Premiers crowned in Gunnedah
Photos courtesy Ben Jaffrey and Billy Jupp, Northern Daily Leader.
Grand Final glory awaited four teams in Gunnedah, as an exciting finale to the 2019 Greater Bank AFL North West season unfolded.
In the inaugural Under 14 Grand Final, Inverell lead Glen Innes by one point at quarter time, before kicking three goals to none in the second quarter. Although the Celts kept Inverell goalless in the third, another three Saints goals in the final quarter saw them home by 25 points.
For the Saints, Munroe Wood kicked 3 goals and Griffen Burn was adjudged Best On Ground. For the Celts, Gregory Sieber kicked 2 majors.
Congratulations to both teams, as well as the Tamworth Roosters, for instigating our first ever Under 14 competition.
In the Under 17 match, arch rivals Moree and Inverell took to the park, to renew their grand final battles.
A blistering five goal to one second quarter from the Suns saw them open up a 41 point half time lead, and this was a deficit the Saints would never recover from. The final margin was 70 points, with Nicholas Fisher booting 9 goals for the Suns. Moree tall, John Montgomery, won the Best On Ground.
The Women’s Grand Final between the Saints and the Roos was always going to be a tough encounter for forwards, with both sides excelling through the season defensively.
This proved to be the case in the first half, with both teams locked on 1.1.7 at half time, however, a three goal third quarter to the Saints opened up a handy 20 point lead at three quarter time, and they were never headed from there.
After Hannah Bronger kicked the game’s first major for the Roos, the Saints were able to keep their opponents goalless for the remainder of the game, and scoreless in the second half. Kyla Hamilton was the only player to kick multiple goals for the match, as the Saints won the game 5.5.37 to 1.1.7.
Gabrielle Mooney continued her stellar first season in the North West, adding the Best On Ground medal to her League Best & Fairest.
The Men’s match was a classic, with Gunnedah hosting the New England Nomads, after both teams upset minor premiers, Inverell, over the previous two weeks.
Gunnedah raced out of the blocks with a five goal to one first quarter, but the Nomads were able to steady after that, getting to within 13 points at three quarter time, to ensure the last quarter was a nervous one for the home fans.
With a better spread of targets up forward, of the likes of Mark Ewington (four goals), Bradley Jenkinson (two goals), Sam Proudfoot (two goals), and Mark Barrow (two goals), the Bulldogs were able to get across the line 13.12.90 to 11.13.79, to celebrate their second flag in three years.
Young Nomads stars, Clarence Barker and Dylan Moore kicked two each for the Nomads, but it was midfielder, Luke Raymond, who was awarded Best On Ground.
Congratulations to all grand finalists.
