FINALS action for Division Two begins this week in the Yarra Valley Mountain District Community Bank Football Netball League with games played at Healesville and Warburton this Sunday.
Marysville also figures prominently this Sunday as it takes on Wandin in the Veterans Grade Grand Final at Woori Yallock starting at 2.30pm.
And the final round for Division one is perhaps turning into the round of the season with every match playing for high stakes.
Belgrave v Warburton, a Belgrave victory may procure the important double chance and a Warby loss will see it miss finals action.
Emerald v Monbulk, the winner is likely to see finals action.
Gembrook v Olinda, the fight to stave off relegation; Wandin v Woori, a Woori loss will perhaps see them lose the double chance and a Wandin win may help them grab top spot and Upwey v Mt Evelyn, an Upwey loss will see them lose top spot.
Also, Wandin’s gun forward Michael Fowkes booted 10 goals to lift his season’s tally to 101.
First Division (Round 17)
Monbulk v Warburton Millgrove
Monbulk sits just over 2 per cent out of fifth place after knocking off Warby, which is just holding on to fifth, by a comprehensive 43 points.
This game was actually a ripper contest for three quarters.
Monbulk got the jump early and led by 17 points at quarter time before Warby hit back in the second term and reduced that margin to just eight points at the long break.
A four goal to three third quarter in Warby’s favour saw the scores all tied up at three quarter time.
Monbulk’s last quarter was outstanding.
Warby didn’t have any run left in them as Monbulk piled on eight goals while Warby could only manage one.
Monbulk’s T Wragg was outstanding down forward booting eight goals in a great performance which sees Monbulk’s season still alive.
Monbulk 19.13 (127) d Warburton Millgrove 12.12 (84)
Belgrave v Mount Evelyn
Belgrave finished Mount Evelyn’s chances of finals after handing it a 25 point defeat in what was an entertaining game.
Belgrave started the better and looked the superior side as it got out to a 32 point lead at the first change and looked the goods.
The next three quarters were very even with neither side really grabbing the ascendancy at any stage, Mount Evelyn did manage to reduce the margin to 17 points by three quarter time but Belgrave had all the answers and pretty much had control of the game throughout. Belgrave plays Woori next week and if it is to win that then it will take third spot and get the all-important double chance while for Mount Evelyn to make finals it needs to beat Upwey next week and hope Emerald and Monbulk play out a draw and Warby lose, which is unlikely.
Belgrave 19.13 (127) d Mount Evelyn14.18 (102)
Emerald v Olinda Ferny Creek
Emerald remains in the hunt for fifth spot after a terrific win over Olinda.
Emerald was great in the first quarter booting six goals to one and racing out to a 31 point advantage.
Olinda did throw everything at Emerald to try and get back into the game and by three quarter time they had reduced the margin to 19 points and were still in with a chance.
Olinda did have its chances in the last quarter the players kicked themselves out of it with a 2.6 term while Emerald was a lot cleaner with the ball and took their opportunities booting four goals straight to win by 25 points.
For Emerald to make the finals they will need to beat Monbulk next week and hope that Warby lose to Belgrave, if that happens then fifth spot is all theirs.
Emerald 14.8 (92) d Olinda Ferny Creek 9.13 (67)
Upwey Tecoma v Woori Yallock
A devastating performance from the league leaders as they made short work of third placed Woori and made them look second rate.
Upwey led by just seven points at quarter time but from then on in was all Upwey and it showed little mercy as it piled on seven goals to two in the second quarter, then backed that up with an eight goal to one third term.
Woori had no answers as Upwey finished the day with a five goal to two final quarter to win by a mammoth 101 points and look every bit a premiership team in doing so.
Upwey Tecoma 23.12 (150) d Woori Yallock 7.7 (49)
Wandin v Gembrook Cockatoo
Wandin meant business from the outset as it started the day with a seven goal quarter and held Gembrook to just one behind.
Wandin added another five goals in the second term to Gembrook’s one and at half time it was Wandin by a massive 77 points.
The second half didn’t get any better for Gembrook as Wandin kept on its merry way.
Wandin’s M Fowkes had a day out booting 10 of the best.
Amazingly Wandin could have possibly won by more but they were a little wayward in the last quarter booting 7.11.
Overall a great performance and Wandin do look ominous as it heads towards finals.
Unfortunately Gembrook will face relegation as it sits one game and 8 per cent in arrears of Olinda which is second bottom.
Wandin 25.28 (178) d Gembrook Cockatoo 5.4 (34)
Second Division (Round 18)
Alexandra v Kinglake
Alex finished its season in good style disposing of a disappointing Kinglake by a huge 141 point margin.
Alex dominated all day and ended the game with 14 separate goal kickers, the best of them being L Ragg with eight.
The highlight of the day was Alex’s second term where they piled on 10 goals while holding Kinglake goalless.
Alex finished the day with a nine goal last term to finish its season on a high note and give its supporters some confidence going into season 2014.
Alexandra 30.19 (199) d Kinglake 9.4 (58)
Seville v Healesville
For the first time this season Healesville has tasted defeat and it was at the hands of a more determined team in Seville.
Seville was aggressive at every contest from the outset and it seemed to upset Healesville’s normal running game.
Seville held Healesville to just two behinds in the opening term while Seville booted 3.4 to lead by 20 points at the first change.
Healesville did claw its way back and got to within four points at half time and it was game on.
The third quarter it was almost as expected Healesville would find its run and get on top as it has done all year but Seville wasn’t going to be denied as it was the team that got on top booting five goals to two and at the last change it was Seville by four goals.
The last quarter was a real scrap, Seville played a game that Healesville wasn’t used to and couldn’t get any fluency going in its play. Healesville did kick a couple of late goals but this game was always in Seville’s keeping as it pulled off its best win of the season and have now added a bit of spice going into finals.
Seville 12.7 (79) d Healesville 9.11 (65)
Yarra Glen v Powelltown
This was arguably one of Yarra Glen’s best performances of the season.
Yarra Glen shot out of the blocks and led by 32 points at quarter time with a six goal to one first quarter.
It extended that lead to 44 points by half time and had the game in complete control.
The second half was a little more even but Yarra Glen was never in trouble as it shared the ball very well and ended the day with nine separate goal scorers.
It was a good four quarter performance from Yarra Glen which will need to take that form into its first final against Seville to give itself every chance.
Yarra Glen 15.10 (100) d Powelltown 7.5 (47)
Yea v Yarra Junction
Yea pulled off an upset by beating fifth placed Yarra Junction in a great performance. Yea’s Sam Rexhepi had a great day booting half of his team’s goals with seven majors. Yea got out to a 20 point lead at quarter time and showed Yarra Junction it had come to play.
Yarra Junction did look to be getting back into the game in the second quarter and reduced the margin to 13 points at the half.
Yarra Junction was expected to come over the top in the second half but Yea had all the answers and it looked like the team heading into finals, not the other way around, at three quarter time it was Yea by 19 points.
Yea may have only booted the one major in the last quarter but it also managed to hold Junction to just one major as well which saw it win by 21 points and get its best win of the season while Yarra Junction will have to find a lot better form if it wants to go more than just one week into finals.
Yea 14.11 (95) d Yarra Junction 11.8 (74)
Under 18 (Round 17)
Seville v Healesville
At quarter time of this game it looked like Seville was in for a big win as they booted 4.4 and held Healesville scoreless.
Seville did extend its lead as the game went on but it wasn’t anywhere near its best form. Healesville did outscore Seville in the last term two goals to one but Seville was never in danger of dropping this one.
Seville 10.13 (73) d Healesville 4.6 (30)
Belgrave v Mount Evelyn
Belgrave finish its season with a pretty hard fought win over Mount Evelyn.
Belgrave actually trailed by 10 points at quarter time and had only scored three points while Mount Evelyn kicked two majors.
Belgrave got a bit of run going in the second quarter and booted four goals to two and led by two points at the half.
A five goal to one third quarter Belgrave’s way and it led by a handy 28 points going into the last.
Belgrave may not have kicked a goal in the last quarter but Mount Evelyn could only manage two majors which saw Belgrave the eventual winners.
Belgrave 9.11 (65) d Mount Evelyn 7.6 (48)
Upwey Tecoma v Woori Yallock
This was a great contest between third Woori and fourth Upwey, which is now the other way around after Upwey was able to hold off Woori to win in a good battle.
Upwey got out to a 17 point lead at half time on the back of a three goal to one second term.
The second half was pretty much goal for goal but it was always Upwey that had the answers anytime Woori looked to threaten.
Upwey held on to win by 11 points and take some real confidence heading into finals.
Upwey Tecoma 9.10 (64) d Woori Yallock 8.5 (53)
Wandin v Warburton Millgrove
Wandin was always expected to win this game but Warby certainly took it up to the league leaders for the first three quarters.
Wandin only leads by a goal at quarter time and did stretch that lead to just 15 points at the final change.
Wandin did show why it is on top of the ladder in the last as it clicked into gear booting six goals and held Warby goalless to eventually win by 53 points which probably isn’t a true indication of how well Warby did play, but it is a real indication of what Wandin is capable of.
Wandin 15.12 (102) d Warburton Millgrove 7.7 (49)
