Weekly Wrap | The sun came out over the weekend as the first grand finals of the 2022 season took place.

For those playing in, as well as watching, the decider in the Omeo and District FNL it was a welcome surprise after the ground at the Omeo Recreation Reserve was blanketed in snow on Tuesday. Thankfully conditions were perfect as Lindenow South FNC ran out 35 point winners over Swift Creek FNC, lifting the premiership cup for the first time since the 2016 season.

In the South West District FNL, Grand final day saw a huge crowd watch Cavendish FNC end up big point 75 winners over Dartmoor FNC, 15.9 99 to 3.6 24. Celebrations were on in earnest as this was the first flag for Cavendish FNC since 1993, ending a 29 years premiership drought. Sam Gibson kicked 8 for Cavendish in the win and for all his efforts, young defender Will Luhrs was awarded the medal for best on ground.

This week saw another final go into extra time. In the Hampden FNL Qualifying Final, scores were all tied at the end of regulation time with South Warrnambool FNL on 8.6 54 equal with North Warrnambool FNC on 7.12 54. At the conclusion of extra time it was North Warrnambool holding on to win by 7 points, 9.14 68 to South’s 9.7 61. While this game was a thriller, not for the first time this season there was another game called off due to a serious injury sustained to a player. The Ovens and King FNL senior 1st Semi Final between Bonnie Doon FNC and Greta FNC was abandoned due to a serious injury to player that was sustained in the preceding reserves match between Milawa FNC and Greta FNC. As the air ambulance was called and was required to land on the ground, the senior game was unable to continue. The Ovens and King FNL have announced the senior match will be held this weekend, pushing their whole finals series back by a week.

Finals footy is always tight, tough and contested and 3 finals this week were decided by a single point. In the Outer East FNL Premier Division Elimination FInal, Olinda Ferny Creek FNC managed to hold on 8.11 59, to Monbulk FNC’s 8.10 58 to progress to next week's 1st Semi Final against Woori Yallock FNC. In the other clase games, it was a theme that has been consistent across the season, with bad kicking costing victory in tight games. In the Millewa FNL Preliminary Final, a wayward Cardross FNC kicked 10.15 75 to miss the chance to progress to the Grand Final going down to a more accurate Gol Gol FNC, who managed 11.10 76. Across in the Ballarat FNL it was East Point FNC who kicked themselves out of the 2022 finals series managing an incredibly inaccurate 5.17 47 to go down to Darley FNC’s 7.6 48.

Finals always produce amazing contests and the North Gippsland FNL 1st Semi final was no exception. Woodside FNC had trailed Churchill FNC all day, including being behind by 23 points at 3 quarter time. In a remarkable final quarter Woodside piled on 11 unanswered goals to Churchill's solitary point to run out impressive 43 point winners, 20.7 127 to 12.12 84. Another fantastic game took place in the Murray FNL
where Moama FNC, like Woodside FNC, also trailed all day in their Elimination Final against Congupna FNC. In a gripping final term, Moama turned things around to hold onto a 4 point win, 9.11 65 to The Roads 9.7 61.

For all the close and tight games, Navarre FNC in the Maryborough Castlemaine District FNL had the biggest win for the weekend with a 27.15 177 demolition of Dunolly FNC who only managed 3.4 22 in their Elimination Final clash. Navarre forward Cody Driscoll had a day out kicking a bag of 15 goals. In the Murray FNL it Tongala FNC forward Darren Ewing who also managed a double figure goal haul with 10 majors in his teams 78 point Elimination Final win over the Deniliquin Rams FNC

Next week sees Grand Final action in the Bellarine, East Gippsland, Heathcote and District, Outer East Division 2 and Western Border leagues.