WorkSafe AFL Victoria Country has secured three emphatic victories over the VAFA in Bendigo.
The Brian Molony Cup is back in the hands of AFL Victoria Country after Peter Knights' side dispatched the VAFA in freezing conditions at Bendigo's Queen Elizabeth Oval.
After tasting success in two soggy curtain raisers, the Country boys made it three form three with a 62-point victory in the feature match.
Local star Grant Weeks (Colbinabbin) bagged seven goals as Country sprinted clear after the main break.
The leading forward was at his best in his return to representative football but it was the pressure applied by every single one of teammates that killed off the Ammos' challenge.
Braydon O'Hara, Dan Nicholls, Dean Polo and an unheralded backline led the charge, with a five goal onslaught during the third term splitting the game open.
VAFA spearhead Matt Handley was kept goalless as Jeremy Larcombe, Nathan Horbury, Robert Condy and Ben Dobson repelled everything that came their way.
Steven Stroobants, O'Hara and Justin Van Unen bagged two goals each, while Bob McCallum battled manfully in the ruck for much of the game.
The VAFA's second half fade out was in stark contrast to their persistence in the first and second quarters when time and time again they reined Country in.
Half forward Gabe Hamilton was on a one-man mission early, kicking two goals in row to initially halt Country's momentum, and following it up with two more in the second to match Weeks' effort.
But has his influence diminished so did the VAFA and an undersized midfield was left to carry the load.
Jack Bull and Marshall Rippon continued to win plenty of the ball and Harry Tinney was in everything down back, but ultimately the Ammos were outclassed and overpowered.
AFL Victoria Country coach Peter Knights said his side had showed absolute commitment in the lead-up and delivered on the field.
"I'm just really proud of the boys and the personal sacrifice they have made driving up and down the highways," he said.
"To come out today and finish the job is really impressive."
"The way they played for each other out there today shows how much they have bought into the program."
Knights said the typical Vic Country attack on the contest was critical but it it was the ball use that proved the difference.
"Our pressure was really strong from start to finish but we knew we'd have to execute our skills and keep finding each other in what was pretty difficult conditions."
Vic Country No.1 17.15 (117) d VAFA 8.7 (55)
GOALS
Vic Country No.1: Weeks 7, Stroobants 2, O'Hara 2, Van Unen 2, Martiniello 1, Cowling 1, O'Hara 2, Dobson 1, Polo 1
VAFA: Hamilton 4, Barnett 2, Caven 1, Rice 1,
BEST
AFL: Victoria Country: Polo, Weeks, Dobson, McFarlane, McCullum, Larcombe
VAFA: Bull, Rippon, Hamilton, Rice, Freezer
Vic Country No.2 topples of VAFA Prem B – Div 4
AFL Vic Country No.2 shrugged off the VAFA (Premier B – Division 4) in an absorbing battle in Game 2 to post a 29-point win.
Despite the match starting in driving rain at a frozen QEO, a highly entertaining affair unfolded with four goals apiece in the opening term.
After originally getting the jump, VAFA were hauled in before the first break as Leigh Poholke got the Country engine going with two goals.
The weather eventually halted the scoring spree but it was Country that pressed ahead in the second term with a superior defensive edge.
Luke Fisher, Ben Lavars and Mat Gray imposed themselves in the middle and eventually scoreboard pressure followed.
Will McGregor broke the deadlock with an impressive left foot snap before Brad Hards and Luke Clark added one each to secure a decisive advantage at the main break.
With rain still falling, the gap was always going to be difficult to close and when Fisher added two third term goals it became a question of how far.
But the VAFA refused to go quietly and through the work of Dan Garside, Nick Gooda and Anthony Lynch, closed to within three goals early in the final term.
It was the rocket Vic Country needed.
Full forward Mitch Day steadied the ship with two goals in 30 seconds, the first after a one-handed pick up at full pace, to put an end to the challenge.
Day finished with three, while Fisher crashed, dodged and sprinted to best-on-ground honours.
Vic Country No.2 10.16 (76) d VAFA (Prem B – Div 4) 7.5 47
GOALS
AFL Victoria Country No.2: Day 3, Fisher 2, Pokolke 2, McGregor 1, Hards, Clark 1
VAFA (Prem B-Div 4): Angiolella 1, Brazzale 1, Bruin 1, Edgar, Gooda 1, Hardiman 1, Robbins 1
BEST
AFL Victoria Country No.2: Fisher, Day, Gray, Gillingham, Kimber, Keath
VAFA (Prem B-Div 4): Garside, Lynch, Hegarty, Gooda, Bruin, Hardiman
Country overpowers VAFA in U19s clash
It was AFL Vic Country that also prevailed in the opening match of the day, clinching the U19s battle thanks largely to dominant opening term.
Country bagged three goals to one in the first quarter before the rain arrived, moving the ball with speed and attacking the contest like the final moments of a grand final.
Tall forward Sam Hooper bagged two goals, while agile big man Dylan Gordon illustrated his potential with some telling marks across half back.
The match quickly turned into an arm wrestle after quarter time with the arrival of the rain turning it into a war of attrition.
Clear possessions were replaced with soccers off the ground and shovels forward as tackling became the order of the day.
Country's bigger bodies slowly gained control, inching ahead on the scoreboard with every quarter to eventually finish comfortable winners.
But in the clinches it was anything but comfortable, as both teams threw themselves at the football and their opposition.
Sam McLachlan and Tom Atkins led the way for Country, while Hayden McMahon produced two moments of magic to ensure the VAFA U19s never seriously challenged.
Despite the lopsided scoreboard the Ammos' youngsters lost no respect, competing to the final siren and living up to the league's proud representative football tradition.
Clever midfielder Kyle Margaritis was named his side' best for his prolific display , while captain Michael Caven was solid in defence for all four quarters.
AFL Vic Country U19 .13 (61) d VAFA U19 1.5 (11)
GOALS
AFL Victoria Country: Hooper 2, McMahon 2, J. Smith 1, D. Smith 1, Dylan, 1, Barrett 1
VAFA: Allen 1
BEST
AFL Victoria Country U19: Dylan, McLachlan, Hinkley, Pritchard, McMahon, Atkins
VAFA: Margaritis, Caven, Rosenthal, Dickson, Lewis