GET keen! Finals footy starts in the Northern Football Netball League this week, and it’s that time of week where I take a look around the grounds.
FINALS BEGIN
The last spots in the women’s competition are locked in, with only a handful of spots needing to be sorted in the last round.
The finals schedule has been shifted this year, with division 1, 2 and 3 games all staggered this time around, instead of at the same time on both ovals.
It means that division 2’s qualifying final battle between Fitzroy Stars and Kilmore will kick off the day at Tony Sheehan Oval at 10am, while Epping and Eltham will do battle in the division 3 elimination final on Oval 2.
Following that, Banyule and Heidelberg will battle in the division 1 elimination final at Tony Sheehan Oval at 12.15pm, while St Mary’s 2 and Whittlesea will fight it out in the division 2 qualifying final at 12pm on Oval 2.
Finally, the season is on the line for Darebin and Reservoir from 2pm on Oval 2, while Eltham and Montmorency will take each other on at Tony Sheehan Oval at 2.30pm.
St Mary’s 1, Ivanhoe and Macleod will all be waiting in the wings for the second semi-final next week.
RECORD BREAKER
We must extend a big congratulations to Craig Herman for breaking the all-time record for Diamond Valley Football League/Northern Football Netball League appearances across the Northern Umpires Association.
Herman participated in his 667th game on the weekend as an umpire, and fittingly, he got to do it in probably the league’s biggest and most historic rivalry – Greensborough and Heidelberg.
It was a special family occasion for Herman – his wife, Dianne, got to goal umpire alongside him, while son Ian controlled the day as a field umpire.
One thing I have absolutely loved this year from the Northern Umpires Association is it has celebrated the milestones – first gamers, first division 1 appearances, records as well.
We must continue to celebrate the umpires – they are crucial to being able to play a game of football.
FINAL FIVE CLOSE TO BEING SORTED
One would suggest it looks as though at least four of the five spots are looking good for division 1, with only Greensborough, Hurstbridge and Eltham perhaps fighting out the last spot.
Eltham fell away after half time on Saturday against Bundoora, conceding eight goals to nil in the third quarter to eventually fall by 51 points.
Some of the fadeouts at Panther Park have been genuinely concerning, but it was Bundoora’s big names – O’Neill Moncrieff, Jesse King with his seven goals, big leader Peter McEvoy and Keegan Downie, who did all the damage.
Similarly, Hurstbridge are battling after its own dramatic fadeout on the weekend.
The Bridges led by 29 points at half time against Banyule, but probable best-and-fairest contender Jean-Luc Velissaris inspired the Bears back into the contest, and eight goals to two meant it was the Bears who put a dagger into the Bridges’ finals hopes with a 10-point win.
Big wins to Diamond Creek and Montmorency mean both teams look certain to play finals.
DRAMATIC DIVISION 2 WEEKEND
It’s the best division 2 relegation fight we’ve seen since 2014.
For those who don’t know, that year, all four teams in the bottom four were a chance of being relegated at the end of that season, with Epping – who had been in division 1 a year earlier, falling to the bottom for the first time all season at the exact wrong time. Five wins that year was not enough to stay up.
This time around, there’s still a mathematical possibility that six wins may not be enough.
Panton Hill, incredibly, have done the double over Fitzroy Stars, winning by 10 points at AE Cracknell Reserve.
For a little bit, it appeared as though the Redbacks soaked up the euphoria of getting back into contention to stay up – then it emerged that Thomastown had also taken victory over Whittlesea, hanging on by eight points at the Whittlesea Showgrounds.
With a percentage of 90, Thomastown have played a lot better than its 5-10 record suggests. Suddenly, Whittlesea aren’t quite out of the woods yet, two games ahead of Panton Hill in the battle at the bottom – although Panton Hill have a difficult run ahead.
MACLEOD BACK IN THE FINALS RACE
Incredible how a win changes the complexion of the season so much in division two – Macleod’s 71-point win over Lower Plenty reflects that.
With results going the Kangaroos’ way, they suddenly sit just one game outside the five, and with the second-best percentage in the competition, Macleod are every chance of being a real danger team in the finals.
It helps to have Darcy Barden firing and kicking six goals.
NORTHCOTE PARK FLEXES ITS MUSCLE
A tasty finals preview saw Northcote Park re-establish itself as arguably the team to beat, kicking an incredibly accurate 17.6 to sweep aside St Mary’s at Whatmough Park by 46 points.
The Amad brothers, Michael and Samuel, were brilliant, while Tighe O’Brien continued his outstanding campaign.
EPPING’S EMOTIONAL WIN
It’s been coming, but Epping finally got the win it craved in honour of Nathan Fitzgerald, with the seniors and reserves getting up over Kinglake.
The seniors’ game was a beauty, with the lead changing hands almost every five minutes, it appeared.
Late goals to Joshua Bawden, Jake Folan and Daniel Rakhlin helped get the Pingers home.
Seven goals in the last term helped Epping kick away in the reserves to take a win that meant so much, with many players answering the call to help after falling short on numbers during the week.
DRAMA-CHARGED FINISH
Mernda’s game with Watsonia had it all – two young teams going hammer-and-tong, emotions overflowing, and at the end of it, a win which locked in the double-chance for Mernda.
The Demons unveiled another debutant, Bayden Felle, son of club president Tom, and with it an incredible story of perseverance after being diagnosed with Conversion Disorder in a one-in-eight-million chance at 11.
The Dees also had four father-sons playing, while also celebrating long-serving Christian Cawsey’s 300th game. It was a true family day in every sense of the word.
It was Lachlan Potter who took complete control of the game in the last quarter, kicking an incredible goal on the run to give the Demons a lead it looked like they wouldn’t have after trailing by 21 points just 13 minutes earlier.
A BIG DIVISION 3 WEEKEND
Only third spot is completely locked in, although it would need a miracle for Ivanhoe to be displaced from top spot.
Ivanhoe and Laurimar play one another this weekend, with the winner taking a huge step ahead of the finals – the Power will leave nothing in the tank with a bye the following week, while Ivanhoe are still likely minor premiers.
Two huge games will likely decide the elimination final clash.
Reservoir and Heidelberg West will do battle. One suspects Reservoir are still locked in with a favourable percentage, and need one more win to be completely locked in. Heidelberg West will need everything to go its way and must win its final two.
Watsonia and Kilmore also do battle at Binnak Park. The winner – should Reservoir win – will be in fifth place with one round to go, although Kilmore must beat Mernda in the final round at home to be a chance with an inferior percentage.
