Balcony boys: Lancaster’s reserves premiers salute the crowd after winning the grand final at Mooroopna on Saturday.
Four months before Saturday’s extraordinary Kyabram district league reserve-grade premiership win by Lancaster it had been humbled to the tune of 102 points by its grand final day opponent.
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Avenel was considered a raging favourite, but by quarter time the Wombats held a three-point lead as the Swans failed to take advantage of what turned out to be the scoring end of the Mooroopna ground.
Importantly there were several important members of the Wombats premiership team missing from that one meeting for the season — including best-on-ground Danel Foley, goalkickers Stephen Phillips and Tim Strapp, and — maybe even more notably — Sam Aanensen and Riley O’Neill.
Game breaker: Steve Phillips on the boundary line, with support from captain Steve Grima, prepares to centre the ball to Dean Moore — who goaled on the half time siren to give Lancaster a 34-point half-time lead in the reserves grand final.
In full voice: Coby Harrison, Rob Salter, Trent McNamara, Michael Orr, Caylan Goring and Dean Moore sing the song on the ground after the win. Photos: Rohan Aldous
KDL RESERVES GRAND FINAL
Goals, Lancaster: Tim Strapp 3, Rob Salter 2, Riley O’Neill, Kalon Reid, Dean Moore, Steve Grima, Steve Phillips. Avenel: Dylan Ryan 2, Nicholas Fichera 2.
Best, Lancaster: Daniel Foley (best on ground), Joe Jackson, Riley O’Neill, Steve Phillips, Tim Strapp, Dean Moore, Rob Salter.
Medallist: Daniel Foley was named as the best player on the ground in the Lancaster reserve-grade grand final win.
The last two on that list were omitted from Lancaster’s senior team for the grand final and played pivotal roles in the Wombats’ upset win. Prior to Saturday’s defeat at Mooroopna, Avenel had not lost a game all season.
Lancaster won the match 10.11 (71) to 4.3 (27), a brilliant five-goal second term crippling its more-fancied opposition.
In that quarter Steve Phillips kicked a goal and set Dean Moore up for one on the half time siren, while Tim Strapp kicked two goals and was brilliant at half forward.
A week earlier Aanensen had kicked the winning goal for the senior team in its win against Stanhope. He had been recruited to the club in the middle of the season with Cameron Simpson, who was awarded the VCFL Medal as best-on-ground in the senior match.
Support crew: Hayson Harrison enlists the support of Daniel Foley after he was spoiled in this marking contest against Avenel on Saturday.
The pair are friends of Jake Mills, who they played with at Northcote Park.
O’Neill’s omission was a major shock as he had played all 19 games with the Lancaster team for the season. His work on a wing was one of the contributing factors to the Wombats’ win.
In defence, Michael Orr — brother of senior vice-captain Bradley — Joe Jackson, Matt Owen, Caylan Goring and Matthew Squires were miserly as they allowed Avenel just the one goal in the opening half.
Avenel kicked three goals in the third term, closing the margin to 24 points, only to fail to register a score in the final term.
Strapp, who started the season with a 10-goal haul in the senior team, finished with three goals and was great in aerial contests. Rob Salter kicked two goals and opportunist Kalon Reid also hit the scoreboard.
On target: Tim Strapp kicked three goals in the Lancaster reserve-grade premiership victory.
That winning feeling: Tim Strapp celebrates one of his three goals with Kal Reid, which were a major factor in Lancaster winning the title and securing the first of two Kyabram district league premiership cups.
