Undefeated, back-to-back — however you spin it, Lancaster is top dog again.
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The Wombats proved why they hold the Kyabram District League reserve grade in a vice grip, belting Murchison-Toolamba in Saturday’s grand final.
A merciless Lancaster stamped out the Hoppers’ hopes after a shaky first quarter to run out 11.14 (80) to 3.1 (19) victors at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.
Alert: Lancaster’s Charlie Lowe.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Lowe blow: Murchison-Toolamba’s George Brisbane drags Lancaster’s Charlie Lowe.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Decisions, decisions: Lancaster’s Zaid Besim.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Unloading: Lancaster’s Steven Phillips fires off a kick.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Big boys battling: Lancaster’s Samuel Jackson and Murchison-Toolamba’s Tim Ewart.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Hook it forward: Murchison-Toolamba’s Tim Ewart.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Not so fast: Murchison-Toolamba’s George Brisbane is wrapped up by Lancaster’s Matthew James.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
In his first season of coaching senior footy, Lancaster mentor Michael Mott had one word to sum up the feeling — relief.
“To see them in the end finishing off the way we’ve played footy all year and just really put the foot down was just awesome,” he said.
“In the second quarter, we started playing our football, which is move the ball, run, open up the forward line and we were able to have shots in better positions.”
Mott’s boys had all of the attacking football in the first 10 minutes of the match, but the pressure of a grand final got to Wombats as they kicked four straight behinds.
Towering Hoppers forward James Peck then made Lancaster pay, roosting the ball from 50 to edge his side ahead.
Back at the other end, Jack Elliott soccered home a bouncing ball before skipper Steven Grima caught one sweetly off the ground, catching the Hoppers’ defenders off guard.
Shane Kay and his backline battalion were under heavy duress in the opening quarter as it finished 18-6.
And it was only a matter of time until the floodgates opened.
Timothy Strapp, Steven Phillips and Jamie Scapin kicked majors in the second quarter.
The Hoppers limped along with Lancaster’s half-back-line of Oliver McAuliffe, Caylan Goring and Daniel Foley not giving an inch.
Hoppers’ ruckman Tim Ewart gave his mids first use but they could not oblige as Lancaster put numbers around the footy.
Best-on-ground: Lancasters Oliver McAuliffe.
Murchison-Toolamba desperately needed to find something after the break — and they did.
Jamie Jones put snow on it seconds after the bounce and Peck didn’t need to jump to claim a pack mark and execute deftly.
But the Hoppers again fingered the self-destruct button.
Brayden Cecchin was handed a straight red card with Koden Colman converting the 50m penalty.
Riley O’Neill then soared to claim the mark of the game and finished well and yet another 50m penalty inside 50 gifted Scapin another.
THE GAME
Lancaster 2.6, 5.6, 9.10, 11.14 (80)
Murchison-Toolamba 1.0, 1.0, 3.0, 3.1 (19)
GOALS
Lancaster: K. Colman 3, S. Grima 2, J. Scapin 2, T. Strapp, S. Phillips, J. Elliott, R. O’Neill
Murchison-Toolamba: J. Peck 2, L. Cecchin
BEST
Lancaster: O. McAuliffe, T. McNamara, C. Goring, R. Salter, L. Donnell, D. Foley
Murchison-Toolamba: L. Cecchin, T. Ewart, S. Kay, J. Jones, L. McDonald, G. Brisbane
The Hoppers were falling to bits but had a glimmer of hope when Luke Cecchin kicked home.
However, Jye Heaney’s send-off followed and a further two fourth-quarter goals to the Wombats put the game beyond doubt.
While Lancaster’s entire backline was near faultless, Oliver McAuliffe picked up best-on-ground merits and was one of three under Mott’s spotlight.
“The backline was awesome. This year’s been hard, some games the boys don’t even get a touch, so our best three were our half-backline of Ollie, Caylan Goring and Danny Foley to run the game from there.”
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