Locked in: Gembrook to host big dance

Gembrook Cockatoo will host the Premier Division grand final. 284151 Picture: ROB CAREW

By Tyler Lewis

Gembrook Cockatoo Football Netball Club will play host to the biggest day on the Outer East calendar.

After a difficult season, with no access to its recently developed rooms, the Brookers will play host to the two best Premier Division outfits on the penultimate Sunday in September.

The entire Premier Division finals series will be played on Sunday’s, in attempt to dodge splitting crowds with Division One, which will be played on Saturday’s.

The Division One grand final will be played at Yarra Glen on the following Friday, 23 September, continuing the competitions AFL Grand Final Eve tradition.

While work to the Gembrook Cockatoo rooms is about to be completed, works to Officer, Pakenham, Woori Yallock, and the obvious intent to avoid competing teams hosting finals, made the decision of selecting finals venues a meticulous process for the league.

If the Gembrook Cockatoo rooms aren’t ticked off by the first final, Officer will host the match between the first-seed of the home-and-away season and the winner of the qualifying final.

And if the rooms are still yet to be completed by grand final day, Healesville will host the Premier Division grand final.

The Premier Division finals series is top five, with the minor premier earning the week off in the first week of finals.

Division One is a four-team qualification; with one and two playing in a ‘win and in’ final with a double chance, while three v four face off in an elimination final.

The winner of the elimination final will play the loser of first and second in a preliminary final the following week.

OUTER EAST FINALS VENUES

PREMIER DIVISION

WEEK 1

Sunday 28 August

QUALIFYING FINAL: Narre Warren

ELIMINATION FINAL: Emerald

WEEK 2

Sunday 4 September

SEMI FINALS

Gembrook Cockatoo

Emerald

WEEK 3

Sunday 11 September

PRELIMINARY FINAL: Healesville

WEEK 4

Sunday 18 September

GRAND FINAL: Gembrook Cockatoo

DIVISION ONE:

WEEK 1

Saturday 10 September

SEMI FINAL: Yarra Junction

ELIMINATION FINAL: Warburton

WEEK 2

Saturday 17 September

PRELIMINARY FINAL: Woori Yalllock

WEEK 3

Friday 23 September

GRAND FINAL: Yarra Glen