Ovens and Murray triumphed over Goulburn Valley in football by 55 points but after leading for most of the game in netball, narrowly lost by five goals, at Mooroopna last Saturday.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
League football coach Damian Sexton was thrilled with how the whole side played. “Relief!” was the first word spoken to the Yarrawonga Chronicle about the result.
“When you go over there you go to win of course. You put all the hard work in to line up and go through the team and the game.
“We had the best 22 boys playing, fantastic guys, good leaders, the whole group showed up. We had good balance - experienced campaigners and youth who wanted to be good.”
O and M beat GV 18.11.119 to 9.10. 64.
GV started well but O and M got in front and led 4.2.26 to 1.2 at the first break, going into the long break 7.6. 48 to 4.5.29.
The lead extended to 34 points by three-quarter-time. The eventual winners appeared in control. But the winning coach respected GV.
“If GV had have kicked the first couple in the last it would have been game on,” he said.
Wangaratta’s Joe Richards was named best afield, claiming the AFL Victoria Medal and Yarrawonga’s full-forward Leigh Williams was too good, booting five goals.
Asked specifically about Yarrawonga’s three representatives, Sexton described Harry Wheeler as “fantastic the way he plays and with his leadership”.
“Ryan Bruce is in super form for Yarrawonga this season and we picked him on his form. He was very good, especially in the second half going back in defence on a six-rotation.
“With Leigh Williams, I was rapt he put his hand up for selection. His chemistry with the other younger forwards was super.
“We’re glad he kicked five goals. Goulburn Valley put a lot of time into him but he was terrific.”
In the Under 18s, O and M won by 18 points, 14.9.93 to 11.9.75.
O and M narrowly lost, by five goals, in netball, going down 44 to 39. Yarrawonga was not represented at the senior level but had two representatives in the Under 17 interleague match, Georgie Hemphill and Chloe Wheaton and both performed well.
O and M won convincingly 62-31, with all players performing well. Wodonga Raiders’ Zoe Prentice was judged best afield.