Wangaratta topples Yarrawonga 86-83 in Ovens and Murray league grand final

The Magpies led by 26 points at the 11-minute mark of the final quarter, but the underdogs kicked the next four goals to cut the margin to three points with just under five minutes left.

Wangaratta's Jessie Smith kicked a point and then Yarrawonga's Jess Koopman had a shot from 50m and with 90 seconds left, but pushed the shot to the right for a point in a 12.14 (86) to 13.5 (83) thriller in front of 8747 fans at Lavington Sportsground.

The three-point margin was the closest since Lavington pipped Myrtleford by a point in 2005.

"We knew they would come and they did," first-year coach Ben Reid offered.

"The first half we played as well as we have all year."

Wangaratta was playing its fourth straight grand final, although it was the league's first since 2019 after the next two years were destroyed by COVID, while Yarrawonga was contesting its first decider since 2014.

And it showed in the first half.

The Pies had been beaten in the two previous grand finals and they were determined not to make it a hat-trick.

It was only inaccuracy which kept Yarrawonga in the game.

However, it was the underdogs who kicked the first goal when Morris medallist Leigh Masters cleaned up in defence, setting up an attacking raid, which led to Ryan Bruce gaining a free kick after two minutes.

It was the only time the Pigeons looked likely in the first half.

Wangaratta's ball use was quicker and cleaner, while the Pigeons kicked the ball high to Doug Strang medallist Leigh Williams, who admittedly was playing up the ground, and it allowed the Pies' defenders to swamp him.

Pies' on-baller Jackson Clarke was racking up touches, Abraham Ankers looked as good as he has all year, the underrated Luke Saunders was superb in defence and Callum Moore was dangerous.

It took until the 26-minute mark of the second term before the Pigeons had a highlight and Koopman provided it with a belter, just seven metres from the boundary in front of the grandstand to boot a pearler, which was reminiscent of former Yarrawonga superstar Craig Ednie's effort during the grand final era against Albury from 2009-2014.

Ryan Bruce had played a starring role in the lead-up to Koopman's stunner, with the former and Masters the only Pigeons who enhanced their reputations in a disjointed first half.

At half-time, the Pies had 31 insides 50s to Yarrawonga's 14 and no player had taken a mark inside 50 for the underdogs.

The Pies carried a 20-point lead into the second half, but the game changed immediately when Williams, who had been blanketed by opponent Michael Bordignon and the swarming Pies, landed his first from 50m just inside the boundary.

After only five touches in the first half, former Williamstown VFL star Willie Wheeler came to life, while Jack Sexton joined a host of players to lift after disappointing starts.

But when the clever Daniel Sharrock found Pat Warner, who converted from 45m in front, it was back outside three goals.

But then Yarrawonga found its range as Will Sexton fired away from 52m for an inspirational goal.

Wheeler played on after a free kick to run into an open goal and when Bailey Frauenfelder landed a running goal from 45m the Pigeons, out of nowhere, led by a point.

Mat Grossman pulled off a strong tackle on rising youngster Caleb Mitchell to halt the momentum and another teenager in Tyler Norton stole the lead back with a snap.

Logan Morey produced a blinding low pass to Williams, who from the junction of the 50m and boundary line, kicked an unbelievable goal to regain a one-point buffer.

It was enthralling as Masters took a typical pack mark in defence, but Clarke and Daniel Sharrock handed Ankers an opportunity from 35m on a 45 degree angle to take a five-point lead.

Unheralded ruck Chris Knowles, who had had the better of profile opponent Lach Howe, kicked the ball in the opening seconds to Callum Moore, who was clear of Matthew Holgate, and converted from 30m.

Joe Richards weaved out of trouble near the boundary and produced a 25m effort only the best can do and when Moore wriggled free, the Pies had taken the sting from the game with three goals in three and a half minutes.

Williams bumped over Dylan Van Berlo and found Bailey Frauenfelder in the goal square, but Richards produced his next piece of wizardry, intercepting a handball from Jye Cross and racing 35m into an open goal.

When Reid kicked a point, the Pigeons trailed by 26 points with 18 minutes left.

Williams landed a third cracker from 40m on a tight angle and then Fraser Ellis bumped over Jordan Urquhart after he marked and he received 50m to the goal square for a 14-point deficit.

Saunders produced a crucial tackle on Tim Lawrence, but when Howe was tackled late, he cut the margin to nine points.

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Wheeler had had the last three clearances and when Moore had been moved into the ruck, Williams received a free kick for his fourth from 35m in front.

Smith and Koopman then kicked their respective points as Wangaratta held on after an absorbing second half, which only reiterated the league is back to its vibrant best after COVID.

Moore won the Did Simpson Medal for his four-goal game, while Saunders and Knowles are the league's two most improved players.

"I just put it down to hard work at training," Saunders explained, before he was whisked away by supporters for celebration shots.

Saunders missed selection for the 2019 grand final.

But his coach was delighted with the backman.

"The amount of improvement he has shown over the past two years is just a credit to himself," Reid revealed.

"He has put the work in, just like Knowlesy, so I couldn't be happier for them and all the players who have worked so hard to get there, it's a great effort by the entire club."

Clarke was outstanding after returning to the club this season from West Preston Lakeside.

He started the year superbly, destroying Albury in the season opening game and has maintained a strong level of consistency, with his effort in the first half, in particular, simply too much for the Pigeons' on-ball brigade.

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Richards was also strong early and while he was quiet in the third quarter, his two goals in the last term again confirmed why so many around the league think he would excel at VFL level.

After that nervous start, which should drive the club over summer, Yarrawonga responded in style.

"We feel like we're doing a great job at our club, but I think Yarrawonga is also showing the way to the league as to how to run a club, to also make the reserve grade grand final shows how good the club is, I have nothing but praise for them," Reid enthused.

After a quiet year following his superb debut in 2021, Ankers was desperate to bounce back and he did, particularly early.

"Yeah definitely, I was really inconsistent this year, I was in and out of games, couldn't find the right balance," he admitted.

"Certainly (I set myself for a big game), I wanted to play my role and every opportunity I could get to put myself in the game, I just wanted to put myself in the right spots and, hopefully, I did that today, although I still was in and out of it."

Wheeler was superb after the break, the Sexton brothers also lifted, Williams showed why he's the league's best forward after he was frustratingly starved of opportunities by poor teamwork in the first half, while Masters took a handful of wonderful marks and the team also looked more potent when he moved forward in the final quarter.

Masters won the Morris Medal last Wednesday and he only enhanced his standing with yet another terrific display.

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