Where do we start?
The final day of the Bellarine home-and-away season has thrown up a situation where not one of the top five has claimed four points.
A draw between Queenscliff and Anglesea has turned into the ideal result for both clubs.
The Coutas, who had already claimed their first finals berth since 2018, have snatched the double chance and will feature in a qualifying final against second-placed Torquay after Drysdale’s loss to Barwon Heads.
Queenscliff coach Heath Jamieson says it’s the first time he’s walked off a ground happy with a draw after trailing by 16 points approaching time-on of the final term.
“It’s probably the way that we got to the draw,” Jamieson said.
“We had an inexperienced team out there today, and to get ourselves back into the game late and to get in front – we were in front there at one point by a point, and to give ourselves a top-three finish, which everyone aims fo, it’s a great effort.”
It was the third draw between the two clubs, with the most recent in Round 10, 2022.
The Roos will face the Hawks in the elimination final, with the Seagulls’ seven-point win leaving them half-a-game outside of the top five and watching on when the whips are cracking for the second straight year.
However, that wasn’t the only drama for the day.
Ocean Grove must have thought it was going to avoid a first wooden spoon since the Bellarine’s inaugural year in 1971 when it had the better of second-placed Torquay by 14 points.
However, Newcomb had other ideas, kicking two goals in the final 90 seconds to upset minor premier Geelong Amateur by two points.
Recently re-signed coach Tony Mirabella hopes the victory can springboard Newcomb into 2026.
“It was a bit of motivation for us to try and give us the platform for next season because the story of our season has been that we just haven’t been able to finish games off and we knew that we’d be close today,” he said.
“It was just whether we could actually finish the game off.
“Maybe a bit of luck there towards the end, but I’ll take it.”
And while all that was happening, Modewarre was seeing off coach Mark Hovey in style, recording a 44-point win at Mt Moriac Reserve.
X: @krockfootball
BFNL LADDER
| WON | LOST | DRAWS | POINTS | % | |
| Geelong Amateur | 15 | 3 | 0 | 60 | 152.75 |
| Torquay | 12 | 6 | 0 | 48 | 150.99 |
| Queenscliff | 11 | 6 | 1 | 46 | 122.50 |
| Drysdale | 11 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 130.34 |
| Anglesea | 10 | 7 | 1 | 42 | 102.30 |
| Barwon Heads | 10 | 8 | 0 | 40 | 111.53 |
| Modewarre | 7 | 11 | 0 | 24 | 93.27 |
| Portarlington | 5 | 13 | 0 | 20 | 62.43 |
| Newcomb | 4 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 66.57 |
| Ocean Grove | 4 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 60.91 |
NEXT WEEK – FINALS WEEK ONE
Saturday, August 23
Qualifying Final
- Torquay vs. Queenscliff @ Portarlington Recreation Reserve
Elimination Final
Sunday, August 24
- Drysdale vs. Anglesea @ Portarlington Recreation Reserve* krockfootball.live Match of the Day
