By: Daniel Cencic
SOUTH BELGRAVE completed an undefeated season on Saturday afternoon, with a 57-point win over the Waverley Blues in the Division 3 grand final at Jubilee Park.
Led by a best-on-ground performance from forward Leigh Odermatt who finished with five goals snaring the Frank Bibby Blue Ribbon Medal, the 12.19 (91) to 5.4 (34) premiership victory sealed a trio of flags for the Saints, after claiming the under-19s and reserves deciders earlier in the day.
.@SouthBelgraveFC‘s Leigh Odermatt wins the Frank Bibby Blue Ribbon Medal as the player adjudged best afield in the #EFLDIV3 GF. Odermatt finished with five goals today as the Saints completed an undefeated season, defeating the Waverley Blues by 57 points. @footyefl pic.twitter.com/D9jqcAl1cf
— Dan (@DC_EFL) September 7, 2019
It is the first time a senior premiership side has completed a perfect season since Upper Ferntree Gully in the third-tier in 2016.
The Saints were held goalless in a quarter for the first time this year, registering 0.3 to quarter time as the Waverley Blues jumped to an early advantage, holding an 11-point lead at the first change courtesy of majors through O’Connell and Mohammad.
The Blues continued their momentum early into the second quarter, stretching their lead out to 16 points five minutes in as Twycross intercepted an errant ball inside 50 to make the Saints pay with his first goal for the afternoon.
Despite the momentum swinging in favour of the Blues, the minor premier responded with the next three majors including two in two minutes midway through the term, as Odermatt registered his first, followed by Carroll. South Belgrave hit the front shortly after through a goal to Riseley as 23 minutes ticked over, with the Saints taking an eight-point lead into the main break.
A seven-goal-to-two third term proved the catalyst in the Saints’ first premiership victory since 2013, as Odermatt booted a further three for the quarter, and, when Jonkers saluted from a set-shot after the three-quarter-time siren, the margin blew out to 43 points at the final change.
With a seemingly unassailable deficit to overcome in the final term, Twycross booted his second at the four-minute-mark, but all hope of a comeback was quashed shortly after as Odermatt registered his fifth and final goal to signal party-mode for the Saints.
Brown added his name to the goal-kickers as he registered his first major for the day at the 19-minute mark, followed by Porcaro strolling into an open goal a minute later to blow the margin out to 57 points.
An ecstatic South Belgrave captain, Liam Kidd, spoke to EFL Game-Day immediately after the final siren.
“I was saying to the boys before the game, it’s the best day of the year,” Kidd said.
“It’s better than Christmas and everything, your birthday.
“There’s been guys like (34-year-old team-mate) Mike Smith, he’s never won one, so they don’t come along that easy. The boys embraced the week, it’s the best feeling.”
Kidd paid homage to the coaching staff, led by first-year senior mentor, Luke Galliott.
“With Luke (Galliott) and ‘Gibbo’ (assistant coach Andrew Gibson) and the other coaching staff coming down pre-season last year, and a couple of things we wanted to change was definitely the professionalism,” Kidd said.
“We tried to set our standards to a div. 1-premier standard with the professionalism.
“The boys just really chipped in this year – it was just a club effort.
“This is the first time in club history that all three teams win flags in the one year – absolutely stoked to be a part of it and to be a leader.”
Senior coach Luke Galliott expressed his gratitude to club president Danny Blomeley and the committee, along with the playing group.
“I’d like to thank Danny and the committee for appointing me 12 months ago and giving me the opportunity to lead such a fantastic footy club,” Galliott said after the match.
“A real community spirit about it and so much great support, (and) it’s really great to be a part of it.
“The playing group has been real special one to me, (in my) first year in the job – the commitment, the buy-in and the rewarding joy and hard-work that you’ve done all year, you deserve everything you get, enjoy it.”
South Belgrave 0.3 3.11 10.18 12.19 (91)
Waverley Blues 2.2 3.3 5.3 5.4 (34)
Goal-kickers:
South Belgrave: Odermatt 5, Porcaro 2, Connelly, Jonkers, Carroll, Riseley, Brown
Waverley Blues: Twycross 2, Mohammad, O’Connell, Turner
Frank Bibby Blue Ribbon Medal: Leigh Odermatt (South Belgrave)
Best:
South Belgrave: Odermatt, L. Kidd, Haddock, A. Kidd, Brettoner, Withers
Waverley Blues: Turner, Coghlan, Hale, Mier, Evans, Vile
Division 3 Reserves Grand Final
South Belgrave 1.0 3.1 4.2 8.3 (51)
Donvale 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.4 (10)
Goal-kickers:
South Belgrave: Moore, J. Kidd 2, Apostolopoulos, Kirby, Scarlett, Pendlebury
Donvale: Dillon
Best:
South Belgrave: Cormack, Young, Grimes, Stow, Bernardo, Moore
Donvale: Wade, Trkulja, Cotsford, Manion, Steele, Wade
PHOTO: Davis Harrigan (EFL Media)
Division 3 Under-19s Grand Final
South Belgrave 2.0 5.1, 9.2 9.3 (57)
Warrandyte 0.5 1.6, 3.9 3.12 (30)
Goal-kickers:
South Belgrave:
C. Dergacz 4, Butler, Starling, Nichols, Hill, Moore
Warrandyte :
Vaughan, Davies, Clark
Best:
South Belgrave: Dergacz, Butler, McGill, Nichols, Harris, Bicheno
Warrandyte: Hodgson, Vaughan, Swedosh, Boell, Garrick, Durran
PHOTO: Davis Harrigan (EFL Media)
