Kerang are once again the toast of the Central Murray after securing back-to-back premierships with a 10-point come-from-behind defeat of Balranald on Saturday.
After trailing by 10-points at half time, the Blues kicked the first four goals in a 15-minute onslaught that changed the game, opening up a 13 point lead midway through the premiership quarter.
Goals to Jarryd Stead and Ben Fuller helped Balranald to reduce the margin to just one-point at the final break.
But the Roos never regained the lead in a pulsating final term, with Kerang skipper Josh Nitschke sealing the win with a 50-metre right foot bomb in the dying stages of the 11.10 (76) to 9.12 (66) victory.
It was Kerang’s 10th premiership since joining the Central Murray, and their eighth from the past 10 seasons, while Balranald’s premiership drought extends into a 15th year.
Played in front of a packed Swan Hill Recreation Reserve crowd, it was a grand final that delivered on its potential.
While neither side was willing to take a backward step, their physicality also led to several undisciplined acts, with downfield free kicks and 50-metre penalties resulting in goals for both sides in the first quarter.
Kerang veteran Brad Pay kicked the opening goal of the match, but Balranald seemed to settle first, with Ben Fuller providing a strong target in the Roos forward line.
Fuller kicked two first quarter goals and finished with four for the match, but such was his presence that Balranald’s onballers were guilty of continually bombing it deep to their full-forward, particularly in the frantic last quarter.
Fuller was often outnumbered, with Troy Davis, who was playing his final match after announcing his retirement, getting aerial support from Lachlan Ross and Ash Davis to negate the impact of the league’s leading goal kicker.
The Roos held control for much of the first half, but kicked a wasteful 2.6 in the second term and should have led by more than 10 points at the main break.
Much of the focus pre-game was centred around Jydon Neagle, but it was Matthew Neagle who proved to be the danger man for Kerang, with the younger brother dominating out of the centre square and winning plenty of ball around the contest.
Despite playing in a losing side, his performance rightfully earned Neagle the best on ground medal, with Sam Heavyside perhaps Kerang’s best player on the day.
Like Neagle, Heavyside found plenty of the ball and used it efficiently going forward, with his link up play through the centre corridor critical in the win.
The difference came in the second half, with Balranald’s ball use after half-time in stark contrast to their disposal prior.
The Roos were stymied after the break as Kerang ramped up the pressure, forcing Balranald into several costly and wasteful errors with the ball.
Kerang were more composed in their ball movement and looked like a team who had been in this situation many times before.
Despite the loss, the Roos could take many positives out of the season.
Having taken a big stride forward with such a young side this year, it could be the first of many times Balranald take part in the final day of the season.
Kerang, on the other hand, face the challenge of doing it all again without club legends Troy Davis and Troy Coates, who farewelled the game on Saturday.
FINAL SIREN
| Balranald | 3.3 | 5.9 | 7.12 | 9.12 | 66 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerang | 2.2 | 4.5 | 8.8 | 11.10 | 76 |
