Blues bag four flags

Cudgewa underscored its mantle as the 2023 Club of the Year on Saturday when the Blues claimed four premierships from the seven grand finals they contested.

They had four football teams competing, winning the seniors and reserves and from the three netball teams in action, the A and B grade sides both saluted.

Cudgewa ensured there would not be an almighty upset in the senior football grand final with a devastating eight-goal to zip first quarter of sustained pressure and speed against Bullioh, to go through the 2023 season undefeated.

The Blues loaded their already formidable forward line by stationing gun on-baller, Jason Bartel, on a half forward flank next to his brother Josh and the pair combined with sharpshooting trio Adam Prior (7 goals), Drew Cameron and Nick Brockley to dominate the Dogs’ defence in a scintillating first term.

Midfielders Darcy McKimmie and Craig Lieschke were proving dangerous at the stoppages, capitalising on the superior ruck work of Jayden Pryse but Blues’ captain Mitch Pynappels was playing an inspired game, attacking the Sherrin with desperation and getting it out into clear air by any means possible.

Blues’ spearheads Adam Prior and coach Drew Cameron (4 goals) were dining out on the plethora of ball coming their way and hitting the scoreboard with accuracy. The other cog in the attack, Nick Brockley, may have gone goalless but his hard leads were clearing the way for his colleagues including the Bartel brothers who combined for seven majors in the rout.

Bullioh regrouped for a second quarter resurgence as the warm weather took the sting out of the match and when Blues’ backman Josh Lieschke was ‘red-carded’ for roughing up an opponent after a fracas and Pryse left the ground with a game-ending arm injury, the Dogs got some momentum to break even for the quarter on the scoreboard.

However, it was slow going as Luke Bloom marshalled the Blues’ backline troops to bottle up play, forcing the Dogs to kick short or to a contest.

Bullioh marksman, Ash Murray, found space to hit the scoreboard but Josh Bartel grabbed the ball out of the ruck and snapped truly, followed by a Cameron goal before the Dogs scrambled the last major before the long break.

The third quarter was another arm wrestle, punctuated by the appearance of a streaker, much to the crowd’s amusement and annoyance of the Cudgewa ruckman.

The Dogs restricted the Blues to four goals for the term while kicking three themselves. However, after roosting one from just on 50 metres, Bullioh’s gun spearhead Ash Murray limped to the bench with a hamstring injury, taking any hopes of a comeback with him.

Prior then turned back the clock to split the sticks from the 50m arc and extend the Blues lead to 62 points at the last break.

Bullioh had little left to give in the final quarter as the Blues’ wave swept forward time after time to push the final margin out to 94 points.

It was ‘party time’ for the Blues’ players and each time the VFCL medal winner for best-on-ground, Josh Bartel, got the ball in his hands the crowd clamoured for him to let rip with another of his renowned long-range torpedoes, after bombing two goals from outside 50 earlier in the game.

It was a special victory for Pynappels who is now a premiership captain after flag honours eluded the Blues in 2019 and 2022. He now has three premiership medallions after tasting success in 2014 and 2015.

It was also all-smiles for veteran Blue Greg Wheeler who notched up his fourth premiership with the club.

Cudgewa lost the first grand final he played in 1997 but has won three since.

“It’s been a long time between drinks and I’m going to have a few tonight,” he laughed.

Blues double down

Cudgewa’s A grade netball side added more silverware to the cabinet by outlasting Tumbarumba in a high-octane match that had the crowd roaring.

The Blues avenged a second-semi final loss to the Roos by turning the tables in the decider to claim victory 55-48. The Blues were on song in the first quarter to establish a seven-goal lead and maintained the ascendancy for the next three quarters to thwart the Roos’ bid for back-to-back flags.

Tumba looked down and out when it trailed by 11 goals in the last quarter but the Roos lifted and put on a mini-surge to reduce the lead to four before the Blues responded to stretch the final margin to seven goals.

The defensive duo of Courtney Simpson and Kerstin Jarvis ensured that the Roos had trouble eating into the lead and their efficient rebounding through mid-court guns Megan Nankervis and Jo Beirs ensured that leading shooter, Amy Greenhill, ruled in the arc, potting 34 goals.

Katie Walters top scored for the Roos with 36 goals and their centre, Brigid Rhynehart, was named best-on-court.

“I’m just so proud of the girls, what a season and what a win!” said first-year coach, Kirby Hillier.

“To get the win for both A and B grades, as well as the seniors and reserves, was just an outstanding day for the club.”

Cudgewa was also victorious in the reserves and B grade netball to make it four wins from seven grand finals.

The league would have been well pleased with Saturday’s crowd figures as spectators’ vehicles surrounded the Cudgewa oval and spilled into an adjacent paddock and out to the roadway.

See all the results in the issue.

This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 31 August 2023.