Sweet revenge for Tigers

Olinda-Ferny-Creek’s Blake Walter takes a grab in front of his Wandin opponent in the second quarter
THE Cadbury-Schweppes finals series got under way in earnest over the weekend, with semi-finals being played in second division, and elimination and qualifying finals in first division.
In the elimination final at Yarra Junction, it was Upwey that was able to reverse a recent drubbing at the hands of Healesville to book a place in the second week of finals.
Little separated the sides all day, with the Tigers taking a slender two point lead into the final term, before they finished full of running to win, 15.14 to 12.12.
Vincent Muccitelli kicked five goals and Tom Farrelly was best for Upwey, while Healesville’s best was Mark Gibb, with Simon Gordon kicking three goals and Mark Reilly two.
With the Bloods now out of the finals, Upwey will take on Monbulk this week, after the Hawks copped a 10-goal hiding, courtesy of Woori Yallock at Gembrook.
The first half was a great exhibition of finals’ footy, with both sides moving the ball quickly and precisely up and down the length of the ground and hard running a feature. That running continued in the second half, but it was increasingly one-sided, with the fleeter of foot Tigers gradually turning the game in the third term, before completely opening the flood gates in the last quarter, winning 19.9 to 9.9.
A telling stat was Monbulk’s scoreline in the second half; 1.2 to 12.5. On-baller Matt Stolarczyk was best afield with five goals, while Monbulk clearly struggled to find a forward target in the absence of Tim Wragg.
Woori now face Silvan for the second time in three weeks, with several Cats interested onlookers on Saturday.
In Second Division, Yarra Junction’s run came to an end on Sunday in an entertaining game at Don Road. With the breeze favouring their end in the last quarter, and only seven points separating the Eagles and Alexandra, momentum was with Yarra Junction. Someone forgot to tell the Rebels, however, who slammed home six goals to one to run out 35 point winners, 19.9 to 13.10.
Alexandra’s key position players stood tall all day and, after last week’s heroics, Junction could not find a reliable target up forward. Marcus Hill stepped up for Alex with five goals, in a telling performance. James Dean ran himself into the ground for the Eagles, but it was all to no avail, as Alexandra now take on Belgrave this week in a repeat of last week’s qualifying final.
The Magpies clashed with Thornton-Eildon at Warburton for a spot in the grand final and, after a slow start, the Shinboners gradually got into gear, eventually subduing a persistent Belgrave by 11 points, to go straight through to their second successive grand final.
With the spearheads at either end of the ground well held, David Bilston’s good form continued, albeit in vain, while one of the best players in the YVMDFL, Lucas Smith, did what good players do in finals, putting in a BOG performance.
With finals venues to be confirmed after the Mail went to print, check www.yvmdfl.com.au for all details.