MCDFNL GRAND FINAL: Lions roar in seniors; Swans soar in A grade netball

A LATE goal to Harcourt's Sam Kerr secured the Lions the Maryborough-Castlemaine District league premiership in a hard-fought grand final at Princes Park on Saturday.

Like most grand finals played on Saturday, the conditions made for a tough, dour slog, with just 16 goals kicked for the game as the Lions triumphed 9.4 (58) to 7.8 (50) over Carisbrook.

Highlight just how crucial every goal was in the trying conditions, Harcourt's score of 58 was the lowest winning total in an MCDFNL grand final since Royal Park won the 1967 flag 54-43 against Primrose.

The game hung in the balance in the dying stages as the Lions clung to a two-point lead against the surging Redbacks, who were kicking with the wind in the final term.

However, a free kick and subsequent set-shot goal to Kerr was enough for the Lions to stave off the Redbacks' challenge and win their first premiership since 2007.

For Carisbrook, playing in its seventh grand final in a row, it was another case of so near, yet so far, with the Redbacks having also lost the MCDFNL's previous grand final played in 2019 against Natte Bealiba by four points.

Harcourt ruckman Brayden Frost completed a medal trifecta for season 2022 with his performance on Saturday.

Having won the league's Berry Powell Medal as best and fairest, Frost added two more on Saturday - a premiership medal and the best-on-ground medal as voted by the umpires.

The AFL Victoria Medal went to Harcourt midfielder Tom Walters.

"It was a tough day for footy, particularly during the third quarter when the rain picked up," Harcourt coach Alex Code said.

"We were kicking with the wind in the third quarter and we really stepped our pressure up, which is what set us up."

As well as Frost and Walters, other players to feature in the best for the Lions included defender Bryce Frost, on-baller Darby Semmens, Mark Noonan, who had a run-with role on the Redbacks' Bailey Edwards, and defender Jeff McMurtrie.

Code, Kerr and Jed Rodda all kicked two goals for the Lions.

Carisbrook forward Anthony Zelencich battled hard to kick four goals and was named the best for the Redbacks, who were beaten despite having two more scoring shots - 15 to the Lions' 13.

Meanwhile, in the A grade netball Natte Bealiba proved too strong for Lexton, winning by 15 goals.

The Swans prevailed 50-35 against a Tigers' side that had valiantly fought its way through from an elimination final.

The best-on-court medal went to the Swans' Ella Tranter.

Harcourt 3.1 5.2 8.3 9.4 (58)

Carisbrook 2.1 5.3 5.3 7.8 (50)

GOALS: Harcourt: S.Kerr 2, A.Code 2, J.Rodda 2, D.Semmens 1, K.Bruce 1, B.Frost 1; Carisbrook: A.Zelencich 4, A.Munari 1, N.Wright 1, B.Edwards 1

BEST: Harcourt: B.Frost, D.Semmens, M.Noonan, J.Mcmurtrie, B.Frost, T.Walters; Carisbrook A.Zelencich, Z.Rinaldi, L.Edwards, J.Bowen, H.Butler, B.Edwards

ELSEWHERE, A STRONG contingent of former Bendigo league players have helped Kerang capture the Central Murray league premiership with a 10-point grand final win over the Cohuna Kangas on Saturday.

Just 11 goals were kicked for the game as Kerang prevailed 6.11 (47) to 5.7 (37) at Swan Hill.

The Blues' premiership team included Marty Kelly (ex-Kangaroo Flat), Ryan Gillingham (ex-Eaglehawk), Nick Stagg (ex-Sandhurst), Michael Dalrymple (ex-Golden Square), Troy Coates (ex-Strathfieldsaye and Eaglehawk), Josh Hann (ex-Sandhurst), Sam Heavyside (ex-Strathfieldsaye), Bryce Curnow (ex-Strathfieldsaye) and Lachlan Ross (ex-Sandhurst).

The flag was co-coached by Coates, who kicked two goals, and Curnow, with Coates now a five-time premiership coach of the Blues.

The beaten Kangas' team also featured a host of familiar names from leagues in and around Bendigo, including Tom Metherell, Joel Helman, Tyson Findlay, Jarrod Findlay, Dylan Johnstone, Brenton Conforti amd captain Tom Toma.

The hard-fought 10-point win was Kerang's eighth senior premiership since 2010, with Blues' skipper Josh Nitschke earning the AFL Victoria best on ground medal.

In other grand finals on Saturday, Lancaster defeated Murchison-Toolamba by 10 points in the Kyabram District league.

The Wombats won 6.10 (46) to 5.6 (36), with a post-match brawl involving players and spectators to now be the subject of an investigation by the league.

In the Murray League Mulwala beat Cobram by three points, 7.5 (47) to 6.8 (44), at Moama.

And it was also a low-scoring thriller in the Ballarat league grand final at Mars Stadium as Melton edged out Sebastopol by five points.

Melton clung on to win 5.9 (39) to 4.10 (34) and claim its first premiership for 17 years.

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