Yarra Glen travelled to Warburton to take on the Warburton-Millgrove Burras in the last home and away games for the season.
With all the netball teams and the U18s having already locked in finals berths, the Senior and Reserves football teams were playing for pride.
The senior footy boys started with great intensity and in a hard fought first quarter they more than matched it with Warburton in general play.
The Burras were more composed and structured going forward with the River Pigs failing to find forward targets.
Late goals from Warburton saw them take a 15 point lead quarter time.
For the balanced of the game the River Pigs continued to be brave in the contests but did not have the composure and forward marking power of the Burras.
Some good defensive work was continually let down by errant kicking as the Burra defenders were able to easily intercept any forward entries.
In the end, a fitter and quicker Warburton Millgrove proved too strong for Yarra Glen as the River Pigs went down 4.2 to 20.17.
Best for Yarra Glen: Aussie Smith, Jayden Capuano, Chris Webber, Sheldon Smith, Jake Ferris, Simon Van Der Westhuizen.
Goalkickers: Sam Wood 2, Max DePina, James Brereton.
The Yarra Glen Reserves were completely undermanned and with a limited bench were always going to struggle fitness wise.
After a difficult year and with late changes, they started the game lacking any cohesion.
Warburton Millgrove were much fitter, quicker and more skilled and by three quarter time led 24.9 to nil.
The River Pigs showed greater sprit in the last quarter and despite having no bench to work with, they put in their best quarter of the game to restrict Warby to their lowest scoring quarter. Yarra Glen went down 29.13 to 0.0.
Best Players: Tom Matthews, Mason Smith, Ethan Murdock, Oscar Grenfell.
The Under 18s having already locked in a top 5 spot came up against Warburton Millgrove who needed points to secure a top 3 position.
In a very even first half Yarra Glen went into the main break with a four point lead.
Jake Ferris was controlling the backline and Callum Sanders was providing plenty of drive from the ruck.
The third quarter saw both sides add three goals.
The River Pigs had slipped out to a 19 point lead but two very late goals from the Burras reduced that to seven points at three quarter time.
With a couple of Yarra Glen’s best players unable to take the field in the last quarter, it was going to need a mammoth effort if they were going to be able to hold on for the win.
The Yarra Glen boys did put in that effort as they contested hard and defended well.
With Yarra holding a one point lead, an after the siren shot from Warburton would have won them the game but the resulting point saw the scores tied at 6.10 each.
Best players: Callum Sanders, Lachlan Rutherford, Sam Gloury, Alastair Lowrie, Jake Ferris, Tom Dowling, Spencer Boers.
Goalkickers: Tom Dowling 2, Spencer Boers 2, Robert Pavic 1, Lachlan Rutherford 1.
The Yarra Glen A Grade girls in fourth spot faced third placed Warburton-Millgrove, a team that the Yarra girls have struggled to beat over the years.
They came out firing in the first quarter and with great ball control and sharp passing held a three point lead at quarter time.
As expected, Warby lifted in the second and the increased pressure forced just enough errors from Yarra Glen for them to close the gap to just one goal at half time.
The third mirrored the second as the Burras took a slender two goal lead at the last break.
In an exciting high class display of netball, the last quarter was an absolute thriller.
After Yarra took the lead, Warby would snatch it back.
The final minutes saw Yarra Glen defending desperately and converting well to finish one up in a classic battle, Yarra Glen 39 to Warburton-Millgrove 38.
Best Players: Imojean Parsons, Jasmine Evans, Alana McGurgan.
Yarra Glen B Grade girls started well to only two goals down against their higher placed opposition.
For the balance of the game, however, Warby were just that little bit cleaner with their ball control and their shooting.
The Yarra girls were outscored in each of last three quarters and finished up losing, 31 to 53.
Best Players: Skye Corrigan, Meaghan Carter, Imojean Parsons.
The Yarra Glen C Grade girls got off to a great start to be nine to five up at quarter time.
Great defensive intercepts and sharp shooting at goal being the key.
After quarter time, however, the momentum was all with the Burras as they showed why they were in a top 3 position.
The Yarra girls turned over the ball far too often and, in the end, were well beaten, Yarra Glen 23 to Warburton-Millgrove 44.
Best players were: Ash Shanks, Sharni Bullard, Annie Dietrich.
With D Grade starting the day for Yarra Glen in cold but thankfully dry overhead conditions, they struggled to keep pace with the higher placed Warby girls.
They competed well and had their moments where they matched it with their opposition.
In the end, the Burra girls played better netball more consistently.
Yarra Glen went down, 17 to 41.
Best players: Lily Dove, Ashleigh Wallace, Sam Chetcuti.
Next week Yarra Glen hosts qualifying finals for football and both qualifying and elimination finals for netball.
Yarra Glen features in all four elimination netball finals whilst the Under 18 boys play on Sunday in an elimination final against Alexandra at Healesville, starting at 10.20am.
