Loddon Valley league calls off season as region's next domino falls

MITIAMO will be referenced in the Loddon Valley Football-Netball League's record books as the "minor premiers" of season 2021.

But there was certainly nothing minor about the Superoos' dominance of this COVID-impacted LVFNL season that officially came to an end on Friday when it was called off with community sport competition still on hold.

While Mitiamo only had the opportunity to play 12 games, it was enough for the Superoos to prove they were the clear standout team of 2021 as their unblemished 12-0 record and mammoth percentage of 292.7 will attest.

Sure, there's every chance the surging Marong would have provided formidable opposition and Bridgewater with a healthy list would have been no pushover had a finals series played out.

But in the limited opportunities that were available to play through the stop-start 2021 season, it was the Superoos who proved the best team of the year and in doing so have been recognised as the LVFNL's minor premiers.

"I think the club as a whole has done a tremendous job," Mitiamo co-coach Andy Grant said on Saturday.

"It's not just the senior football, but the A grade netball finished on top as well and the reserves (2nd) were right there in the hunt for a flag, too.

"Obviously, everyone has been up and down throughout the lockdowns and the playing and then not playing, so I think our boys have done a really good job.

"I thought we had put a fairly decent list together last year for 2020, so to have to wait a year and then for it to finish the way it has is obviously bitterly disappointing."

Mitiamo's 12 wins were by an average of 77 points, with the only side to get within six goals of the Superoos being Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, which lost by 23 points in round one.

Defensively, the Superoos conceded an average of just 40 points per match as they constantly stifled their opposition game after game.

"We were really confident in the list we'd put together," Grant said.

"It's a great group of guys across the seniors and reserves and when restrictions allow us, we'll all get up to Mitiamo as a group, reflect on the year and have a few beers.

"It's a good effort to go through undefeated in what have been trying circumstances... we've had lockdowns, we've had injuries, we've blooded some young kids, and to be fair, to probably never really get tested has been a great effort."

The Superoos being awarded the minor premiership in the senior football and A grade netball follows both teams winning flags in the league's previous season in 2019.

Across 2019 and 2021 - there was no season played in 2020 due to COVID - the Superoos' senior football and A Grade netball teams have a combined 56-6 record.

"The club has had a great run for a while now. It's a good club with good people involved," Grant said.

"For a club that is 50 minutes out of Bendigo, it has been a good effort."

Round 1: 10.13 (73) def BL-Serpentine 7.8 (50)

Best - L. Matthews, M. Simpson, L. Lougoon.

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Round 2: 28.13 (181) def Inglewood 2.3 (15)

Best - B. Downie, L. Dale, N. Twigg.

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Round 3: 14.13 (97) def Newbridge 2.7 (19)

Best - L. Woodward, L. Matthews, T. Downie.

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Round 4: 31.19 (205) def Calivil United 3.5 (23)

Best - L. Woodward, L. Dale, B. Bacon.

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Round 5: 14.11 (95) def Marong 7.9 (51)

Best - M. Simpson, L. Matthews, L. Dale.

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Round 6: 15.13 (103) def Maiden Gully YCW 8.8 (56)

Best - L. Dale, M. Wiegard, L. Woodward.

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Round 7: 16.11 (107) def Pyramid Hill 10.9 (69)

Best - D. Mutu, M. Simpson, L. Dale.

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Round 9: 9.15 (69) def Bridgewater 4.8 (32)

Best - L. Dale, M. Grant, T. Downie.

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Round 10: 18.12 (120) def Newbridge 6.4 (40)

Best - D. Thomas, J. Falls, L. Lougoon.

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Round 11: 24.9 (153) def Calivil United 2.7 (19)

Best - R. Wellington, R. Turner, B. Bacon.

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Round 16: 14.6 (90) def Pyramid Hill 5.9 (39)

Best - N. Twigg, T. Downie, M. Simpson.

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Round 18: 16.10 (106) def Bridgewater 9.11 (65)

Best - R. Turner, T. Downie, M. Grant.

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The LVFNL will hold its best and fairest vote counts on Monday night.

The count will be held on radio station Fresh FM from 6.30pm.

Each team's most consistent player this season according to number of times named in best players:

BL-Serpentine:

Darcy Poulter (8 times)

Bridgewater:

Jarrod Fitzpatrick (8)

Calivil United:

Brady Childs (8)

Inglewood:

Cody Stobaus (9)

Maiden Gully YCW:

Chris Howgate and Tori Ferguson (6)

Marong:

Nathan Devanny (9)

Mitiamo:

Max Simpson (9)

Newbridge:

Harry Whittle (10)

Pyramid Hill:

Matt Ladson and Billy Micevski (8)

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