Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Welcome to our Saturday night edition of Footy Wrap.
00:03 I'm David Breo and I'm joined by Edward Holland on another big day of finals football in the
00:09 Central Highlands and Ballarat Leagues.
00:11 First of all, Edward, I would say a massive shock in the Ballarat Football League.
00:18 Yeah, big time.
00:19 East Point getting over the line by 18 points against Sebastopol in an unreal upset.
00:24 They snuck into finals and now they're one of four teams, as of when tomorrow happens,
00:29 one of four teams remaining and Dali also getting over the line against their minor
00:33 premiers Melton.
00:34 So, Sebastopol finished third.
00:35 Yep.
00:36 Didn't help them this year.
00:37 Didn't help them.
00:38 I know you spoke a little bit about third place finish in the Ballarat League.
00:40 You've got to win though.
00:41 You've got to win.
00:42 So obviously we'll delve into perhaps that game a little bit more in detail as with the
00:47 other result today but first of all, those injuries that Sebastopol had, they must have
00:52 had an impact at the end.
00:53 Yeah, I think they were just a little bit burnt out.
00:57 Not all their players 100% heading into the contest but full credit to East Point.
01:02 A blistering first quarter helped set up the win and they just looked on right from the
01:05 get go but then, yeah, fight back from Sebastopol but I could talk about it forever so I might
01:11 jump into Central Highlands.
01:12 Yeah, well just the one game in the Central Highlands today.
01:16 It was the first of two semi-finals for the weekend and it was out at Bunion.
01:21 Fantastic conditions for football.
01:23 Anyone out and about today will know that.
01:25 The ground was in immaculate condition at Bunion and the victory went to Bungeree, ending
01:31 the dream run of Carnum Linton.
01:33 What a season the Saints had but today they were no match for Bungeree and the final score
01:40 being 12-7-79 to 8-18.
01:44 Yes, 8-18.
01:45 66, Carnum Linton.
01:48 You could say they kicked their way out of it.
01:50 Well they partly did but what Bungeree did in the first quarter laid the foundation.
01:56 They kicked seven goals in the opening term to Carnum Linton's five behinds.
02:03 So the Daemons led by 40 points at quarter time and from there it was always going to
02:08 be tough.
02:09 A great second quarter by Carnum Linton.
02:11 They took a while to get going but they kicked three goals in very quick time around time
02:17 on and that got them back in the game.
02:19 So they go to half time, 13 points down and they were never far away but they just couldn't
02:25 bridge the gap and it often happens and Coach Clayton Scoble acknowledged after the game
02:31 that the hard work you do to catch up after being so far behind and sometimes if you can't
02:38 keep that momentum going until you flip through to the lead, you stall and that's exactly
02:43 what happened.
02:44 So, look, well-deserved win for Bungeree.
02:46 They've been in the top four teams all year, they're on top for a lot and certainly I think
02:52 they deserve to make the last four.
02:56 They'll come up against reigning Premier Gordon next week and that's going to be a massive
03:00 ask because Gordon is still one of the teams to beat but they're there.
03:06 For Carnum Linton, as I said, a brilliant season coming from so far back, hadn't won
03:12 a game since before COVID-19 struck so they did all the recruiting.
03:18 I don't think they would have dreamt of making finals, some might have hoped but if they'd
03:23 won five or six games for the year, they would have been wrapped with that, I've got no doubt
03:28 but they won that first round against Skipton, it was a close game.
03:31 They beat Roque with Corrin Dab in the second round and it just kept rolling.
03:35 They made finals, they won a final and they went out today only by 13 points.
03:41 They can walk away from the season with their head high, they're going to keep basically
03:45 every player on their list, there might be a couple of retirements maybe but the Saints
03:51 will keep everyone and they'll go into next season not just hoping but confident that
03:59 they can make an impact and the pressure will be on them too to do that because they won't
04:04 be the hunter, they'll be the hunted next year.
04:06 No one's going to look at Carmelit and say, "Oh, they're doing alright" but no, they'll
04:12 be taken even more seriously and they'll have to be.
04:15 So disappointing to see whenever a team loses a final but in the light of day, a great season
04:22 for Carnham Linton and for Bungaree, a well-deserved preliminary final place, they will fight on
04:27 and of course tomorrow, Sunday, we have the second semi-final at Learmonth and that is
04:34 between Hepburn and Skipton.
04:37 Hepburn is the favourite and the winner of that will go on to play Springbank in the
04:41 preliminary final.
04:42 So that's where we're at in the Central Highlands Football League but back to that Ballarat
04:47 Football League.
04:48 Just want to touch on the live stream for Learmonth tomorrow.
04:50 Yeah, unfortunately it won't be a live stream.
04:53 Mentioned the other day we've highlighted the fact that we can't get a signal from the
04:59 Learmonth ground so we'll be recording that, we'll be calling the game and it will be available
05:05 tomorrow evening if anyone wants to watch a replay of that game.
05:09 So that's unfortunate but that's just the way the technology is at the moment.
05:14 Okay, back to the Ballarat Football League.
05:17 We've already heard about Sebastopol going down to East Point.
05:21 You might want to highlight a couple of things in that game and of course quickly before
05:26 we go to that, let's get to the second result.
05:28 Yeah, so Daly probably, well they're one win away from Grand Final now and definitely
05:32 the Premiership favourites.
05:33 They've made it three wins now this season against Melton for the Devils.
05:38 So they got a 14 point win against the Bloods down at Mattingly Park on Saturday.
05:43 A few injuries to take out of it but that actually made the win even more impressive.
05:47 I spoke to Dan Jordan, he said they were down two rotations after half time.
05:51 So Andy Azarbati got a knock to his ribcage and will it be one to watch and Blake Colley
05:57 with a hamstring as well.
05:58 So two pretty key players for the Devils.
06:01 We'll have to see how they turn out this week.
06:05 But yeah, it was a big back and forth contest but the Devils had maybe over 10 more scoring
06:12 shots as well.
06:13 So they were in the box seat throughout it all and Melton just faded away late.
06:19 Just on the Bloods, I mean obviously the reigning Premier and they looked in those early weeks,
06:24 I can't remember what their fixtures were but they looked like they were going to go
06:29 deep undefeated.
06:30 They've run into Daly.
06:32 But interestingly Aaron Tims, their coach, announced that he was leaving so many weeks
06:38 ago and I thought that might be a spur, let's do it for Timsy.
06:42 But unfortunately it hasn't quite worked out that way.
06:45 I think they're trying, I just think Daly's got their number.
06:48 They're fighting against every other side in the competition but yeah, Daly has been
06:53 a hoodoo team for them this year, 3-0 for the Devils against Melton but also for the
06:59 Bloods.
07:00 So they had four players come back in beside Lockie Watkins, Lockie Walker, Blake Suter
07:06 and even one more I can't even remember right now.
07:11 So they're not fully fit so they're just trying to get their way back in but they're running
07:15 out of time.
07:16 So a bit like Sebastopol who eventually…
07:19 So there's no doubt Daly is now the premiership favourite.
07:22 They've beaten them three times.
07:25 Never underestimate Melton.
07:26 They've won the grand final and they've lost another one by a kick in recent years.
07:31 So you can't count them out.
07:34 They will know the Bloods that they've got some work to do and psychologically the Devils
07:39 will have it all over them now too.
07:40 Yeah big time.
07:41 So these two sides I think I've said to you on Team Talk that I reckon it's Melton and
07:46 Daly and then Daylight but maybe there's a little bit of a gap between Daly and Melton.
07:50 Well East Point will be hoping to turn things around and was there a special almost a celebrity
07:55 at the East Point game today?
07:57 Was he providing a bit of moral support?
07:58 Jackson Merritt's brother was there.
08:00 I guess he's a celebrity.
08:01 He might know a few.
08:02 Especially if you're…
08:03 Well who was it?
08:04 Zach Merritt.
08:05 Not just his brother.
08:06 Yeah the Essendon Skipper.
08:07 I mean he could have two brothers.
08:08 From a BFNL angle all he is is just Jackson Merritt's brother unfortunately for Zach
08:12 but yeah it was good to see him coming out and supporting.
08:15 But big for the Bombers fans.
08:16 Yes.
08:17 The two of them out there.
08:18 There's a few at the Courier.
08:19 They'd be kicking themselves if they didn't go to Eastern Oval.
08:22 So just with Melton and Daly.
08:24 So Daly will play the winner of Northborough and Redan because Melton will play East Point
08:28 as East Point was the lowest ranked side out of Sebastian on East Point's game today.
08:33 So a big assignment.
08:34 A big touch on East Point's game.
08:36 So it's pretty similar to the Carne Linton game today actually with Sebastopol eventually
08:41 fighting back.
08:42 So there was a 25 point margin and then trimmed it all the way back.
08:48 Scores were level with five minutes remaining and then East Point kicked three goals out
08:53 of nowhere to seal up the win.
08:54 So speaking to Michael Colombo after the game he said he thinks his boys just chasing what
09:00 you said before chasing all game after that first quarter was eventually too much for
09:05 them.
09:06 But yeah so Jackson Merritt stepped up, kicked what I thought was the match winner.
09:09 Then Struan Robinson kicked another one straight after and then Bryson McDougall kicked another
09:13 one straight after.
09:14 So an in point win for the Roos.
09:16 So yeah unreal start to bear for our finals today.
09:19 And quickly tomorrow it's North and Redan at the Eastern Oval.
09:24 Yep.
09:25 So we're going to go North with two wins against Redan this year.
09:29 But yeah lower ranks.
09:30 Lower ranks today.
09:31 Can't happen.
09:32 Lower rank side on the ladder winning the first two games of finals.
09:35 Okay that's a wrap today.
09:37 Just before we leave, look a massive day on the coaching front yesterday in the Dubai
09:41 Football Netball League.
09:42 We woke up to the news in the morning that Travis Hodgson was parting ways with his beloved
09:50 Sambri.
09:51 I say that because he goes back a long way being a Premiership player and the like.
09:55 It was a dream appointment for him when he moved from Bacchus Marsh.
10:00 So I guess COVID didn't help but he'll look back with disappointment on his time there
10:08 because I think he would have had high hopes as would the Lions.
10:12 You know, our favourite son coming back.
10:14 He's a Premiership coach in the Ballarat Football Netball League.
10:17 A very successful coach for many years and unfortunately it just didn't work.
10:21 Although this year he certainly blooded, I don't know, he probably blooded more players
10:25 than Ballarat.
10:26 He just seemed to have debutantes every week.
10:28 Yeah, I think that was kind of the theme this year was a lot of clubs.
10:31 So he's built but he's not going to get the opportunity to see it through.
10:35 So he's gone.
10:38 You also, during the day, Melton South's coach was confirmed because he popped up particularly
10:44 with another appointment.
10:45 Yeah, so Ryan Hoyer's off to Black Rock.
10:48 That was pretty expected though.
10:50 Yeah, well you'd heard about, you had your suspicions about Sunbury too, didn't you?
10:55 Yeah, yeah.
10:56 So Sunbury was, well I know Travis Hodgson, he's got a few...
10:59 Irons in the fire.
11:00 A few offers from not just the BFNL but other leagues around.
11:04 But yeah, ending the year on a four-game losing streak and missing finals after last year
11:09 as well is unfortunate for Travis.
11:11 He's a good man but I'm sure he'll be back coaching in no time.
11:14 Yeah, so two coaches basically confirmed on Friday that they were departing and then late
11:21 in the day, the announcement of a new coach for Lake Winderoo.
11:26 I'm just going to give you, drop the last name because I keep getting mixed up with
11:29 Rowan Smith from the Bulldogs.
11:30 No, it's Rowan Brown.
11:31 There we go, Rowan Brown.
11:32 So he's been up at the North Central League for the last three years.
11:37 And also at the Rebels as well.
11:38 The Rebels and of course he coached Beaufort to a premiership not that many years ago.
11:44 So a very well-credentialed coach and obviously almost like some of these coaches, almost
11:50 career coaches.
11:51 They're just going on and on and obviously keen to have a crack at in the Ballarat Football
11:57 and Netball League.
11:58 I know he's highly regarded in Central Highlands for what he did at Beaufort.
12:00 So that'll be interesting and I know you haven't had a chance to catch up with him but when
12:05 you do, it'll be an interesting chat with him.
12:08 So yeah, things are coming together but gee, there's an enormous turnover in coaching in
12:13 the Ballarat League.
12:14 I would suggest it's probably the biggest number of coaches turning over that we've
12:19 seen ever.
12:21 We've already got East Points, the first one to get the dominoes going on the appointment
12:27 side of things with Joe Carmody.
12:29 And he's come across via Bunningham and spent time at Ballarat and also he's coached around
12:38 the Traps as well.
12:39 So a lot of experience there.
12:41 So who have we got?
12:42 I'll just say with Joe Carmody, East Point is very excited because there's a few players
12:45 around the leagues wanting to play under Carmody.
12:48 It's interesting.
12:49 He's got a St Pat's connection as well so keep an eye on East Point next year.
12:53 I mean they're still in finals this year.
12:54 Yeah well it's not a bad team to inherit the way it's worked out.
12:57 Yeah it's very good.
12:59 So basically we've got Melton's house, we've got Sunbury, we've got Bacchus Marsh.
13:03 Melton's gone, Timothy's gone.
13:05 I have to go through the latter.
13:08 There might still be a few to come.
13:10 Well there can't be many.
13:12 That's right, it may not be finished yet for what we hear.
13:16 But anyway we'll wait and see.
13:17 Anyway I just thought I'd throw that in because it's certainly been a real talking point.
13:22 And new coaches are like new recruits.
13:23 They always create interest and a lot of talk around the competition.
13:27 So it'll be interesting to see who those teams come up with because I know East and Lake
13:32 Windurir they'll be relieved to have the coaches in place.
13:35 Especially this early because now the coaches take control of the recruiting side of things.
13:42 And of course on the coaching side, Carlin Lundgren finishing up today, Clayton Scoble
13:46 coaching on again next year.
13:48 So he'll be still around and keen to go again.
13:51 Okay look it's been a long episode but certainly plenty of news coming out of both Central
13:55 Highlands and Ballarat Leagues.
13:57 We'll call time there and we'll be back tomorrow, Sunday, with a wrap up of both
14:05 and another elimination final in the Ballarat Football League and another semi-final in
14:13 the Central Highlands.
14:14 Good evening.