Wombats win KDL thriller as Violet Town Bs, Avenel 15s bow out

FOOTBALL Lancaster has booked its place in the KDFL Senior Grand Final after surviving a thrilling one-point Preliminary Final win over Murchison-Toolamba on Saturday. In a contest that went down to the final moments, the Wombats held on to defeat the reigning premiers 9.7.61 to 9.6.60, ending Murchison-Toolamba’s title defence in heartbreaking fashion. Lancaster made the stronger start, kicking five goals in the opening term to take a 16-point lead into quarter-time. Murchison-Toolamba was kept to just two goals as the Wombats applied early pressure and made the most of their opportunities in attack. The reigning premiers responded in the second quarter, lifting their intensity around the contest and reducing the margin to 16 points at the main break. Lancaster still held the advantage, 7.2 (44) to 4.4 (28), but Murchison-Toolamba had begun to build momentum. That momentum continued after half-time, with Murchison-Toolamba producing its best football of the day. The premiers kicked four goals in the third term to pull within eight points at the final change, setting up a tense finish. Lancaster entered the last quarter leading 7.5.47 to 8.5.53, but the Wombats found enough composure when it mattered most. Two final-quarter goals proved decisive as they fought hard to protect their narrow lead against a desperate Murchison-Toolamba side. The result sends Lancaster through to face minor premiers Nagambie in the Grand Final. The Lakers have been the competition’s standout side this season, finishing on top of the ladder with a remarkable 15–1 record. Other KDFL football Grand Final fixtures are also set. In the Reserves Nagambie will battle out against Lancaster. Under 18s Nagambie will once again take on Murchison-Toolamba. In the Under 15s Stanhope will face off with Tallygaroopna after the Redlegs downed Avenel by a mere five points. NETBALL Finals fever was also in full swing across the Kyabram District League courts, with a string of close contests and dominant performances shaping the weekend. Tallygaroopna’s 15 and Under side showed plenty of determination but was unable to overcome Girgarre, going down 40–19. Tallygaroopna’s 17 and Under team also faced a tough challenge against Stanhope, with the Lions claiming a 45–29 win. Girgarre enjoyed another strong result in the 13 and Under grade, defeating Merrigum 33–19. Stanhope’s C Grade side continued its winning form with a solid 43–30 victory over Shepparton East. One of the closest matches of the day came in B Grade at Undera , where Nagambie held off Violet Town in a tense contest. The Towners' remarkable campaign came to an end by just seven goals in a hard-fought game. Few would have predicted the Towners would be playing for a place in the Grand Final after they scraped into the finals in sixth position. But victories over third-placed Lancaster and fourth-placed Shepparton East earned Violet Town a well-deserved shot at the competition’s top side. Nagambie had won both encounters between the teams during the home-and-away season, but there had been little separating them, with margins of just two and nine goals. The Lakers came out strongly on Saturday, while the Towners struggled to get the game flowing their way in the opening quarter. Nagambie capitalised, taking a 12 to 4 lead into the first break. But the Towners quickly composed themselves and showed exactly why they had earned their place in the preliminary final. From the second quarter onwards, the contest was incredibly even, with the two sides going almost goal-for-goal. Violet Town refused to let Nagambie break the game open and continued to challenge the minor premiers right through to the final whistle. Unfortunately for the Towners, not much seemed to fall their way across the remaining three quarters. Despite continuing to fight for every possession and creating opportunities to close the gap, they were unable to completely overcome Nagambie’s early advantage, eventually going down by just seven goals. Violet Town’s shooters worked tirelessly against a very physical Nagambie defensive line-up, while the midcourt remained calm and composed under pressure, making smart decisions and continuing to work the ball patiently into attack. At the other end, Violet Town’s defensive unit never stopped working, applying pressure and contesting every ball throughout the four quarters. While the result brings their season to an end, there was plenty for the Towners to be proud of. From sixth place to a preliminary final, Violet Town proved they could match it with the competition’s best. After knocking off two higher-ranked opponents and then pushing the minor premiers all the way, they certainly didn’t disappoint when their opportunity came. An outstanding season and finals campaign from the B Grade Towners. SCOREBOARD: Nagambie 43 defeated Violet Town 36