BY NATHAN DOLE
It has taken 23 years, but Nyah Nyah West United is back at number one in the Radio 3SH-backed senior footy competition across the Central Murray.
The NNWU Demons dominated Saturday’s grand final clash with Kerang at Alan Garden Reserve in Swan Hill.
By the final siren the Demons led 106-52 against the Blues who were gunning for a premiership hat-trick.
The grand finalists met just once across the home-and-away series in which Kerang marked a 66-55 victory on its turf at Riverside Park in round eight.
Grand final day capped a remarkable run by the Jason Murphy and Nic O’Neill-coached Demons.
After back-to-back grand final wins in 2000 and ’01, Nyah Nyah West United did not play on that one day in September until 2016.
Eight years ago it was Kerang which beat the Demons by 39 points.
The Troy Coates-coached Kerang ended this season’s home-and-away series on a win-loss record of 14-1 and a draw to hold spot.
NNWU’s tally of 12-4 included defeats in rounds 15 and 18 against Mallee Eagles and Cohuna Kangas.
A 64-68 loss to Mallee in the qualifying final meant it would be a tough run for the Demons to make a grand final, let alone win it.
Kerang’s win against Mallee Eagles in the second semi-final meant the Blues were first to the grand final and had a week’s rest.
Nyah fought to win the first semi against Balranald by 26 points and then clipped the Eagles’ wings in the preliminary to win by three goals.
The Demons charged to a 30-2 lead by quarter-time of the grand final.
As NNWU poured on the goals, another four in the second, Kerang went to the half-time break on a score of seven behinds as the Demons were up by 49 points.
The Blues fought back to win the third, 19-16, but it was the Demons who finished with plenty of run to score 5.4 in the last as Kerang added 4.2.
At the final siren NNWU’s players, coaches, volunteers, sponsors and fans celebrated a hard-fought 106-52 victory.
A century goalkicker in both seasons as Marong won the Loddon Valley senior grand finals in 2022 and ’23, Brandyn Grenfell capped another grand final victory with a team-high four goals.
Other multiple goalkickers for the red and blue were Max Thompson, three; Riley Daniels and Nic O’Neill.
Kerang’s attack was led by Brett Kennedy on two goals.
Best for Nyah Nyah West United were Ethan Curran, Joel Walsh, Jaydyn Stirling and Ethan Saville.
The Blues’ best were Jesse Clark, Lachlan Ross, Martin Kelly and Sam Heavyside.
In the reserves competition it was Mallee Eagles which upset Kerang.
The Blues had finished top of the ladder on a 14-2 record and won the second semi-final against Woorinen by 82 points.
The Eagles bounced back from a 33-point loss to Woorinen in the qualifying final to win the first semi against Lake Boga and then the preliminary final showdown with the Woorinen Tigers by 10 points.
On grand final day the Eagles soared to an 18-1 lead by quarter-time.
As Mallee added 1.2 in the second term it’s defensive pressure meant Kerang added just four behinds.
The Eagles went to the half-time break leading 26-5.
Kerang lifted its play dramatically in the third term to score 3.1 as Mallee added 2.1.
A 15-point buffer for Mallee at the start of the final quarter became 30 at the siren as the Eagles scored 2.5 to just two behinds in the last.
Mallee’s attack was led by Jonah Devlin and Mardy McDonald on three goals as Ashlin Grant added two.
Harry Bremner kicked all three of Kerang’s goals.
Best for the Eagles were Nathan Bisset, Jonah Devlin, Andrew McDonald and Clem Miller.
The Blues’ best were Jonathon Roberts, Harry Bremner, Gregor Knight and Mason Dibsdale.
Swan Hill won a closely-fought Colts grand final with Lake Boga by 11 points.
The Magpies had beaten the Swans by 19 points in the second semi-final.
On grand final day it was Lake Boga which raced to a 40-8 lead by quarter-time.
Swan Hill fought back brilliantly to score 7.3 in the second and be within three points at half-time.
Defences were on top in the third as the Magpies added 1.3 and the Swans scored 1.4.
Inspired by the play of Sonny Beasy, Lleyton Purcell, and the goalkicking feats of Wilhem Bennet it was Swan Hill which kicked on an 88-77 victory.
Bennett finished with a match-high three goals as Harry Graham, Harry and Sam Scott added two each.
Lake Boga’s attack was led by Kai Everett, Koben Ryan and Nick Taylor on two goals each.
The Swans’ best included Lachlan Vrolijks, Lane Cardenas and Sam Scott.
Best for the Magpies were Nick Taylor, Koben Ryan, Xavier Sherlock and Harry Bryan.
Lake Boga capped an unbeaten run to be premiers in the Mildura Health Fund-backed under-15s competition.
The Magpies swooped to gain a 24-6 lead by quarter-time of the grand final clash with Swan Hill.
By the long break Lake Boga led 37-13.
The Magpies won the next two quarters, 19-6 and 26-12 to complete an 82-31 victory.
Jarra Kelly capped off a lot of Lake Boga’s play with a match-high four goals as Bryce Anderson and Lucas O’Rielly added two each.
There were five players who were on target in the Swan’s tally of 5.1
Best for Lake Boga were Lachie Heil, Reef Mulligan, Lucas O’Reilly and Jarra Kelly.
Swan Hill’s best were Jace Lloyd, Noah Pearson, Archie Brown and Thomas Robertson.
Central Murray FNL footy grand finals scoreboard at Alan Garden Reserve, Swan Hill:
Radio 3SH seniors:
Nyah Nyah West United 4.6 8.8 10.12 15.16 (106)
Kerang 0.2 0.7 3.8 7.10 (52)
GOALS – Nyah Nyah West United: Brandyn Grenfell 4, Max Thompson 3, Riley Daniels, Nic O’Neill 2, Ethan Curran, Alex Erlandson, Dominic Gallo, Ethan Saville. Kerang: Brett Kennedy 2, Adam Baird, Thomas Hetherington, Martin Kelly, Nick Lang, Josh Nitschke.
BEST – Nyah Nyah West United: Ethan Curran, Joel Walsh, Jaydyn Stirling, Ethan Saville, Joel Campbell, Zak O’Shannassy. Kerang: Jesse Clark, Lachlan Ross, Martin Kelly, Sam Heavyside, Tyson Clingan, Josh Nitcschke.
Nyah Nyah West United’s premiership-winning team:
Brayden Bigham, Charlie Boulton, Joel Campbell, Ethan Curran, Corey Daniels, Riley Daniels, Alex Erlandson, Campbell Everitt, Dominic Gallo, Brandyn Grenfell, Jordan Iudica, Lucas Iduica, Blake Larkings, Nic O’Neill, Zak O’Shannassy, Ethan Saville, Jarrod Skinner, Jaydyn Stirling, Max Thompson, Zack Threadgold, Joel Walsh, Liam White.
Coaches: Jason Murphy, Nic O’Neill.
Reserves:
Mallee Eagles 3.0 4.2 6.3 8.8 (56)
Kerang 0.1 0.5 3.6 3.8 (26)
GOALS – Jonah Devlin, Mardy McDonald 3, Ashlin Grant 2. Kerang: Harry Bremner 3.
BEST – Mallee Eagles: Nathan Bisset, Jonah Devlin, Andrew McDonald, Clem Miller, Nickolas Miller, Billy O’Meara. Kerang: Jonathon Roberts, Harry Bremner, Gregor Knight, Mason Dibsdale, Bohden McKnight, Sam Nitschke.
Mallee Eagles premiership-winning team:
Nathan Bisset, Todd Day-Henery, Liam Drummond, Jonah Devlin, Brayden Duffin, Ashlin Grant, Charlie Kingwill, Daniel Lavey, Seb Linssen, Dominic Makur, Andrew McDonald, Mardy McDonald, Hamish McGregor, Mitch McIntyre, Clem Miller, Nickolas Miller, Logan Nalder, Billy O’Meara, Hayden Richards, Brad Rogers, Brayden Shipp, Corey Williams.
Colts:
Swan Hill 1.2 8.5 9.9 13.10 (88)
Lake Boga 6.4 8.8 9.11 10.17 (77)
GOALS – Swan Hill: Wilhem Bennett 3, Harry Graham, Harry Scott, Sam Scott 2, Sonny Beasy, Lane Cardenas, Paddy Hufer, Kaillum Polglase. Lake Boga: Kai Everett, Koben Ryan, Nick Taylor 2, Max O’Reilly, Willem Pye, Morgan Ryder, Xavier Sherlock.
BEST – Swan Hill: Sonny Beasy, Lleyton Purcell, Wilhem Bennett, Lachlan Vrolijks, Lane Cardenas, Sam Scott. Lake Boga: Nick Taylor, Koben Ryan, Xavier Sherlock, Harry Bryan, Willem Pye, Bodi Clune.
Swan Hill’s premiership-winning team:
Sonny Beasy, Wilhem Bennett, Jack Brown, Sam Brown, Lane Cardenas, Harry Graham, Malakai Hardaway, Bailey Haywood, Jett Hinton, Mitch Hinton, Paddy Hufer, Bodhi Kelly, Hugh Langley-Sheldrick, Cody McIntyre, Kaillum Polglase, Kaedan Purcell, Lleyton Purcell, Harry Scott, Sam Scott, Bryce Townsend, Darcy Uebergang, Lachlan Vrolijks.
Mildura Health Fund under-15s:
Lake Boga 4.0 6.1 9.2 13.4 (82)
Swan Hill 1.0 2.1 3.1 5.1 (31)
GOALS – Lake Boga: Jarra Kelly 4, Bryce Anderson, Lucas O’Rielly 2, Maximus Caruso, Tait Colville, Rory Davies, Ryan Fraser, Lachie Heil. Swan Hill: Hugh Angus, Jason Cardenas, Emmanuel Osunneye, Noah Pearson, Kaedan Purcell.
BEST- Lake Boga: Lachie Heil, Reef Mulligan, Lucas O’Reilly, Jarra Kelly, Novak Demarchi, Kye Fleming. Swan Hill: Jace Lloyd, Noah Pearson, Archie Brown, Thomas Robertson, Jimmy Kelly, Lenny Ryan.
Lake Boga’s premiership-winning team:
Bryce Anderson, Flynn Barnes, Nathan Carrison, Maximus Caruso, Tait Colville, Rory Davies, Novak Demarchi, Kye Fleming, Ryan Fraser, Jett Groat-Dedini, Matthew Haines, Lachie Heil, Jarra Kelly, Axel Kirsten, Victor Lazarou, Eli Leverett, Vin Mobilio, Reef Mulligan, Lucas O’Reilly, Elijah Ray, Connor Robertson, Jake Steer, Brody Stevens, Kaidyn Tants.