SEA Lake Nandaly Tigers won their first Goldacres North Central Football League senior footy premiership on Saturday.
The Tigers withstood a spirited challenge from Birchip Watchem to win 10.13 (73) to 8.6 (54) at Lord Nelson Park in St Arnaud.
A memorable day for Sea Lake Nandaly included wins in the reserves and under-16 contests, and the under-13s were runner-up.
For the Bulls it was runner-up in the seniors competition for the third year in a row.
The seniors clash kicked off with the Bulls first to goal through Jacob Christie in the eighth minute.
The Tigers did not goal until the 17th minute when Trent Donnan was on target, but Birchip Watchem led 12-10 after a Lochlan Sirett major less than three minutes later.
A Matt Elliott goal in the the 25th minute put the Tigers up 16-12 by quarter-time.
Birchip Watchem regained the lead 75 seconds into the next term when Lachlan Foott goaled.
Sea Lake Nandaly went on a goalscoring blitz across 9 ½ minutes as Luke Martin, Alex Pollock, Brad Collins and Will Simpson capitalised on the dominance through midfield and stoppages to lead 41-19 in the 12th minute.
Goals by Stephen Paulke and Sam Simmons put the Bulls within 10 points, 32-42 by half-time.
The Bulls’ run kept rolling as Fraser House goaled 11 seconds into the third term.
Elliott replied for the Tigers, but Birchip Watchem kept the heat on through a Nathan Gordon goal.
It was a stalemate for the next nine minutes before Billy McInnes goaled for Sea Lake Nandaly, but Gordon’s second in the 23rd minute made it 58-53 in favour of the Tigers.
Defences were on top until the 11th minute of the final term when Elliott goaled for the Tigers to lead by 11 points.
A Collins major in the 19th minute put the rampaging Tigers up by 17 points and their paws on their premiership cup.
A game-high three goals capped a best afield performance by Matt Elliott as Brad Collins booted two majors.
Multiple goalkicker for the Bulls was Nathan Gordon, two.
Best for the Tigers were Matt Elliott, Brodie Adcock, Trent Donnan, Luke Martin, Brody Weir and Jason Collins.
The Bulls’ best were Jacob Noonan, Sam Simmons, Nathan Gordon, Dale Hinkley, Jacob Christie and Jack Lee.
In the reserves, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers won three quarters and drew the other on their way to a 34-point win against Wedderburn.
The Tigers led 27-6 at quarter-time and both teams scored 2.3 in the second term.
Sea Lake Nandaly surged to a 28-point lead by three quarter-time and added 2.3 to 1.3 in the last for a 10.12 (72) to 5.8 (38) victory.
Ryan Parkinson kicked four goals for the Tigers as Jai Wright added two.
Wedderburn’s attack was led by Gerald Riley on three.
Best for Sea Lake Nandaly were Connor Michael, Jai Wright, Zac Wemyss, Ryan Parkinson, Gardean Ellis and Hugh Herben.
Jesse Douglas, Frank Mooney, Gerald Riley, Daniel Condon, Ashley Younghusband and Andrew Brett played well for Wedderburn.
The Tigers from Sea Lake Nandaly won the under-16s clash with Birchip Watchem by 44 points.
A 16-point lead for the Tigers at half-time blew out to 33 by the end of the next quarter after they scored 5.5 to 1.2.
It was a dour battle in the last term as the Tigers added a point and the Bulls were scoreless.
At the final siren, Sea Lake Nandaly led 9.11 (65) to 3.3 (21).
Kris Stevens and Chase Tait kicked two goals for the Tigers.
The Bulls’ attack was led by Darcy Reid on two.
Best for the premiers were Ben Daniels, Tom Cox, Angus Collins, Lachlan Wright, Flynn McGarry and Tristan Dalbon.
Darcy Reid, Tadhg Lowry, Patrick Sheahan, Patrick Hogan, Nicholas Rickard and Sam O’Donnell worked hard for Birchip Watchem.
The rising stars from Boort capped a great season by winning the under-13s grand final against Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
The Magpies led 7-0 at quarter-time and 19-6 by the long break.
Boort’s accuracy was a highlight as it scored three goals and kept the Tigers to just one in the second half on the way to a 6.1 (37) to 2.0 (12) victory.
Alex Cockerell kicked two goals for Boort.
Best for the Magpies were Max Beattie, Brady Whykes, Alex Cockerell, Lachlan Hall, Annie Perryman and Nicholas Scott.
Lucas McInerney, Felix Warne, Jed Daniels, Isaac Durie, Noah Barbary and Brayden Allen played well for Sea Lake Nandaly.
Goldacres North Central FL football grand finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 2.4 6.7 8.10 10.13 (73)
Birchip Watchem 2.1 5.2 8.6 8.6 (54)
GOALS – Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: M. Elliott 3, B. Collins 2, T. Donnan, L. Martin, B. McInnes, A. Pollock, W.Simpson. Birchip Watchem: N. Gordon 2, J. Christie, L. Foott, F. House, S. Paulke, S. Simmons, L. Sirett.
BEST – Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: M. Elliott, B. Adcock, T. Donnan, L. Martin, B. Weir, J. Collins. Birchip Watchem: J. Noonan, S. Simmons, N. Gordon, D. Hinkley, J. Christie, J. Lee.
Reserves:
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 4.3 6.6 8.9 10.12 (72)
Wedderburn 1.0 3.3 4.5 5.8 (38)
GOALS – Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: R. Parkinson 4, J. Wright 2, D. Bailey, C. Cox, C. McClelland, C. McLean. Wedderburn: G. Riley 3, D. Condon, R. Holt.
BEST – Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: C. Michael, J. Wright, Z. Wemyss, R. Parkinson, G. Ellis, H. Herben. Wedderburn: J. Douglas, F. Mooney, G. Riley, D. Condon, A. Younghusband, A. Brett.
Under-16s:
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 2.2 4.5 9.10 9.11 (65)
Birchip Watchem 1.1 2.1 3.3 3.3 (21)
GOALS – Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: K. Stevens, C. Tait 2, T. Cox, T. Dalbon, J. Daniels, F. McGarry, B. Poulton. Birchip Watchem: D. Reid 2, T. Colbert.
BEST – Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: B. Daniels, T. Cox, A. Collins, L. Wright, F. McGarry, T. Dalbon. Birchip Watchem: D. Reid, T. Lowry, P. Sheahan, P. Hogan, N. Rickard, S. O’Donnell.
Under-13s:
Boort 1.1 3.1 5.1 6.1 (37)
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 (12)
GOALS – Boort: A. Cockerell 2, L. Baker, A. Perryman, N. Scott, S. Toose. Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: J. Daniels, I. Durie.
BEST – Boort: M. Beattie, B. Whykes, A. Cockerell, L. Hall, A. Perryman, N. Scott. Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers: L. McInerney, F. Warne, J. Daniels, I. Durie, N. Barbarby, B. Allan.