MARONG will again tackle Bridgewater in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy grand final after the Panthers won last Saturday’s preliminary final against Pyramid Hill.
The James Flaherty-coached Marong stayed on track for a fifth consecutive premiership victory as it outran the Bulldogs in the second half at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo.
Next Saturday’s grand final at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve will mark the end of an era as Marong moves in to the Bendigo FNL from the ’27 season.
The Panthers’ players and fans will be aiming to mark the swansong with another grand final win.
Stung by a two-goal loss to Pyramid Hill in the qualifying final a fortnight earlier, Marong faced an opponent which had finished within two points of Bridgewater in the second semi.
The Panthers had first use of the strong breeze.
Despite doing plenty of attacking many of Marong’s shots were astray as the Panthers racked up 1.8 in the first term.
The Jarrod Fitzpatrick-coached Pyramid Hill had worked hard to score a major in the testing conditions.
In term two it was Marong which outscored the Bulldogs, 14-7.
By half-time the Panthers were up 28-13.
Eight goals to a point in the crucial third quarter gave Marong a 65-point lead going into the final term.
The Bulldogs won the last, 21-7, but it was the Panthers who marked an emphatic 86-35 victory and a crack at the Mean Machine for the premiership cup.
Sidelined for the first semi because of illness, Shaun Knott made a welcome return to Marong’s attack by kicking four goals.
David Johnstone was also back from an ankle concern and slotted three goals as Ryley Taylor kicked two.
Zach Justice, Lachlan Lee and Richard Tibbett were also on target for the Panthers.
For the Bulldogs it was Fitzpatrick who was the only multiple goalkicker on two as Xavier Emmerson, Gavin James and Lachlan Sidebottom kicked one.
Best for Marong were Shaun Knott, Jack McCaig, Matt Willox, David Johnstone, Zac Justice and James Toomey.
Pyramid Hill’s best were Robby Bartee, Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Brodie Carroll, James Sala, Blake Gibson and Ryan McGhie.
It was a three-goal victory for Inglewood in the reserves preliminary final against Newbridge.
The Blues raced to a 28-7 lead by quarter-time, but Newbridge hit back to score 3.2 as Inglewood added a behind in the second.
Inglewood won the third, 26-6, but the Maroons had the breeze in the last quarter.
As Inglewood scored a goal it upped its defensive play to limit Newbridge to a tally of 1.4.
A 61-43 victory put the Blues into a grand final clash with the unbeaten Bridgewater.
Deklen Gorrie and Callum March led Inglewood’s attack with two goals each as Kyle Hawken, Tynan Hywood, Jayden Leach, Cameron Martin and Jackson Rutter were also on target.
Leading goalkickers for Newbridge were Aidan Browne and Chris Dixon with two each as Matt Adams and Brodie Pearce added a goal apiece.
Best for Inglewood were Deklen Gorrie, Callum March, Andrew Bennett, Sam Gorrie, Jayden Leach and Jack Nevins.
Newbridge’s best were Hugh McGillivray, Thomas Wilson, Matt Adams, Ben Hilson, Keelan Bertuch and Chris Lakey.
In the under-18s preliminary final it was Bridgewater which dominated against Marong.
The Mean Machine charged to a 40-nil lead by quarter-time and then scored three goals in the second.
By half-time Bridgewater led 60-nil.
Another three goals were added by the red and white in the third.
Marong kept fighting and scored two goals in the last quarter as Bridgewater marked an 88-14 victory.
William Smith led Bridgewater’s attack on four goals as Logan Moss kicked three.
The Mean Machine had Harry Arnett and Ollie Clapp kick two goals each.
Goals for the Panthers were off the boot of Caleb Dudderidge and Cooper Murphy.
Best for Bridgewater were Ollie Clapp, Logan Moss, Campbell Fraser, Darcy Cullen, Tom Harrison and Toby Waters.
Marong’s best were Kaidyn Higgins, Cooper Quinlan, William Baird, Caden McCurdy, Harry Wilson and Max O’Donnell.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve:
Under-18s at 10.30am: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Bridgewater.
Reserves at 12.30pm: Bridgewater v Inglewood.
Seniors at 2.30pm: Bridgewater v Marong.
In the netball…….BRIDGEWATER won to another A-grade netball grand final in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL as it outpointed Newbridge in last Saturday’s second semi-final at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
All three previous showdowns between the Mean Machine and the Maroons had gone Newbridge’s way by two goals each time.
Most recent meeting was the qualifying final where the Hayley Martiniello-coached Newbridge won 41-39 at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
Newbridge was back on court after a 62-50 loss to reigning premier Mitiamo in the second semi-final played at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
A Bridgewater team coached by Carly Wild and Lou Dupuy stayed in the premiership race as it beat Pyramid Hill, 53-41 in the first semi on Bridgewater’s court.
With a place in the grand final at stake it was the Mean Machine which motored to a 48-42 victory.
Bridgewater will now take on the Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo which was unbeaten premier last season and is undefeated as it chases a premiership hat-trick.
Four other clubs marked victories on preliminary final day.
Newbridge outplayed Marong in A-reserve to claim a 43-35 win.
After a one-goal win in the qualifying final the Rachel Pettifer-coached Newbridge was beaten in the second semi-final clash with Bridgewater by five goals.
A Marong team coached by Bianca Garton and Larni Taylor had won the first semi against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by 13 goals, but could not halt the Maroons’ charge.
In B-grade, Bridgewater won the preliminary final against the Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by nine goals.
The Georgia Mamouney-Brown coached Mean Machine started its campaign by winning the qualifying final against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by a goal.
In the second semi it was Newbridge which beat Bridgewater, 46-30, as the Lauren Lloyd-coached Eagles swooped for a 44-35 win against Marong in the first semi.
Fans were treated to a thrilling finish to the B-reserve preliminary final between Inglewood and Calivil United.
The Blues from Inglewood who are coached by Lauren Bell won 38-37 to set up a grand final clash with Bridgewater.
Day one of the finals included a 38-29 win by Inglewood in the qualifying final against Calivil United.
A great battle in the second semi between Bridgewater and Inglewood ended in a 42-40 win for the Mean Machine.
The Jeannie Wagner-coached Calivil United fired up for a 40-36 win in the first semi against Mitiamo.
The Demons from Calivil United turned up the heat to win the 17-and-under preliminary final against Mitiamo by 33 goals.
Calivil United won 58-25 against the Superoos.
Unbeaten in the home-and-away series the Shae-Anna Wakefield-coached Calivil United was stung by a 53-51 loss to Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the second semi-final.
Mitiamo was beaten in the qualifying final clash with the Eagles by 26 goals, but the Alicia Hay and Jen Wilson-coached Superoos bounced back to win the first semi against Pyramid Hill by three goals.
It was an 11-goal margin at the end of the 15-and-under preliminary final between Newbridge and Marong.
After a one-goal loss to Calivil United in the second semi the Stacey Lakey-coached Newbridge bounced back for a 42-51 victory against the Panthers.
Marong was beaten in the qualifying final with Calivil United by two goals.
A Marong team coached by Erin Stewart and Chrissie Gray had stayed in the race by winning the first semi against the Eagles by nine goals.
The Eagles soared to a five-goal win against Mitiamo in the 13-and-under preliminary final.
Both teams had met in the qualifying final which went the way of the Amy and Caitlin Corry-coached Superoos, 38-32.
Mitiamo was beaten by Calivil United in the second semi by 15 goals as the Peyton Saxton-coached Maiden Gully YCW won the first semi against Newbridge by 23 goals.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve:
15-and-under, 10am on court one: Calivil United v Newbridge.
B-grade, 10am on court two: Newbridge v Bridgewater.
17-and-under, 11.45am on court one: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Calivil United.
13-and-under, 11.45am on court two: Calivil United v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
A-reserve, 1.30pm on court one: Bridgewater v Newbridge.
B-reserve, 1.30pm on court two: Bridgewater v Inglewood.
A-grade, 3.15pm on court one: Mitiamo v Bridgewater.