Almanac Footy – Western District Football Wrap: Hampden FNL Grand Final

Hampden FNL – Grand Final

 

Last Friday’s Hampden FNL Grand Final at the Reid Oval in Warrnambool saw North Warrnambool run out 42 point winners over Koroit, 13.12.90 to 7.6.48. You’ve got to earn what you receive in footy and North Warrnambool have certainly done that; after losing five of the previous seven grand finals played before 2025 – including the last four in succession – it’s hard for anyone to argue there was a more deserving winner.

 

The Eagles were on top of the ladder basically all season and showed their grit in the finals, defeating Koroit by five points in the second semi-final and then 42 points last Friday.

 

After a close first half which saw Koroit lead by three points at quarter time and then North by four points at half time, North blew the game open with four goals, including two to Luke Wines, in the first eight minutes of the third quarter to lead by 28 points before Koroit goaled to steady but were still 22 points down. Koroit goaled again through captain Liam Hoy early in the last quarter to narrow the margin to 16 points but from there it was all North Warrnambool, who kicked five goals to Koroit’s one to finish the game and take a much deserved premiership.

 

Young gun, Charlie McKinnon, kicked four goals for North with Harry Keast and Luke Wines bagging two each. McKinnon was also the leading goal kicker in the Coates Talent League this season with 54 goals while playing for the GWV Rebels. Best players for North were midfielder Jackson Grundy, captain Adam Wines, Reece Scoble, Harry Keast, Angus Noske and Luke Wines. It should be noted that coach, Nathan Vardy, was clearly one of North’s best players on the day but didn’t name himself in the teams better players. Jackson Grundy and Nathan Vardy won medals on the day for best players in the grand final.

 

Captain, Liam Hoy, kicked two goals for Koroit and their better players were Hoy (who as I said last week has proven himself time and time again in the big games), Angus Campbell, Mac Petersen, Talor Byrne (who returned from the GWV Rebels late in the season), Clem Nagorcka and Jack Block. Unfortunately, in the last game of the year the goal kicking run of Connor Byrne came to an end, and he couldn’t get amongst the goals in the Grand Final – his first game for the year where that was the case. Not that it will be of any consolation to him personally, but he did take one of the best marks you will see in the game. Replays have gone around on social media and can be seen on the ‘Streamer’ Facebook page by scrolling back a couple of days.

 

South Warrnambool defeated Koroit in the reserves grand final, 5.8.38 to 3.6.24, and South also won the U18 grand final defeating the Hamilton Kangaroos, 12.11.83 to 6.9.45.

 

Reports from the day suggest that the crowd was a record so from a league point of view it proved the move to the public holiday Friday was a success, but part of me would still like to see the team winning the preliminary final have a full week to prepare for the grand final. I know there will be some say it’s only one day, but we know 24 hours can be a long time in football!

 

That’s it from me with the Western District football wrap wrapped up for 2025. I hope you’ve enjoyed the reports and if there’s any big news over the summer and I have time I may try to put together the occasional update.

 

 

 

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