Cats get the cream
From the Eastern Riverina Chronicle
OSBORNE completed a near-perfect season by defeating Jindera in the 2017 Hume Football League grand final by 25 points at Walbundrie on Saturday.
With only one loss in the final round of the home and away season, the Cats showed they were the undisputed champion with a huge finish.
With a breeze favoring the northern end all day, Osborne went into the final term kicking with it but leading by just two points.
Seven minutes into the final term and the premiership was all but wrapped up after the Cats blitzed Jindera with four goals.
Jamie Parr, who was awarded the Des Kennedy Memorial Medal for best on ground, started the quarter with a massive 60-metre goal.
The Galvin brothers, Connor and Declan, joined in with one each, before Parr made it four for the game with another to extend the lead to 26 points.
The wonderful game from Parr completed a triple treat for him with the best on ground and premiership medal accompanying his Azzi Medal for league best and fairest.
Not far behind Parr for best afield was second year coach Matt Rava who led from the front and did plenty of hard work in the clinches.
Rava with six previous premierships from his time in the Riverina Football League with Ganmain Grong Grong Matong showed all his craft with a brilliant display.
“I am super proud of the boys, particularly the young boys who contributed so much,” Rava said.
“There were quite a few who missed out on a game today, but their contribution along the way played a huge part in our success.”
A late goal in the first term by Bulldogs Sam Crawshaw gave them the lead after a tight opening quarter in tricky windy conditions.
Jindera were made to pay for not converting plenty of opportunity in the second quarter with six behinds being a poor result for a lot of effort.
Osborne led at the main break by seven points and despite not registering a goal in a frenetic third term they did well to restrict Jindera to just one Tom Weldon goal.
The early Jindera goal they were searching for did not eventuate as Parr and co took the game away from them with premiership football.
Young forward George Alexander was super impressive up forward racking up 20 possessions and the final last quarter goal to get the party rolling.
All three Galvin brothers – Clancy, Declan and Connor – were superb contributors, while midfielders Sam Rutland and Marty Bahr stood tall throughout.
Big men Hayden Gleeson and Duncan McMaster player smart football all day with Gleeson third quarter stance across half back proving pivotal.
The veteran who played his 300th game earlier in the season hinted post-match at retirement as he soaked up his ninth premiership at his beloved Osborne.
The tackling and pressure applied by both sides was ferocious throughout and despite the low scoring the intensity and pressure kept the game a good spectacle.
Jessie Harris and Matt Osborne played superbly across half back for Jindera, repelling many attacks.
On ballers Jessie Wellington and Rhys Preston also played well.
The Bulldogs just could not get a forward to threaten and the likelihood of former premiership player Trent Castles returning with be heaven sent.
Bulldogs coach Kerry Bahr, himself a former premiership player at Osborne under ex Lavington star Graham Hart, was philosophical post-match in defeat.
“When they got in front their cream rose to the top with Parr, Gleeson and Clarke leading the way,” Bahr said.
“We missed our chance in the third quarter and just did not kick enough goals when we needed to be in front at the last change.”
“The pace of finals go up a lot more than home and away games and a few of the lads found the pace a lot quicker.”
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JINDERA did not go away empty handed for the day when its seconds completed a huge form reversal by defeating hot favorites Henty by seven points.
Thrashed by 68 points in the second semi the Bulldogs hit back in a low scoring encounter that was never separated by more than double figures.
Jindera kicked two goals to one into the wind in a slogging last quarter that had the big crowd on its feet. Jindera’s Jayden Palmer was man of the match.
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BROCK Burrum won a hotly contested under 17 grand final by 22 points against a very brave Lockhart side who never gave in.
Wilson Mack was best on ground for the Saints with four goals, while for Lockhart none was better than Alex Bennett.
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OSBORNE started the day well with a 22-point win over Holbrook in an entertaining clash.
The Cats taller players proved the difference in the end. Osborne captain George Carn was awarded best on ground ahead of Sam Stenning. For Holbrook Ewan Mackinlay and Hunter Galvin were best in a gallant effort by the Brookers.
