By Rhys Brehaut
SENIORS
Carngham-Linton came back from the depths of despair during the season to cap off a remarkable year in the Ballarat Bakery Lexton Plains Football League.
The Saints lost their first four matches, and finished fourth with eight wins and eight losses but proved too good for Natte-Bealiba, appearing in its first LPFL grand final.
A record gate of $27,605 was taken with the game being played in perfect football weather at Ballarat’s AUSTAR arena.
Natte-Bealiba had finished third on the table, entering the grand final with a second semi final win over Skipton.
The Saints also disposed of Skipton in the preliminary final, with people divided over who they thought would win the match.
It was either going to be the pace of Natte-Bealiba or the experience of Carngham-Linton.
And the game came down to the final term, with neither team able to gain any sort of ascendancy up to this point.
Natte-Bealiba scored the first goal through a free kick to Kerian Robinson, but that was responded to twice by the Saints with assistant coach Jason Hill and gun full forward Justin Porter each kicking truly.
Porter kicked his second later in the term, with Swans Brad Ross and Noel Jacobs getting a goal each either side.
Quarter time had the Saints up by two points.
The second term was not much different to the first, though Carngham-Linton did get out to a two goal lead before Natte-Bealiba struck back to trail by a point at half time.
Natte-Bealiba struck first in the third term through coach James McNamee, his second goal.
But the Saints got the next thanks to Clint Ladiges, and another goal each sprinkled with behinds saw Natte-Bealiba in front at the final break, albeit by a solitary point.
Preliminary final hero Jarrod Burt struck early for the Saints to wrest back the lead, and when Ladiges and Porter scored, the job looked beyond Natte-Bealiba.
However Natte-Bealiba was not going to give up without a fight as Brad Ross scored his third, and when Matt Brady narrowed the gap to five points, the dream was well and truly alive.
But this is where the experience came into play for the reigning premiers, as Ladiges scored his most important goal for the year from just inside 50m to drive a nail into the Swans coffin.
And when Robbie Greenbank kicked his one and only goal for the day just half a minute later, it was time for the Saints to celebrate their fourth flag, and the first club to go back-to-back.
Ladiges received the Merv Howard medal for best on ground, while winning captain Braith Nunn had his number taken in the second term.
He will take a set penalty of a week, and will miss the opening round of the 2008 season.
In the end the cup was raised by Carngham-Linton, as celebrations were taken to Linton by a very happy group of footballers and supporters.
Reserves
Rokewood-Corindhap dashed Natte-Bealiba’s hopes of a big day on the football field when the Grasshoppers demolished the Swans in the Ballarat Bakery Lexton Plains Football League reserve grand final.
A margin of 70 points in the end was on the cards a long way from home, as the Grasshoppers ran rampant after quarter time, scoring 18.9 (117) to 7.5 (47).
League best and fairest winner, Danyel Attard, finished his season on a high with six goals, while the experienced Leon Underwood chipped in with three.
Rokewood-Corindhap’s Troy Richardson was given the nod as best on ground by the umpires.
Natte-Bealiba had no answer to the general fitness of their opponents, as the Swans failed to fire despite a promising final series.
Nicholas Hawking and Rodney Zlonzak each kicked two goals.
Thirds
Navarre under 17 co-captain Louis Hannett was proudly wearing two medals around his neck, following his teams 3 goal win over Ararat Eagles, 8.9 (57) to 5.9 (39).
Navarre under 17 co-captain Louis Hannett was proudly wearing two medals around his neck, following his teams 3 goal win over Ararat Eagles, 8.9 (57) to 5.9 (39).
Keeping the Eagles scoreless in the third term went a long way to help with the victory, as the Grasshoppers booted three goals, which was the final margin.
Jacob Piccoli finished with four goals for the winners, as Navarre went back to back.
The Eagles had five single goalkickers with Jacob Madex and Leo Bell the best players.
Fourths
Carngham-Linton snatched the under 14 premiership form Skipton’s grasp with seconds to go, as Michael Richardson played the heroes role with a goal to get the Saints over the line by a solitary point.
Carngham-Linton snatched the under 14 premiership form Skipton’s grasp with seconds to go, as Michael Richardson played the heroes role with a goal to get the Saints over the line by a solitary point.
The game was close for the entire contest, though Carngham-Linton led at each break and finished with 4.6 (30) to 4.5 (29).
Under 14 league best and fairest, Carngham-Linton’s Nick O’Brien was adjudged best on ground while best and fairest runner-up Brad Weightman was Skipton’s best.
NETBALL
Ararat Eagles have taken out their first senior netball grand final defeating Skipton by 15 goals, 50 to 35.
The Eagles finished third on the ladder, four games below second placed Skipton, but had the better of the Emus in the finals series with a qualifying final win as well.
Lexton continued its dominance of the reserve grade with a comfortable 17 goal win over Natte-Bealiba, 40 to 23.
It is the Tigers seventh premiership out of the nine grand finals held in the LPFL.
The under 17 match was also one sided with Natte-Bealiba defeating Rokewood-Corindhap 38 to 13.
Natte-Bealiba only lost one game during the year.
Skipton and Ararat Eagles also competed in the under 14’s with the senior result reversed.
Skipton won 20 to 15, after finishing clear on top of the ladder.
Three goals was the difference in the under 12 with Rokewood-Corindhap defeating Carngham-Linton 24 to 21.
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