The Geelong and District Football Netball League has made a triumphant return to action after a six-year hiatus with a thrilling seven-point win over the Colac and District League at Winchelsea’s Eastern Reserve.
After surrendering a 28-point third-quarter lead, a behind from Cam Saliba with 15 seconds remaining put the Raiders back in front before a goal after the siren from Austin Mulhavil gave a final score of 11.13 (79) to 10.12 (72).
Despite the tense nature of the closing stages, in a final quarter that ticked past 38 minutes of playing time, GDFNL coach Paul Lynch appreciated the two under-25 teams throwing everything at each other to secure an interleague victory in front of a healthy crowd.
“I actually enjoyed the last 10, 15 minutes,” he said.
“(It was) just a seesawing quarter, (that) could have gone either way, and I just think it’s a great advertisement for interleague footy.
“The crowd were really involved, and it would have been a great spectacle to watch.”
The Raiders appeared headed for defeat when the Panthers’ James Hughes kicked the visitors’ third goal from a 50m penalty early in time-on in the final quarter.
However, a quality finish from Ben McPherson four minutes later had the Raiders back in front by a point.
Hughes had a chance to put Colac and District back in front, but his snap on goal from the top of the square was called touched off the boot, and the scores were level.
Both teams battled to find a score to snatch the lead until Geelong and District attacked the corridor with a long kick from just back of the wing.
From the resultant spillage, a handball was able to find Saliba, who, despite not kicking the goal, his fourth behind of the afternoon, was a timely one.
The Raiders appeared to have control of the contest when Saliba kicked a goal to give his team a game-high lead.
However, it coincided with a quad injury to GDFNL spearhead Herschelle Carr, who was forced from the field after kicking five goals.
The Raiders appeared to lose their structure inside forward 50, allowing the CDFNL to rebound out of defence with ease.
It led to goals from Tom Ennor, impressive captain Mitch Thornton, and Corey Przastek, and they cut the margin to eight points at three-quarter time.
“We didn’t have a lot of tall forwards… so when he (Carr) went off, we probably lacked a tall,” Lynch said.
“We relied on Ben Mulvahil to be that second tall, and then we really needed three talls.
“It did knock us around a little bit, but we tried to get him back on, but he just couldn’t run.”
The Raiders gained some breathing room with a quality finish from midfielder Brock Mahoney early in the final term, extending the margin to 14 points.
However, goals to Jesse Middleton and Liam Cunningham cut the margin to a point before Hughes won a free kick in the ruck contest 25m from goal.
Raider Oscar Barter was then penalised 50m for dissent, and Hughes gave the Panthers the lead for the first time since the opening quarter.
However, the host’s defence was able to hold firm for the final ten minutes, led by captain Toby Bennett, who received the Sid Jones Medal as best-on-ground for the GDFNL.
“I just thought our whole defence all day was pretty good,” Lynch said.
“I thought Will Kerrins did a fantastic job on (Jett) Price when he went on to him.
“He got away from us early, and Kerrins went on (to him) and didn’t even touch the ball after that.
“I thought our main two talls, Toby, and Ben O’Brien, were really, really good.”
Barter, who played with South West District club Westerns on Saturday, was named the GDFNL’s best by Colac & District.
X: @krockfootball
GDFNL 2.4, 5.8, 8.10, 11.13 (79)
CDFNL 2.1, 4.2, 7.8, 10.12 (72)
GDFNL: Goals: H. Carr 5, B. McPherson 2, A. Mulhavil, C. Saliba, B. Mahoney, J. Jewell
Best: T. Bennett, O. Barter, B. O’Brien, A. Mulvahil, B. McPherson, W. Kerrins, B. Mulvahil
CDFNL: M. Thornton 2, H. Carmody 2, L. Cunningham 2, J. Middleton, C. Przatsek, T. Ennor
Best: M Thornton, E. Read, T. Ennor, H. Carmody, T. Kent, L. Cunnington
At Eastern Reserve – Winchelsea.
