Almanac Footy: Western District Football Wrap – Hampden League Preliminary Final

Hampden FNL – Preliminary Final

 

Koroit and South Warrnambool have won the last nine senior premierships between them but only one would get the chance to continue that run in 2025, with them playing off in the Preliminary Final at Melville Oval in Hamilton on Saturday. Setting the season up for an extra special finale this coming Friday is the fact that the team waiting to take on the winner, North Warrnambool, has been runner up in five of those nine years, including the last four straight (allowing for the fact there was no premiers in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19).

 

It was a huge day for Koroit with all three football teams playing, whilst South Warrnambool’s Under 18’s and Reserves were already into the Grand Final after wins in the second semi-final.

 

After the Under 18 Preliminary Final went to extra time before the Hamilton Kangaroos defeated Koroit, the Koroit Reserves got things back on track for the Club with a comfortable win over Portland, but it was to be a later than planned start to the Seniors in view of the Under 18 game going to extra time.

 

It was a tight first quarter, played in at times windy and drizzly conditions but on a terrific surface after overnight rain. With scores level at the first change, Koroit got on top in the second quarter kicking four goals to South’s three to lead by nine points at half time. Another three goals to South’s two in the third quarter saw Koroit lead by 20 points at three quarter time and although South made a run in the last quarter cutting the lead to eight points, Koroit were able to steady and a goal to small forward Jyron Neave nearly 29 minutes into the quarter saw the Saints safely into the Grand Final. The final score saw Koroit winners by 14 points, 11-10-76 to 9-8-62.

 

Key goal kickers for Koroit were Connor Byrne, Lachlan Rhook and Jyron Neave all with two. Their best was their captain, and Wilde Racing Foreman, Liam Hoy, in the midfield. He doesn’t look the fittest fella you’ve seen play the game, but he can certainly play it as he’s proven time and time again in big games and he just runs all day. He was well supported by a player I referred to as a smooth moving mid during the season, Jack Block, he shone out again on the weekend and lived up to that tag in the heat of finals, and key backman Ben Miller who, like his team, is playing his best football at the right time of the season.

 

As regular readers will know I’ve been on Connor Byrne watch for a lot of the season and as mentioned earlier he kicked two goals on the weekend to continue his run of playing every game this season for Koroit and kicking at least one goal in every one of those games. A great performance by him and one I’m sure they will be hoping continues in this Friday’s Grand Final. Byrne’s form though this season saw him named in the Hampden League Team Of The Year at Sunday’s HFNL Best and Fairest count.

 

South captain, Shannon Beks, again led their goal kicking with three, whilst their best players were Jed Henderson, who had the job on Koroit joint coach and leading goal kicker Sam Dobson, for much of the game, Jeremy Mugavin and Beks.

 

As mentioned earlier Koroit now take on North Warrnambool in this Friday’s Grand Final at the Reid Oval in Warrnambool. The two teams have played three times during the season with North Warrnambool leading head to head, 2-1. There was five points between them two weeks ago in the second semi-final and whilst North had last weekend off and Koroit will be on the six day back up; Koroit did seem to get through the Preliminary Final without any obvious injury concerns. The Grand Final will be live streamed via ‘Streamer’.

 

South Warrnambool will take on Koroit in the Reserves Grand Final, and the Hamilton Kangaroos in the Under 18 Grand Final.

 

Sunday’s HFNL Senior Best & Fairest (the Maskell Medal) was taken out by Terang-Mortlake Coach, Lewy Taylor, with 22 votes. Joint runners-up with 20 votes were North Warrnambool Coach, Nathan Vardy, and Hamilton Kangaroos veteran ruckman, Levi Dare. Most readers will know that both Taylor and Vardy have played AFL. Vardy also played in the West Coast Eagles 2018 Premiership and will lead his North Warrnambool team into Friday’s Grand Final, whilst Dare has previously won the Maskell Medal on three occasions, 2010, 2012 and 2016, whilst playing with Cobden.

 

 

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