AFTER waiting 26 years for a reserves flag last year, Whittlesea made sure it wasn’t going to wait as long this time – claiming back-to-back premierships at Preston City Oval in the division 2 reserves competition over South Morang, and its 19th straight win in the process.
The Eagles largely controlled the game after quarter time but did face good opposition in the form of a plucky South Morang, who managed the first goal through Nathan Gioffre.
Whittlesea had a nervy start, kicking four behinds, but soon got on the front foot with two goals through Jaidyn Owen and co-captain Matt Langford. Gioffre added another for the Lions as Whittlesea led 17-12 at the first change.
The first half of the second quarter was goal-for-goal, with Ethan Hempenstall kicking the first for the Eagles, before Anthony Erotocritou responded in kind for South Morang. However, the Eagles had the last two goals of the half through Christian Prestopino and Harry Beattie to take a comfortable 16-point lead at the main break, 37-21.
South Morang asked many questions of the Eagles to start the third quarter, but the Lions could only manage one goal from four scoring shots, that coming through Lachlan Golledge. Despite cutting the margin to seven points, it always felt like the minor premiers had a response, and so it would come to prove as Beattie’s second, followed by Jack Taylor’s goal, meant the Eagles sat at a game-high 22-point lead going into the last change, 52-30.
As it did in the third quarter, South Morang pushed exceptionally hard to start the last quarter, but incredibly, it was the exact same outcome – four shots at goal, one converted through Golledge, and the Lions had left the door ajar for the Eagles to seal the game.
That was forthcoming through Taylor’s second, and despite a late Golledge goal for his third, the Eagles did more than enough to defend their crown, winning 8.12 (60) to 6.9 (45).
Luke Deards was a brick wall in defence and was a deserved winner of the best-on-ground medal, while Langford provided plenty of toughness. Matthew Atta, Beattie, Harrison Draper and Tullough Bland completed the best players for Whittlesea, while for the Lions, Gioffre, Adrian Alessandrino, Kane Nancarrow, Riley Taylor, Anthony Bradford and Nick Lawson were named as their best players.
With both teams remaining in second division for 2027, it is anticipated that both teams will be competing for the flag once again, with Whittlesea looking for a three-peat.
In the senior game, Old Paradians progressed through to division 1 with a 42-point victory over St Mary’s in the grand final.
