Dee-light: Shepparton United celebrates the reserves premiership.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
A Ramadan Yze inspired fightback has delivered Shepparton United its first Goulburn Valley League reserves premiership in 10 years as the Demons defeated Seymour by 13 points.
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Yze booted three goals in an incredible fourth-quarter fightback as the Dees wiped off an 18-point three-quarter time margin to seal a memorable and famous grand final victory.
His final-quarter heroics had him claim the Peter Ryan Medal as one of the best players on the ground, while teammate Robbie Mifka took out the Max Morley Medal.
Seymour, the competition’s powerhouse following an unbeaten year, failed to stem the run of momentum from the Dees as the large Deakin Reserve supporter base roared them home.
Mitch Waite was one of Seymour’s standouts and his goal helped end the run of consecutive Yze majors, only for youngster Levy Tejones to respond moments later with a floater that sailed through.
What a moment: Shepparton United players celebrate the win.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Quick kick: Seymour's Lucas Cannizzo.
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Megan Fisher
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Showing support: Shepparton United show their support.
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Megan Fisher
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Head over the ball: Shepparton United's Levy Tejones.
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Megan Fisher
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Shepparton United's Harry Smith. -NOT HARRY
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Megan Fisher
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Eyes on the ball: Shepparton United's Edward Adams and Seymour's Max McLean.
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Megan Fisher
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Soak it up: Shepparton United players sing the song after the win.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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In the zone: Shepparton United's Jake Zerbato.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
United kept pressing in search of a goal to level the scores and it came through a crucial mark from Duane Hueston who turned and found Yze who kicked truly.
Jamie Atkinson popped up and wobbled a left-foot snap through and the Dees hit the front for the first time since quarter time.
Seymour captain Julian Morgan sent heart-rates through the roof as he drew it back level.
But that was the final time the Lions came close to snaring victory as United surged again to kick the final two goals of the game through Jake Zerbato and Seb Pellegrino to send Deakin Reserve’s Skene St end into delirium.
Dees club stalwart Stephen Scott was prolific and turned back the clock, but he found support through Jordan Wiggins, Ed Adams and Sam McInneny.
Shepparton United coach Jason Ritchie said he always had faith his charges could turn the tide.
“I always believed,” Ritchie said of their seven-goal final term.
“Seymour came out hard, they’re well-coached and a well-drilled side
“I knew that if we were within two or three goals at three-quarter time that our last quarter has always been great and that our younger boys and our legs would run over them.
“The mental toughness is what got them through to today.
“The toughness provides the effort, the effort provides the pressure and the pressure is what determines who wins.
“Our backline was fantastic, the back six were just unreal. I can’t separate the backline ... there’s not one who didn’t do the job.”
THE GAME
Shepparton United 2.2, 3.2, 4.4, 11.5 (71)
Seymour 2.3, 5.6, 7.7, 8.10 (58)
GOALS
Shepparton United: R.Yze 3, L. Tejones, J. Clarke, D. Hueston, J. Atkinson, J. Zerbato, S. Pellegrino.
Seymour: M. Waite 2, D. Cook, T. Lawrence, N. Davey, B. Tarran, J. Morgan.
BEST
Shepparton United: S.Scott, J. Wiggins, E. Adams, S. McInneny, R.Yze
Seymour: M.Waite, T. Lewis, D. Cook, J. Eager, C. Lubeck.
Sunday’s incredible triumph caps a rollercoaster year for the Demons who forfeited a game during the season.
Ritchie said the premiership was a win for the entire Dees faithful.
“It’s big for the whole club,” he said.
“The committee, like all clubs, work their backsides off and ours are no exceptions and they’ve stuck together. Our footy department, our juniors, our netballers, our women’s footballers, they are all fantastic. We’ve got some really good people at the club.
“To have players short, it’s hard to find them, but we had a group of boys who believed in what we were doing. They believed in having fun first, believed in looking after mental health, there’s more important things in footy and that’s what we stressed to help each other out.”
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