Yarrawonga 2.4, 3.10, 6.13, 9.15.69.
Wangaratta Rovers 3.1, 5.3, 8.6, 11.6.72.
Goals: Yarrawonga: Matt Casey 2, Ben Kennedy 2, Bailey Frauenfelder 1, Dan Howe 1, Perry Lewis- Smith 1, Logan Morey 1, Leigh Williams 1.
Wangaratta Rovers: Will Christie 2, Justin Lewis 2, Ed Dayman 2, Sam Cattapan 1, Jack Gerrish 1, Alex McCarthy 1, Dylan Stone 1, Dylan Wilson 1.
Best: Yarrawonga: Nicholas Irvine, Michael Gibbons, Ned Pendergast, Perry Lewis smith, Jordan Urquhart, Cameron Wilson.
Wangaratta Rovers: Edward Dayman, Kieren Parnell, Samuel Cattapan, Samuel Murray, Tom Boyd, Brodie Filo.
The adage says bad kicking is bad football and unfortunately didn’t that ring true at the Lavington Sportsground Grand Final Day 2024 last Sunday.
A strong and primed Pigeon senior outfit hit the ground at 2.30pm and whilst missing Captain Masters and the hard running defender/wing Einsporn, the Pigeons were favourites to secure the club’s second back to back senior premiership.
Two early goals saw the Pigeons duck out to a two-goal lead before Ed Dayman (who would go on to win the Did Simpson medal) struck for the Rovers.
A series of behinds for the rest of the quarter by the Pigeons and two straight majors to the Rovers saw the Rovers go into the first break having kicked into the breeze ahead by three points.
In the second quarter Michael Gibbons seemingly brought his own football and dragged his Pigeons along, but 1 goal six behinds to the Rovers 2:2 saw the Pigeons down by 5 points at the main break.
Coach Johnson was calm and measured at the break, confident the players were working hard and winning enough contests but needed to keep working to provide the opportunities while maintaining their pressure on the Rovers who had put together a strong half of football.
The third quarter saw the Rovers strip the centre and goal too easily again.
From there the match went into an arm wrestle for a few minutes before Frauenfelder found Casey who goaled and then an intercept mark from Pendergast and a great pass to Lewis-Smith who duly kicked a quality 50m plus set shot.
From there it was Pendergast again from full back to Frauenfelder, who played on finding Lewis-Smith for the ball to carry to the back and Kennedy run on and goal.
The scores were back to level and the game again once again fell into an arm wrestle with the ball moving between the arcs.
However, again the Pigeons had another series of opportunities but failed to capitalise before the Rovers scored from the boundary right on three quarter time.
Entering the final quarter the stage was set for a classic.
Again, the Rovers struck early and then another two followed in the next five minutes.
With the Pigeons kicking into the breeze, it looked almost gone.
However, Bailey Frauenfelder was having none of that and found the big opening.
Then Williams, ever-alert, pounced and brought the Pigeons within single figures with 10 minutes to go only for Casey to slot his second from almost in the grandstand.
The Pigeons were playing the game in their half and on the march.
What followed was minutes of players throwing themselves at everything.
Unfortunately for the Pigeons, the siren came before they were able to score again, ending season 2024.
The Pigeons have now played in the last three Grand Finals, all of which have been games decided by less than a goal.