19 Feb Top 50 moments of the GDFL H&A season (Part 1)
The league commenced its 50 day countdown over the weekend to the opening round of the 2018 GDFL season.
The opening round will feature a twilight match between Geelong West and Winchelsea before Anakie host Thomson the following afternoon.
To mark the milestone we’ve looked back on our top 50 moments of the 2017 home and away season in senior football and A-Grade netball (this excludes finals and medal nights).
- Young Ryan Now A Lion
Jason Young may not be a household name nevertheless the Belmont interim coach was (unofficially) crowned the king of the club in Round 17 thanks to a gutsy three goal win over Werribee.
The Lions needed a third win to avoid the wooden spoon, an unlikely feat given they would be without then captain Benjamin Vardy (shoulder injury) and Brady Curran (pneumonia).
Young then made the master move, granting a senior debut to Lochlan Ryan.
The 15-year-old found a goal with his first kick, he was joined on the goal-kickers’ list by Devon Winsall and Andrew Fay who combined for nine.
“It was a set shot in the first quarter and it got us going,” Young recalled.
“Daniel Atkinson, Ben Pretty and our whole back six played really well; it was a game we’ll never forget going forward.”
Former VFL star Lachlan Edwards polled three Whitley medal votes this afternoon.
Ruckman Samuel Spencer added another two to bring his season tally to six while Centurion Chris Koutzamanis nabbed the single vote.
Young will remain at the club this year assisting new coach Ash Witney.
Belmont 16.10 (106) def. Werribee 13.9 (87)
- Nine Goals & No Reward For Matheson?
After booting his side’s only goal against Inverleigh a fortnight earlier, Lorne recruit Jared 
Matheson starred for Thomson in their first win for the season (in Round 3).
However this was no ordinary Godfrey Street victory.
The home side dominated the Belmont Lions by 131-points in the battle of the jungle cats before a large crowd.
Matheson finished with nine goals, his best effort since Round 17, 2011 when representing the now defunct Forrest against the Western Eagles in the CDFL.
And yet his tally would not do enough to impress the umpires with teammates Alexander Bowles, John Laver and Quentin Jones collecting the votes on Whitley medal night.
Shepparton recruit Fletcher Banfield was also influential for Thomson however they would both be tagged the following week against Corio with Matheson limited to one goal.
Matheson, who was selected in the 2017 GDFL team of the year, would finish the season with 52 goals before putting the pen to paper for Thomson’s 2018 season.
Thomson 23.14 (152) def. Belmont 2.9 (23)
- Spirit of Tasmania Heads West
The Giant’s honeymoon period also extended that same weekend when both of the club’s senior sides (GDFL and GFL) celebrated wins that sunny April afternoon.
The former cellar dweller would temporarily sit in the top two thanks to their 35-point runaway win over Anakie; the club’s first away win since Round 17, 2014.
“The work we have put into our side over the past six months has allowed us to improve but we’re still learning each other’s strengths, our structures and we need to be more consistent,” senior coach Andrew Clark said post-match.
The Giants were also able to unleash a new recruit, Tasmanian goal-sneak Alex Blair.
And the former TAC Cup star delivered with four majors (also overlooked by the umpires on this afternoon with Paddy Dwyer, Brayden Mitchell and Adam Vaughan collecting the votes).
“I received a phone call from a gentleman who found a new kid from Tassie and he mentioned that he wasn’t necessarily interested in the GFL,” Clark recalled.
“He wanted to play GDFL footy so he checked out our Round 1 match against Belmont and he really liked what he saw, not just on the field but also the culture around the club.”
“We signed him up the next week and though he wasn’t able to play against Bell Post Hill he said he would be available for Round 3 and, as a result, he put in a great effort.”
Anakie 10.8 (68) def by. Geelong West 15.13 (103)
- Panthers Hold Off Eagles
Teenager Abby Croft took a giant step towards her eventual A-Grade Rookie of the year title when guiding her 10th placed Bell Post Hill side to a 36 to 33 home win over East Geelong.
The visitors entered the match as the favourite, sitting one game out of the top five before the accurate ‘Croft and (Kayla) Poole’ combo helped guide Bell Post Hill to an early 13 to 8 lead.
As the match continued defensive duo Molly Neeson and Elkanah Foot, who finished runner up in the 2016 Webb medal, limited the Eagles’ attacking options with scores 23 to 12 at halftime.
Though the Megan-Cartwright-inspired-Eagles would win the second half the confidence was instilled back into the Panther playing group.
Neeson would go onto claim her club’s A-Grade best and fairest award while Foott would go on to poll 18 of Bell Post Hill’s 27 Webb medal votes to finish equal fourth.
The afternoon was another small addition to the long highlight reel of senior coach Joy Grubb.
Bell Post Hill 36 def East Geelong 33
- Scotty Doesn’t Know: White Collects The Medal
When the top five is set by Round 17…… the final weekend is irrelevant?
Wrong.
Pride was at stake between the remaining clubs across the region and Geelong West was set to seek redemption for its two-point defeat to the Eagles in Round 7.
This would mark one of four narrow defeats in the space of five weeks for the club and the guttering period would ultimately cost the side from a long awaited finals berth.
Nevertheless a final win would see the Giants leapfrog Anakie to finish sixth on the ladder.
A five goal contribution from Alex Blair (combining for eight with Brayden Mitchell) would prove enough for the reigning wooden spooner to notch an eighth win to the tune of eight points.
Sadly, East Geelong co-captain Ashley Brown (pictured) ended his stellar season with an unenviable broken collarbone early in the game and the captain’s curse continued from end to end.
Geelong West captain Scott Jervies was also an omission due to a flu (he passed on the captaincy to interleague defender Paddy Dwyer).
Little did Jervies’ realise that his absence would allow returning teammate Justin White to push past him in the following day’s club senior best and fairest count.
And his final Whitley medal vote tally of 14 may have also been added to considering his opposing ruckman Benjamin Bolton collected the three votes that afternoon.
For Jervies, it was only the second time he was unavailable in a 134 game career, hopefully he’s now only six months away from a maiden finals campaign.
Geelong West 14.5 (89) def. East Geelong 11.15 (81)
- Parker A Magpie Legend For Life
Some say that no single player should be handed a legend status when reaching early milestones.
But if the GDFL could amend that theory then, please, consider North Geelong premiership star Luke Parker as “Exhibit A” in this argument.
Luke Parker departed the ground before the final break in his side’s comfortable win over Winchelsea due to ongoing discomfort with his shin splints.
The final 43-point margin was probably not enough to do the victory justice almost a year on when you highlight the 37 to 14 score shot differential.
Mitchell Habib was back to his best form with four goals while James Chandler strung 20+ disposals in the opening quarter alone.
Yet the match will go down in history as Parker’s day, booting three goals before his departure in what was his 150th game.
After making his debut as a teenager in 2007 (ironically against Winchelsea) he would go onto become senior premiership player (2013), under-18 premiership player (2009), GDFL best finals player (2015), Member of the team of the year (2014-16) and an Interleague representative 2014-17.
Who could forget his runner up finish in the 2015 Whitley medal count?
A final tally of 21 votes would see him finish a single digit shy of his teammate Jamie Pitman.
Add on his tenure as captain, vice president and club bar manager and you have a fine servant of the North Geelong FNC.
North Geelong 12.25 (97) def. Winchelsea 8.6 (54)
- Vesikuru The Early Contender
East Geelong claimed its second win for the season in Round 5 after holding off the fast finishing Winchelsea.
Initially trailing the visitors 0.1 (1) to 3.5 (23) at the first break the Eagles reclaimed the lead at the main break.
And then trailed again at the final break by 15-points….
The Blues lost their lead but got within a kick thanks to a late John Hambrook goal.
Clearly this game had a substantial amount of lead changes.
This would mean the two sides would join Anakie and Thomson on equal points between sixth and ninth on the ladder during the interleague break.
Only one could replace (then) fifth placed Geelong West in the end.
Ultimately this match showcased the Eagles’ improvement under strength and conditioning coach Matt Wade.
Let us not forget, the Eagles’ final two matches of season 2016 were defeats to Bell Post Hill and Thomson to combined margin of 402 points.
Ruben Vesikuru was able to bridge the gap on Whitley medal leader Jak Kennedy Hunt (nine votes) with a best on ground performance bringing him to seven votes.
Had he kept up this rate, he would have been the clear winner and East Geelong’s first recipient of the medal since Lucas Murphy in 2011.
East Geelong 10.14 (74) def. Winchelsea 10.10 (70)
- Panther Power Runs For 5941 Straight Days
Hours after Bell Post Hill officials re-signed coach Brad Martin for a further two years the club legend justified the decision with a 101-point annihilation of finals contender Geelong West.
The cold July afternoon marked the first time the GDFL commentary team ever broadcasted a game between the two sides.
It also marked 5,941 days since Geelong West last triumphed over Bell Post Hill in Round 2, 2001.
“Leading into the bye we’ve looked into today and then the Werribee game to set ourselves up for a run and then, before you know it; it’s August and it’s finals time,” Martin said post-match.
Down back Cam Addie held Geelong West forward Benjamin Toner to a single kick while the rebounding Panther defender collected 16 disposals (11 kicks) against his former club.
“Cam had some goals that he wanted to achieve; obviously he was able to do that and he was one of our better players,” Martin said.
In the middle, Whitley medal contender Adrian Fantella finished with 30 disposals and seven marks while Tane Rabbas added an 11 disposal final term to his impressive three goals.
Late goals to Tim Barton and Caleb Bacely (his fourth major in a best on ground performance) made for the touching finish before the pair was chaired off the ground for their 150th games.
Geelong West 5.9 (39) def by. Bell Post Hill 21.14 (140)
- Eagles Conquer Civilex
Only one of the 14 expert tipsters in the GDFL record selected East Geelong to topple the Centurions at the Civilex Oval in Round 8.
There was the perception that Shane Bailey’s side was incapable of winning away from home.
By this stage of the season the Eagles’ three wins prior did not appear too convincing when defeating bottom of the table Corio by 15-points and then the 2016 season’s bottom two sides Winchelsea and Geelong West by a combined margin of six points.
However they took a step in the right direction up kicking six of the final eight goals to secure their first win away from home since Round 10, 2016.
Ashley Brown (pictured) again the team of the year contender with a six goal performance while ruckman Tim McLennan was named best on ground.
Star Albury recruit Bobby Griffiths would also find four majors while Ruben Vesikuru (two goals) also collected another Whitley medal vote.
Interestingly, this would be the only occasion in season 2017 where East Geelong would record a three figure score line.
The two sides will meet in Round 1 this year under the leadership of new coaches Nick Smith (Werribee) and Jeremy Power (East Geelong).
Werribee Centrals 8.9 (57) def by. East Geelong 17.12 (114)
- Anakie Girls Defy Critics
Inverleigh and Anakie are situated in the 50% of clubs yet to take out an A-Grade premiership title since netball was introduced to the league in 2002.
So when Inverleigh entered the month of May undefeated with a 3-1-0 record, an air of confidence would have been granted when hosting the ninth placed Anakie in windy conditions.
Anakie used the energy from its surprise B-Grade victory to claim an early lead before the home side recaptured a 26 to 24 lead in the main break.
The margin remained the same in the final break thanks to the pivoting skills of Inverleigh star Kelsey Whyte; enabling Vanessa Finley-McDonald to shoot with accuracy in adverse conditions.
And then just like that, it wasn’t to be.
The final whistle blew to signal Anakie the upset win of the (arguably) the season.
Finley-McDonald’s tally of 42 proved to be matched on the other side of the court by Nikki Slaven (43) who was joined in the best by Bridget Byrnes and Clare Sutton.
Inverleigh 39 def by. Anakie 41
An honourable mention to this list would have also been the senior football match adjacent to this netball master-class.
While eventual minor premier Inverleigh would add a comfortable 61-point win to its 4-1 senior football record many will remember the duel of star goal-kicker Jak Kennedy Hunt and Anakie defender Mitchell White.
After averaging 6.25 goals and 2.25 Whitley medal votes in the opening four rounds the Inverleigh forward was restricted to four goals and failed to poll a vote.
And the Roos would also win the final quarter to the delight of second year coach Chris Moore.
Inverleigh 18.15 (123) def. Anakie 9.8 (62)
Thank you for reading Part 1/5.
Which match do you believe will top our list?
Email gdflmedia@outlook.com for your suggestions or follow the league on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
By Alex Tigani
GDFL Media (19/02/2018)
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