Goulburn Valley League under-19s fall to VAFA

The GVL side, featuring Benalla’s Max Smyth and fellow Saint Connor Breheny waiting in the wings as emergency, exited the change rooms in its purple and gold uniform, before a pre-game team picture was taken, signifying the importance of the occasion.

As the VAFA had its final warm-up on the field, the pair of teams then came together for a moment’s silence to remember Nathan Fitzgerald, a suburban footballer who had a fatal head knock on the field last week, and then stood for the national anthem.

Goosebumps tingled as the tune rang out and the opening siren echoed through the reserve, as interleague action was finally underway.

Anticipated for its run and carry, as much was immediately evident for the VAFA after the GVL won the first clearance, the Big V re-earning possession off half back and producing a handball chain to the opposite end of the field in quick time.

It set the tone for the opening quarter, as blistering end to end football was enjoyed by the home side, piling on the first four goals, including three in as many minutes, to put the GVL at bay early.

However, Echuca’s Baxter Cowley and Darby Jones would steady the ship and provide a spark for the purple and gold and quell the VAFA’s initial blitz to trail by 20 at quarter-time.

While pace was still on the ball in the second term, defensively both teams had improved their structures, and heat on the loose ball had ramped up to make clean possession difficult.

Shepparton’s Riley Myers helped himself to a major after a VAFA defender slipped following a kick-in, a turning point in the contest as the GVL used the breeze to its advantage to close down the deficit.

The VAFA would hit back before a period of territory dominance by the GVL, however it would take four consecutive behinds before Myers found the goals again, reducing the VAFA’s advantage to 13 points at the main break, 6.6 (42) to 4.5 (29).

GVL under-19s coach Ramadan Yze stated it was a “hot” start but was impressed with how his boys reeled the contest back.

“The opening was very hot, very fast, but they were blustery conditions,” Yze said.

“Our pressure was awesome all day, to kick a couple into the breeze in the first quarter was handy.”

However, while the GVL never gave up on the fight, the VAFA’s class shone through with the breeze in the third term.

A five-goal to one quarter saw the VAFA open up a 41-point advantage ahead of the last quarter, the GVL’s sole major coming through Shepparton’s Noah Muir, who pounced on a long inside 50 launch by Liam Broom.

The GVL was able to stem the bleeding in the final term as it kicked towards the southern end of the ground, winning the last period by a point as Jones kicked a goal of the day contender with a sliding banana from the pocket, Myers scrubbed a goal off the deck with a soccer in congestion, and Liam Teague finished the GVL’s work, going coast-to-coast after a Big V behind in 28 seconds.

Teague’s goal on the run saw the final result a respectable loss against quality opposition - 14.14 (98) to 8.10 (58).

Yze commended the Big V outfit and the players’ ability to adapt to heavy wind.

“I think the VAFA boys handled the conditions a lot better than we did,” he said.

“They were a lot cleaner with the ball than we were.

“It was a five or six goal breeze so we had to change our tactics depending which way we were going to try score some goals.

“But the intent was really good by our boys, they just handled the conditions a bit better than we did.”

It was a day for the ruckmen of the GVL, Jones dominant aerially around the ground with his marking as well as a pair of goals, and Broom’s success with the tap earned him best-on-ground honours for the GVL.

Yze lauded Broom for his contribution across the contest.

“I thought he was superb, I don’t reckon he lost the centre ruck, won every hit out,” he said.

“It’s a pleasure to actually coach him, he’s a very good player and he was dominant in the ruck today.”