Droughts broken as some dynasties roll on
SEVERAL premiership droughts were broken and some dynasties rolled on across this year’s football and netball action in the Bendigo Bank AFL Central Victoria region.
In the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League, Gisborne won its first senior premiership since 2006 when it marked a 28-point victory against Strathfieldsaye.
The Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs teamed superbly in the cold and wet conditions at Queen Elizabeth Oval to score a 5.20 (50) to 2.10 (22) victory against Storm.
On the nearby netball court, Sandhurst celebrated a fourth consecutive A-grade premiership.
The Marong Panthers marked a rare feat of senior, reserves and under-18s football grand finals in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley Football Netball League.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Marong unleashed a seven-goal blitz on the way to a 94-point win against Bridgewater.
It was Marong’s first senior premiership since 1989.
After being runner-up in three consecutive seasons, Birchip Watchem reigned supreme in the Goldacres-sponsored senior football competition in the North Central Football League.
The Trevor Ryan-coached Bulls fought back from a 21-point deficit in the second quarter to score a 78-57 win against Donald.
Castlemaine capped an incredible debut season in the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s football competition by winning the premiership cup.
The Tiahna Cochrane-coached Magpies teamed brilliantly in the wet at Queen Elizabeth Oval to mark a 38-19 victory against Golden Square.
Stung by a second semi-final loss, Lockington Bamawm United hit back to win the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League’s senior footy grand final against Mount Pleasant.
The Cats scored the last three goals of the contest at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve to complete an 89-69 victory.
It was the same scenario in the Central Murray league where Kerang bounced back from a second semi-final loss to Cohuna Kangas to win the battle with the Roos for the premiership cup by 10 points.
Nullawil’s dominance in the Golden Rivers league rolled on as the maroons scored a 68-point win against Moulamein.
On the netball court, Elmore broke through for its first A-grade premiership in the Heathcote DNFL since 1968.
The Bloods were beaten by grand final opponent White Hills in the second semi, but hit back to record a 55-47 victory in the duel for the premiership cup.
The Maiden Gully YCW Eagles soared to an eight-goal win against Mitiamo in the Loddon Valley A-grade grand final on a day where the club also won B-grade, C-grade, C-reserve, and 17-and-under.
It was a thrilling finish to the A-grade clash in the Central Murray where Balranald marked a 35-33 win against Swan Hill.
Wedderburn’s dominance in the North Central Netball Association rolled on as the Redbacks won 50-34 against Charlton.
A wrap of the 2022 season across AFL Central Victoria region:
Football grand final scoreboard:
BENDIGO FNL
Seniors:
Gisborne 5.20 (50) d Strathfieldsaye 2.10 (22).
Reserves:
Golden Square 7.8 (50) d Gisborne 3.5 (23).
Under-18s:
Gisborne 5.8 (38) d Sandhurst 4.12 (36).
CENTRAL MURRAY FNL
Seniors:
Kerang 6.11 (47) d Cohuna Kangas 5.7 (37).
Reserves:
Woorinen 5.11 (41) d Kerang 5.9 (39).
Under-17 ½:
Lake Boga 11.6 (72) d Kerang 4.7 (31).
Under-14 ½:
Swan Hill 14.8 (92) d Lake Boga 3.0 (18).
GOLDEN RIVERS FNL
Seniors:
Nullawil 16.18 (114) d Moulamein 7.4 (46).
Reserves:
Murrabit 12.7 (79) d Wandella 8.8 (56).
Under-17 ½:
Hay 12.20 (92) d Ultima 6.7 (43).
Under 14 ½:
Wandella 6.10 (46) d Murrabit 0.4 (4).
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FNL
Seniors:
Lockington Bamawm United 13.11 (89) d Mount Pleasant 10.9 (69).
Reserves:
Mount Pleasant 9.10 (64) d White Hills 8.10 (58).
Under-18s:
White Hills 8.11 (59) d North Bendigo 7.8 (50).
LODDON VALLEY FNL
Seniors:
Marong 19.11 (125) d Bridgewater 4.7 (31).
Reserves:
Marong 5.15 (45) d Pyramid Hill 3.5 (23).
Under-18s:
Marong 12.7 (79) d Bridgewater 4.3 (27).
NORTH CENTRAL FNL
Seniors:
Birchip Watchem 10.18 (78) d Donald 8.9 (57).
Reserves:
Donald 10.5 (65) d Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 3.6 (24).
Under-17s:
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 9.6 (60) d Boort 6.6 (42).
Under-14s:
Donald 4.6 (30) d St Arnaud 1.1 (7).
CHAMPIONS IGA CVFL SENIOR WOMEN
Castlemaine 5.8 (38) d Golden Square 2.7 (19).
BENDIGO JUNIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Under-16 seniors:
Golden Square 3.12 (30) d Sandhurst 1.8 (14).
Under-16 reserves, division one:
Maryborough 7.5 (47) d Sandhurst 6.3 (39).
Under-16 reserves, division two:
South Bendigo 8.5 (53) d Strathfieldsaye 3.10 (28).
Under-14 seniors:
Sandhurst 6.8 (44) d South Bendigo 2.1 (13).
Under-14 reserves, division one:
Huntly Hawks 7.12 (54) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 8.5 (53).
Under-14 reserves, division two:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 11.7 (73) d Marong 10.11 (71).
Under-12A:
St Therese’s 11.7 (73) d Strathfieldsaye 1.4 (10).
Under-12B:
St Francis 4.9 (33) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 0.2 (2).
Under-12C:
South Bendigo 2.2 (14) d St Kilian’s-St Peter’s 1.1 (7).
Under-12D:
St Therese’s 4.2 (26) d Kangaroo Flat 1.3 (9).
Under-12E:
White Hills 3.1 (19) d North Bendigo 2.4 (16).
Under-18 Girls:
Strathfieldsaye 4.4 (28) d White Hills 4.2 (26).
Under-16 Girls:
Sandhurst 5.3 (33) d Kangaroo Flat 3.6 (24).
Under-14 Girls:
White Hills 3.6 (24) d Strathfieldsaye 3.4 (22).
Football fairest and best award winners in the AFL Central Victoria leagues:
BENDIGO FNL
Seniors, Michelsen Medal:
Jake Moorhead, Strathfieldsaye.
Reserves, Alan McDonald Medal:
Jacob Murphy and Boyd Nalder, Gisborne.
Under-18s:
Macey Eaton, Golden Square.
CENTRAL MURRAY FNL
Seniors, Jack Betts Medal:
Jydon Neagle, Balranald.
Reserves:
Joseph Kelly, Woorinen; and Tobie Richardson, Lake Boga.
Under-17 ½, Len Mathieson Medal:
Charli Boulton, Nyah Nyah West United.
Under-14 ½:
Patrick Blake, Tyntynder.
GOLDEN RIVERS FNL
Seniors, E.G. Hunt Medal:
Ricky Wild, Quambatook.
Reserves:
Luke O’Toole, Ultima.
Under-17 ½:
Charlie Fawcett, Nullawil; and Daniel Stewart, Hay.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FNL
Seniors, Sam Cheatley Medal:
Tyler Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
Reserves:
Liam Edwards, Heathcote.
Under-18s:
Jude Ryan, Colbinabbin.
LODDON VALLEY FNL
Seniors, Harding Medal:
Billy Micevski, Pyramid Hill.
Reserves:
Zack Turnbull, Marong.
Under-18s:
Gabe Nevins, Inglewood.
NORTH CENTRAL FNL
Seniors, Feeny Medal:
Ross Young, Donald.
Reserves, James and Jenny Goldsmith trophy:
Jack Ryan, Birchip-Watchem.
Under-17s, Jeff ‘Woofa’ Guild trophy:
Nick Thompson, Charlton.
CHAMPIONS IGA CVFL SENIOR WOMEN
Meg Ginnivan, Castlemaine; and Meg Williamson, Bendigo Thunder.
BENDIGO JUNIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Under-16 seniors:
Jack McMahon, Golden Square.
Under-16 reserves, division one:
Kaian Constable, Maryborough.
Under-16 reserves, division two:
Angus Martin, South Bendigo.
Under-14 seniors:
Campbell Wood, Maryborough.
Under-14 reserves, division one:
Lewis Pigdon, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Under-14 reserves, division two:
John Bradley, Marong.
Under-18 Girls:
Sienna Hobbs, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-16 Girls:
Gemma Roberts, Kangaroo Flat.
Under-14 Girls:
Hannah Cochrane, Sandhurst.
Netball grand final scoreboard:
BENDIGO FNL
A-grade:
Sandhurst d Kangaroo Flat 48-33.
A-reserve:
Gisborne d Sandhurst 29-27.
B-grade:
Sandhurst d South Bendigo 37-35.
B-reserve:
Sandhurst d Gisborne 48-46.
17-and-under:
Gisborne d Kangaroo Flat 44-34.
CENTRAL MURRAY FNL
A-grade:
Balranald d Swan Hill 35-33.
A-reserve:
Swan Hill d Mallee Eagles 22-21.
B-grade:
Mallee Eagles d Swan Hill 40-22.
B-reserve:
Swan Hill d Cohuna Kangas 36-25.
18-and-under:
Lake Boga d Tyntynder 44-42.
16-and-under:
Kerang d Tooleybuc Manangatang 41-35.
14-and-under:
Woorinen d Tyntynder 40-30.
GOLDEN RIVERS FNL
A-grade:
Murrabit d Nullawil 41-35.
B-grade:
Nullawil d Murrabit 42-24.
B-reserve:
Nullawil d Murrabit 38-33.
17-and-under:
Ultima d Macorna 36-27.
14-and-under:
Nullawil d Ultima 63-19.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FNL
A-grade:
Elmore d White Hills 55-47.
A-reserve:
Elmore d Colbinabbin 42-37.
B-grade:
Colbinabbin d Elmore 48-45.
B-reserve:
Huntly d Mount Pleasant 36-22.
17-and-under:
Lockington Bamawm United d Mount Pleasant 38-37.
15-and-under:
Mount Pleasant d Lockington Bamawm United 44-41.
13-and-under:
Leitchville-Gunbower d Elmore 24-18.
LODDON VALLEY FNL
A-grade:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles d Mitiamo 61-53.
B-grade:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles d Bridgewater 41-33.
C-grade:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles d Bridgewater 43-35.
C-reserve:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles d Marong 48-31.
17-and-under:
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles d Calivil United 43-29.
15-and-under:
Marong d Pyramid Hill 52-26.
13-and-under:
Pyramid Hill d Marong 39-23.
NORTH CENTRAL FNL
A-grade:
Wedderburn d Charlton 50-34.
Netball fairest and best award winners in the AFL Central Victoria leagues:
BENDIGO FNL
A-grade, Betty Thompson Medal:
Maddy Stewart, Gisborne.
A-reserve, Jenni Holborn Medal:
Sarah Nash, South Bendigo.
B-grade:
Briona Giddings, Sandhurst.
B-reserve:
Isabelle Whiteley, Sandhurst.
17-and-under, Carol Sing Medal:
Tori Skrijel, Gisborne.
CENTRAL MURRAY FNL
A-grade:
Madeleine Nalder, Swan Hill; and Jess Parry, Balranald.
A-reserve:
Sarah Young, Mallee Eagles.
B-grade:
Deb Parsons, Mallee Eagles.
B-reserve:
Catrina Robinson, Cohuna Kangas.
18-and-under:
Bree Hodgson, Balranald.
16-and-under:
Jayda Plant, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
14-and-under:
Audrey Domaille, Tyntynder; and Charli Moon, Cohuna Kangas.
GOLDEN RIVERS FNL
A-grade, Reita Pay Memorial:
Laura Bennie, Macorna.
B-grade:
Jacki Watts, Nullawil.
B-reserve:
Regan Kelly, Nullawil.
17-and-under:
Ruby Cattanach.
14-and-under:
Scarlet Grey, Ultima.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FNL
A-grade, Esther Cheatley Medal:
Brooke Bolton, Heathcote.
A-reserve:
Madison Keating, Elmore.
B-grade:
Darcee Mann, Huntly.
B-reserve:
Stacey Saddlier, Huntly.
17-and-under:
Telani Bibby, Heathcote.
15-and-under:
Madalyn Nihill, Mount Pleasant.
13-and-under:
Scout Hayes, Elmore.
LODDON VALLEY FNL
A-grade, Helen Ward Medal:
Tia Webb, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
B-grade, Joy Lawry Medal:
Jarrenhy Webb, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
C-grade:
Tayla Nadort, Marong.
C-reserve:
Dani Jeffery, Marong.
17-and-under:
Abbi Wells, Newbridge.
15-and-under:
Charli Crawford, Marong.