Grand Final Review – 2017

From the Border Mail

Osborne has drawn level with Walla as the most successful Hume Football League club after claiming a 25-point win over Jindera in the grand final at Walbundrie on Saturday.

In a remarkable run of success since joining the competition in 1970, the Cats joined Walla on 14 premierships with a 9.12 (66) to 5.11 (41) triumph – their first since 2012.

“It’s a great day for the club,” Gooden said.

“Matty Rava (Osborne captain-coach) has done a sensational job in bringing the boys together.

“They had to fight every inch of the way against Jindera.”

The Cats’ star forward booted four of his side’s nine goals for the contest, including two monster efforts from outside 50 to effectively swing the game in Osborne’s favour.

“To the Osborne community, this goes out to you as well,” Parr said after receiving the award.

Midfielder Sam Rutland and young centre-half-forward George Alexander were also instrumental in the win, while Marty Bahr and Rava were standouts in the midfield when the game was on the line.

Matt Osborne was the Dogs’ best with his run from the back pocket.

Four goals in the first seven minutes of the final quarter set up the victory for Osborne in a game that was far from pretty due to the blustery conditions.

Parr’s successful attempt in the second minute of the quarter started the rush, however, Jindera stayed in the hunt but ultimately convert their hard work into scoreboard pressure.

Jindera’s clean execution saw it boot three straight goals to Osborne’s 2.5 in the first term to take a one-point lead.

However, the Bulldogs were wayward in the second term against the breeze to only muster six behinds as Osborne edged its way in front to lead 4.7 (31) to 3.6 (24) at the main break.

Jindera kicked the only goal of the third term to cut the margin to two points, before the experience of the Cats in shone through in the final quarter.

Parr was the only multiple goal kicker for either side, while Rutland, Alexander, Marty Bahr, Declan and Connor Galvin also added majors for Osborne.

Sam Crawshaw, Jesse Wellington, Tom Weldon, Dylan Pettingill and Mitch Dempsey all finished with goals for Jindera.

The gate was $44,000.

OSBORNE star Jamie Parr became the second player to clinch the Azzi Medal and Des Kennedy Memorial Medal in the same season when he was voted best afield in the Cats’ 25-point win over Jindera at Walbundrie.

Only days after taking out the league’s highest individual honour, the high-flying Cat emulated the feats of Brock-Burrum’s Luke Schilg in 2015 when he completed the double.

The 195-centimetre forward kicked four goals in a low-scoring grand final to edge out teammates Sam Rutland and George Alexander for the medal.

“It’s been a good couple of weeks,” Parr said.

“I guess I’m having a bit of a purple patch.

“It’s good, it’s surreal but I couldn’t do it without the boys.

“They were fantastic out there today because Jindera really took it up to us.”

Parr kicked Osborne’s opening goal in the first quarter at the nine-minute-mark before following up with a long bomb in the second quarter to give the Cats a handy seven-point buffer at half-time.

With the Cats dominating out of the centre, Parr kicked another two in the final term including one from well outside 50m.

“I was pretty stoked to kick that one in front of our crowd,” he said.

“It gave me goose bumps.”

Parr, who was recruited from Riverina league club Coolamon in 2009, received plenty of support from fellow big-man Hayden Gleeson.

Gleeson’s ruck work inside 50 metres was outstanding with the 37-year-old opening the door for his smaller teammates to hit the score-board.

It was his ninth premiership since debuting in 1998.

Parr said he was quietly confident at the last change despite Osborne leading by only two points.

“The centre clearances were great in the last quarter,” he said.

“We used the wind well.

“The boys got the ball out of the centre and that put Jindera’s defence under a lot of pressure.

“It’s a great club and the boys worked really hard for this.”

Osborne took a punt at the selection table by including backman Trent Haddrill.

He was recalled for his first match since August 5 and didn’t let teammates down with some strong marks and spoils in defence.

Alexander, 19, starred at centre half-forward with the classy Cat’s performance set to attract the attention of Ovens and Murray clubs.

Earlier in the day, Osborne’s under-14s defeated Holbrook by 22 points under the coaching of former premiership player Andrew Schnetzer.