Giant upset: Lancaster’s reserves players celebrate the premiership win.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Nobody gave Lancaster much chance to win Saturday’s Kyabram District League reserves grand final, but when the rain came before the match, Brad Tinning knew it would help his side’s chances.
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Not that the Lancaster coach didn’t think his charges could knock off undefeated outfit Avenel before the morning showers, but the slippery Mooroopna Recreation Reserve deck certainly made the premiership coach confident his Wombats could pull off the extraordinary.
Final huddle: Brad Tinning and his Lancaster teammates at three-quarter-time.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
And that they did.
Lancaster delivered Avenel a shock, upset loss, as it ran out comprehensive 10.11 (71) to 4.3 (27) winners to claim the Wombats’ second reserves flag in seven years and hand the Swans a second-straight grand final defeat.
Tinning’s outfit, led by contested bull Daniel Foley, got the jump on the Swans in the second quarter and once it held a 34-point buffer at the main break you could sense the Wombats had both hands on the silverware.
Top Wombat: Lancaster’s Daniel Foley was best-on-ground during his side’s win against Avenel.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The playing coach said he backed his charges into fire at the coalface as the game became contested.
“Finals footy is a completely different game,’’ he said.
“We knew we could do it, it’s a pretty unreal feeling.
“(The wet weather) certainly helped us.
“We played a bit of chaos footy, we don’t mind it being scrappy and wet under foot.
“I back the boys in to win the contested ball nine times out of 10.
Rough and tumble: Avenel’s Tylah Long and Lancaster’s Sam Jackson tussle it out in the KDL reserves grand final.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“The rain definitely helped us in the long run.”
Tinning was proud of the efforts of his playing group and spoke highly of Foley’s heroics.
“We got the bulls in there with the likes of Danny Foley, Matty James, Rob Salter and Tim Strapp, they got it going for us and were the engine room,” he said.
“Danny has got a big engine and he was unreal.
“He’s always fierce at the footy.
Come on, ump: Avenel’s Mason Vearing appeals for a free kick at the Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“Joe (Jackson) was unreal, the whole back six as well played well.
“The twos set the tone so hopefully the ones can get up now.
“Hopefully, it’s a bit of an omen for them.”
It turned out to be the perfect omen for the senior outfit as the side clinched a memorable 10-point win against Murchison-Toolamba.
Celebration: Lancaster’s Cody Harrison celebrating the Wombats’ win with teammates in the KDL reserves grand final.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
KDL reserves
Avenel 1.1, 1.3, 4.3, 4.3 (27)
Lancaster 1.4, 6.7, 7.9, 10.11 (71)
Best
*not supplied
Goals
Lancaster: Tim Strapp 2, Steven Grima, Dean Moore, Steve Phillips, Rob Salter
