Round 26

"If you continue to do the same thing, you get the same results, it's probably insanity"

Rovers coach Sam Murray knows he'll need to shake things up to topple Yarra

Around the Grounds

3 goals to North in as many minutes to open the 2nd quarter suggested this game could be on, & a equal response from the Rovers before the 10 minute mark did little to quell that thought.

But much like their earlier meetings this season, the Rovers broke away in the second half.

2 majors in a minute sparked a brown & gold avalanche, reversing a narrow halftime deficit with 7 goals to 1, setting up an unassailable 33 point lead at the final change.

With an even spread across the board, Dylan Wilson & Alex McCarthy lead the way for the Rovers 11 goalkickers with 3 apiece, while draft hopeful Hopper Josh Murphy headed all comers with 4.

Grand Final

Yarra v Rovers

The Rovers are out to end a 30 year flag drought, but face insurmountable odds against a Yarra outfit that has dominated the landscape in the past 2 decades.

The Pigeons enter their 10th decider since the turn of the millennia, in arguably their most potent form with 29 wins from their past 30 outings, while the Rovers have clearly headed the chasing pack as they get their first look since the heartbreak of '02.

The Pigeons have taken out all 3 meetings in '24, overcoming halftime deficits (bar below) to charge away convincing winners.
The Qualifying Final though, was an absolute rout with the hoops in full control from go to wo, allowing just the single goal until the last term.

Newly crowned Morris Medallist Willie Wheeler - Yarra's 14th - ran the show in their last meeting a fortnight ago, but did so without the edge provided by Rovers coach Sam Murray & Sam Cattapan.

Jace McQuade's R9 lockout of Pigeon spearhead Leigh Williams (1 of only 2 this year) will need to be repeated if the Rovers are any chance, but he's under an injury cloud which could make that task difficult.

Interest also in the ruck duel.
Lach Howe has strung together a standout season to rank among the premier talls in the comp, but could the Rovers cause him some headaches by swinging mid-season recruit Ed Dayman in for longer?

They'd stretch themselves up forward by doing so, freeing up the likes of Pigeons Ned Pendergast & Matt Holgate to perform their own shut-out.

But maybe a surprise recall of big Rover Will Christie could reverse those odds. It'd be a roll of the dice (for his first game since R9, coincidentally against Yarra), but is it worth the risk?

All or nothing come 2:30 at Lavi on Sunday.

Form: Yarra (5-0) - Rovers (3-2)

Last time: QF - Pigeons by 71 points

Tip: Pigeons by 22 points

BOG: Perry Lewis-Smith - Yarra

"The matter cannot be completely resolved in time for the league grand final and will continue into next week"

A controversial statement from the Hume League on the emerging Cody Hewat saga

Around the Grounds

Holbrook's big game experience proved far too much to handle for a young Power outfit.

After taking a 23 point lead into the first break on the back of a solid breeze, the Brookers strangled hopes of a contest as they ploughed on another 5 goals to 1 into it in the 2nd - CDHBU powerless to stop the onslaught.

Holbrook would kick another 10 goals to 1 for the match, co-coach Josh Jones heading his side's 12 individual goalkickers with a career best haul of 6.

The win was marred by a few ugly incidents, one if which resulting in Cody Hewat being investigated by the league after the Power's Ethan Hanrahan had a tooth knocked out off-the-ball early in the 2nd.

Curiously, Hewat was sporting an apparent injury to his right hand at the end of the match, causing him to shake with the opposite...

The Brookers will be rubbing theirs gleefully though, after the independent investigator requested more time, freeing up Hewat for the decider.

Grand Final

Osborne v Holbrook

The decider of deciders, set to break the stalemate with Osborne & Holbrook splitting last 2 premierships.

The Tiges are looking for a 17th flag, & to go back-to-back for the 5th time in their history, while the Brookers are out to spoil the party again like they did as 2022 underdogs.

Little has separated the two teams this season either, the margins for their 3 meetings not yet totalling 4 goals, but results leaning 2-1 in favour of the Tiges.

Fresh off his runaway Azzi Medal win, Max Hillier will take control of the midfield battle for Osborne - but Holbrook's Will Holmes will have a bit to say in opposition, he himself finishing runner up despite missing the first 7 rounds of footy.

Tiger George Alexander looked a shoe in for the goalkicking title before missing a large chunk of the back end, but won't miss the big stage.
Couple him with Hugh Schmetzer who stepped in to fill the void, & Connor Galvin punch hitting as a forward, and few would be looking forward to the task of stopping them.

The Brookers boast their own potency in front of goal, if they hold up.
Joint League Leading Goalkicker Luke Gestier will be out to impose himself on proceedings, but has only had the single hitout since early August when he copped a shoulder injury.
Support from Cody Hewat will be massively important, & imagine the theatrics if he gets off the chain.

Both lead miserly defence though, their largest score concessions this season coincidentally coming against each other in their R16 clash, the outcome:
Osborne (78) - Holbrook (76)

Brooker intercept machine Josh Kable will be out to cut off anything less than pin-point, while Duncan McMaster repells anything coming the Tigers way.

This'll be one not to miss, and should go down to the wire.

Form: Osborne (5-0) - Holbrook (3-2)

Last time: QF - Tiges by 12 points

Tip: Tiges by a point

BOG: Connor Galvin - Osborne

"We came into the grand final with the motto... It's our day, it's our turn, it's our time"

Zack Leitch on bringing the flag home to Yack

Life imitates art, a saying reflected perfectly by the Roos 24 point win at the MCG of the Bush - 24 years on from last tasting premiership glory.

The Roos trailed by 5 points after the first, but turned that around with 4 majors in the 2nd to take a 10 point lead into the main break.

A sprayed Mark Doolan set shot after the halftime siren let Yack off the hook & sparked an all in brawl, leading to a spectator getting amongst it & ejected from the ground.

And when the Swans failed to impact with the breeze in the 3rd, held goalless, the Roos had one hand on the cup - the second hand gripping a short while later with another 3 goals to 2 before the final siren.

Big Roo Zack Leitch had a dominant day in the ruck, particularly after Swan Dean Heta's Grand Final ended mid-way through the first with an Achilles.
Leitch went on to provide first use all day to his midfielders, dragged down a screamer late in the last and bagged 3 majors himself to earn best on honours.

“It’s just an incredible thing, you’ve only got to look around to see how much it means to so many after 25 years"

Greta’s favourite son & Blues coach Chris Dube on capturing premiership glory

On a blustery day at WJ Findlay, Bright were out to end a run of 4 heartbreaks since they last tasted success, while Greta sought to break a quarter century drought in their first decider in that time.

The Blues exploded with first use of the advantage to pile on 7.4, establishing a 39 point lead at quarter time. The Mountain Men struck back in the second, but worryingly only narrowed the margin by 2 goals.

Knowing it was theirs for the taking, Greta strangled supply to Bright's big 3, keeping League Leading Goalkicker Cooper Thomason, Luke Quirk & Declan Bren goalless.

Restricting the Mountain Men to just 1.2 after the main break & inflicting blow after blow themselves, the Blues eventually dished out a 68 point hiding.

Big Blue Frazer Judd made the most of his opportunities with a 5 goal haul, but was pipped for best on by teammate Jimmy McClounan, topping off a brilliant season with 4 goals from the guts.