BY NATHAN DOLE
THE Tigers from Sea Lake Nandaly roared to victory in the Goldacres North Central senior footy grand final against Birchip-Watchem on Saturday.
Goalkicking accuracy was a key factor as the Bryce Delmenico and Billy McInnes-coached Tigers scored 7.5 on Donald’s turf to defeat Birchip-Watchem by 13 points.
The Trevor Ryan-coached Bulls would rue several missed chances as they finished on a score of 4.10.
Players and fans were faced with windy conditions as Sea Lake Nandaly chased back-to-back premierships against a club which was number one in the ’22 season.
The Bulls led 15-13 at quarter-time before Sea Lake Nandaly controlled most of the second term.
As The Tigers added 3.2 in the second they worked hard to hold the Bulls to a goal.
By half-time it was the yellow and black which led 33-21.
Two goals in the third by Sea Lake Nandaly was almost by the Bulls as they added 1.5.
With a quarter in the season to be played it was SLN which led 45-32.
Both line-ups added two behinds in the last as Sea Lake Nandaly sealed a 47-34 victory and marked back-to-back premierships.
The Tigers’ attack was led by Thomas Cox and Jackson McMahon on two goals.
There were four individual goalkickers for the Bulls.
Best in Sea Lake Nandaly’s latest grand final victory were Jack Poulton, Luke Martin, Thomas Cox and Tyson McKenzie.
A strong line-up for SLN included former Adelaide and Geelong key forward Josh Jenkins along with Trent and Wade Donnan who had been Feeny medallists as league fairest and best the past two seasons.
Birchip-Watchem’s best were Nicholas Rippon, Meyrick Buchanan, Angus Butterfield and Patrick Veszpremi.
It was the Tigers third seniors premiership since the club joined the North Central competition in 2016.
Sea Lake Nandaly was represented in all four grand finals on Saturday.
The Tigers took on Nullawil in the Haeuslers reserves match.
A 15-1 record meant Nullawil finished the home-and-away series on top of the ladder.
The Maroons beat Sea Lake Nandaly, second on a 14-2 record, in the second semi-final by three goals.
On grand final day Nullawil led 11-6 at quarter-time and then scored 2.5 and kept the Tigers scoreless in the second term.
Nullawil won the next two quarters, 13-6 and 6-1.
At the final siren the Maroons players and fans celebrated a 47-13 victory.
Zac Kelly kicked two goals in a best on ground performance as Dude Kelly, Matt Hogan and Angus Forrester also starred for Nullawil.
Best for Sea Lake Nandaly were Jordan Bath, Chase Tait, Brandon Stadon and Wayne Landry.
It was thrilling finish to the Charlton and District Community Bank under-17s grand final between Sea Lake Nandaly and St Arnaud.
Accuracy in attack played a big part in the Tigers claiming a 26-23 victory.
Sea Lake Nandaly scored 2.2 in the first half after the Saints had scored seven behinds.
The Tigers increased their lead as they scored two goals as St Arnaud added 1.2 in the third.
In a dramatic final quarter the Saints added 1.2 and kept SLN scoreless.
At the final siren it was Sea Lake Nandaly which led 4.2 (26) to 2.11 (23).
Ethan Ellis kicked two goals for the Tigers as Taj Borlase and Cruz O’Sullivan were also on target.
St Arnaud’s attack was led by Austin Lowe on two goals.
Best for Sea Lake Nandaly were Judd Durie, Joss Tait, Jack Stacey and Nate McClelland.
The Saints’ best were Owen Lowe, Frankie Donald, Ben Greenaway and Kynan Torney.
Grand final day kicked off with the Uniting Church under-14s match between Boort and Sea Lake Nandaly.
The Tigers were unbeaten in the run to the match to decide the season’s champions.
Boort made a brilliant start to score 2.1 as the Tigers were held to a point in the first quarter.
The Magpies added four points in the second and kept SLN scoreless.
In the third it was Sea Lake Nandaly which won a lot more contests and capitalised to score 3.1.
Two goals meant the Magpies led 29-20 at a quarter to go.
Both teams added a point in the last as Boort marked a 30-21 victory.
Goalkicking lists were not supplied.
Best for Boort were Harry Clapp, Brodie McPherson, Seth Muller and Tristan Broad.
The Tigers’ best were Riley Allan, Hugo Warne, Harry Wight and Ben Barbary.
North Central FNL footy grand finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Sea Lake Nandaly 2.1 5.3 7.3 7.5 (47)
Birchip-Watchem 2.3 3.3 4.8 4.10 (34)
GOALS – Sea Lake Nandaly: Thomas Cox, Jackson McMahon 2, Josh Jenkins, Lachy McClelland, Tyson McKenzie. Birchip-Watchem: Daniel Bell, Ben Edwards, Nicholas Rippon, Patrick Veszpremi.
BEST – Sea Lake Nandaly: Jack Poulton, Luke Martin, Thomas Cox, Tyson McKenzie, Wade Donnan, Ryan O’Sullivan. Birchip-Watchem: Nicholas Rippon, Meyrick Buchanan, Angus Butterfield, Patrick Veszpremi, Dale Hinkley.
Sea Lake Nandaly’s premiership-winning team:
Brodie Adcock, Max Cahoon, Charlie Cox, Thomas Cox, Bryce Delmenico, Kane Donnan, Trent Donnan, Wade Donnan, Josh Jenkins, Luke Martin, Lachy McClelland, Billy McInnes, Tyson McKenzie, Jackson McMahon, Connor Michael, Callan Noonan, Ryan O’Sullivan, Jack Poulton, Will Simpson, Brody Weir, Jai Wright.
Haeuslers reserves:
Nullawil 1.5 3.10 5.11 6.11 (47)
Sea Lake Nandaly 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.1 (13)
GOALS – Nullawil: Zac Kelly 2, Brett Barker, Lachlan Braine, Dude Kelly, Sam Goldsmith. Sea Lake Nandaly: Harry Harcourt, Chase Tait.
BEST – Nullawil: Zac Kelly, Dude Kelly, Matthew Hogan, Angus Forrester, Mitchel Barry, Tiger Vearing. Sea Lake Nandaly: Jordan Bath, Chase Tait, Brandon Stadon, Wayne Landry, Nathan Wright, Cooper Allan.
Nullawil’s premiership-winning team:
Brett Barker, Shane Barker, Jack Barry, Mitchell Barry, Jason Box, Lachlan Braine, Jayden Coghlan, Les Cooper, Tom Fawcett, Angus Forrester, Billy Forrester, George Forrester, Sam Goldsmith, Blair Hogan, Matthew Hogan, Sam Hogan, Dude Kelly, Zac Kelly, Jack Morrison, Jeremy Vearing, Tiger Vearing.
Charlton and District Community Bank under-17s:
Sea Lake Nandaly 0.1 2.2 4.2 4.2 (26)
St Arnaud 0.2 0.7 1.9 2.11 (23)
GOALS – Sea Lake Nandaly: Ethan Ellis 2, Taj Borlase, Cruz O’Sullivan. St Arnaud: Austin Lowe 2.
BEST – Sea Lake Nandaly: Judd Durie, Joss Tait, Jack Stacey, Nate McClelland, Ethan Ellis, Cruz O’Sullivan. St Arnaud: Owen Lowe, Frankie Donald, Ben Greenaway, Kynan Torney, Sean Bridgeman, Ryan Bigmore.
Sea Lake Nandaly’s premiership-winning team:
Archie Alday, Brayden Allan, Scott Barbary, Taj Borlase, Dylan Cook, Jacob Cox, Judd Durie, Ethan Ellis, Tye Griffiths, Jack Leo, Nate McClelland, Callum Mott, Net Newick, Ryder Newick, Chad O’Sullivan, Cruz O’Sullivan, Hamish Pickering, Angus Renney, Jack Stacey, Joss Tait, Hugo Warne, Coby Wight.
Uniting Church under-14s:
Boort 2.1 2.5 4.5 4.6 (30)
Sea Lake Nandaly 0.1 0.1 3.2 3.3 (21)
GOALS – Boort: not supplied. Sea Lake Nandaly: not supplied.
BEST – Boort: Harry Clapp, Brodie McPherson, Seth Muller, Tristan Broad, Darby F. Perryman, Jacob Malone. Sea Lake Nandaly: Riley Allan, Hugo Warne, Harry Wight, Ben Barbary, Ryder Newick, Zander Wight.
Boort’s premiership-winning team:
Finlay Arnold, Tyler Bennett, Tristan Broad, Mitch Cathrine, Harry Clapp, Cooper Gould, Zeb Gould, Chaise Hird, Noah Howe, Beau Kane, Liam King, Luca Lanyon, Archer Lee, Jacob Malone, Connor McNally, Brodie McPherson, Jasper Morcombe, Seth Muller, Darby F. Perryman, Millie Pink, Matthew Soumelidis, Max Twigg, Mase Young.