Oscar Bright, Cody Gerretzen, Jarrah Lowe, Will Campbell, Evan Bruning and Mirboo North – Eamon Berryman, Charlie Bickerton, Noah Bradley, Alistair Buckland, Harry Ludlow, Tom Vale.