Despite the last-minute loss to Albury in the big dance, the Under 12 Pigeons where all smiles post-match.
Albury: 1.0, 1.0, 2.1, 5.1: 31
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Yarrawonga: 2.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.2: 26
Goals: Albury: D. Lollback 3, J. Grylewicz, C. Parker.
Yarrawonga: E. Mulquiney 2, L. Hargreaves, L. Kelly.
Best: Albury: D. Lollback, T. McSwiney, C. Packer, M. Arentz, R. Bull.
Yarrawonga: R. Briffa, M. Bigger, P. Cowan, J. Bruce, E. Pickering, L. Kelly.
The Yarrawonga Pigeon Under 12’s entered their biggest game of the year full of confidence but also with plenty of nerves.
Up against the strong Albury side who defeated the pigeons by 37 points in the qualifying final two weeks earlier, it was always going to be a mammoth task for the Pigeons.
Right from the first bounce, the young Pigeon boys had brought their A game with lots of high-pressure contests all over the ground.
Albury struck first, kicking a goal from a free kick but the Pigeons showed composure and looked like they were winning the contest on the ground and in the air.
A special banner was made for the under 12 Pigeons to run through, before the grand final last week.
Through hard work and surging the ball forward, Finnin George was able to mark and set up Lewy Hargraves for a roving goal, followed by another from Ed Mulquiney who slotted a goal straight through the middle after a pack mark.
Captain Jack Bruce had a super start to the game on his wing, having the ball on a string.
At quarter time the boys were riding the momentum and felt they were right on top.
In the second term, the Pigeons lifted their pressure to another level with Ryder Briffa dominant all over the ground.
Yarrawonga had locked the ball in the forward line and were rewarded with a free kick to Ed who slotted his second for the day.
After a run of play, Timothy ‘TJ’ Ward scored another roving goal to have the Pigeons up by 19 points at half time.
The Pigeons Under 12 side marching through the tunnel, ready to compete against Albury.
The third quarter was genuine grand final arm wrestle.
The Pigeons backline was getting on top of their opponents with Parker Cowan, Todd Lawless and Eamon Pickering winning their individual matchups.
George Kennedey was not backing down as he was tackling the opposing Ruckman who twice his size to be rewarded with a holding the ball decision.
Marley Bigger was marking the footy all over the ground with Jetta Oughton relentlessly laying tackles to keep the ball in the contest.
Albury inched closer on the scoreboard, as they kicked the only goal for third quarter.
At three quarter time, with a large Yarrawonga crowd encouraging the boys, Coach Dean Bigger asked for a huge effort to bring the grand final home.
Lawson Kelly set up for his fourth quarter in the ruck and was dominating the ruck contests all over the ground.
The Pigeons had the ball deep in their forward line but just couldn’t get the extra goal they needed with Albury scoring twice against the run of play.
Yarrawonga where up by 1 point going into the last minute of the game.
With intense contests all over the ground the boys were holding their nerve.
A line ball 25 metre penalty opened the door for Albury, with the side then taking a mark and kicking a goal with 40 seconds left in the game to break Pigeon hearts.
The Under 12s had given it everything they could’ve to try knock off there much fancied opponents on their home ground.
Although disappointed, the Under 12 coaches let the side know how proud they were of the way the side had performed in the grand final and how a squad of 30 players all improved as individual players.
The future is bright as this year’s Under 12s move through the next grades of junior footy, with the Yarrawonga Football Netball Club.
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