EASTON Wood is hoping to add a second premiership medal to the first one he won five years ago tonight.
The Western Bulldogs defender will represent Camperdown and the Hampden league when his club takes on Melbourne in the AFL Grand Final at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Wood skippered the Bulldogs to their first flag in 62 years in 2016 and while this time he isn’t captain, he’s just as eager to become a premiership player for the second time.
However, a shot at another flag almost did not eventuate for the 187-gamer.
Injury, which has often been associated with his career, reared its head in the pre-season, with Wood first appearing at AFL level in round three.
He went on to play six consecutive games before sustaining a hamstring injury in his side’s win over Port Adelaide, which kept him out of action for six weeks.
He returned briefly through the VFL but sustained another injury, this time an ankle, which at first thought was set to end his season.
Luckily, scans revealed some good news, with Wood eventually building his fitness and working his way back into the line-up in round 20, playing every game since.
“I tore three hamstrings this year and then coming back through the VFL I ruptured the lateral ligaments in an ankle,” Wood said.
“At that point, before I got the scan on the ankle, ‘I thought if this is a break I’m out for three months and it’s season over’ and I was going through all these waves of ups and downs.
“But thankfully, as I have always done, I went back with the physios and the fitness staff and put the work in and they’re hanging in there.
“I can’t believe we’re playing in another grand final, it’s surreal and really special.”
Wood will spearhead his side’s defensive line and is expected to nullify the influence of Bayley Fritsch and Kysiah Pickett in the decider.
Fritsch (53 goals) and Pickett (40) have been busy inside forward 50 this season but Wood is confident he can limit their influence or any other Demon who crosses his path.
“The way we normally play, I play on a range of different players so it could be them,” he said.
“It could be (Charlie) Spargo, it could be any of the resting forwards, if (Christian) Petracca comes forward or whoever, or it could be someone taller like (Ben) Brown or someone at different times if they’re playing a bit higher.
“Who knows. When we play our system we normally don’t just follow one player so I’ll probably have a handful (of opponents).”
Saturday’s grand final starts at 7.15pm (AEST).
23 September 2021
In a HFNL Statement dated 10 September, the HFNL indicated that should community sport competition resume by the weekend commencing 2 October, the Grand Finals for the Sunday Competitions would proceed.
On Sunday 19 September the Victorian Premier outlined Victoria’s Roadmap for Delivering the National Plan. Unfortunately, as part of the roadmap Community sport competitions will not be able to resume for some time.
Therefore the HFNL Executive wishes to confirm that the Grand Finals for the Sunday Competitions will be cancelled. No Premierships for these competitions will be awarded.
The HFNL acknowledges the challenging circumstances the entire HFNL community has faced not just this season, but since the pandemic began 18 months ago. We acknowledge this is not the outcome for our Sunday Competitions that the entire HFNL community had hoped for. Especially given we were less than 48 hours from the Junior Grand Finals when we were informed that Regional Victoria would be going back into lockdown on the evening of Friday 20 August.
We wish to make note of the significant efforts of many different people to facilitate matches throughout 2021 when restrictions have allowed. The HFNL would like to thank all member clubs and their volunteers, umpires, players & parents for their collaboration throughout the season. We would also like to thank and acknowledge all HFNL Sponsors and supporters, in particular our Major Sponsors: Sungold, McDonalds, Lyndoch living and Powercor.
We hope that 2022 will bring more regularity and normalcy, particularly for our juniors. We thank the entire community for their support and patience throughout the season and look forward to seeing footballers and netballers back out on the field/court in 2022.
NORTH Warrnambool midfielder Jett Bermingham’s age failed to defy him as he etched his name in the Hampden league’s history books.
The 19 year-old belied his youth to claim the league’s Maskell Medal with 20 votes, becoming the youngest winner in recent history and his club’s third ever winner of the prestigious award alongside Liam Ryan (2008 and 2010) and Jason Porter (2002).
South Warrnambool captain Liam Youl was runner-up on 15 votes, with Koroit forward Tim McIntyre (13 votes), Eagles onballer Sam James (12) and Portland ruckman Ben Malcolm (12) rounded out the top five.
Bermingham, who also started the season with the Greater Western Victoria Rebels, said he was thrilled to join illustrious company, adding he did not expect to feature so prominently.
He said a move to the midfield from the wing, with the backing of legendary coach Adam Dowie, was the masterstroke behind his strong season.
“I didn’t expect it at all this year. I’ve only played a handful of senior games and only got to play the nine this year, so it’s good,” he said.
“2019 I was only 17 and in my first year coming up against bigger bodies so I didn’t really know what to expect, and this year already knowing what is going on and knowing Wiggsy better and just all that, really helped me to play to my best.
“Growing up in juniors I’ve sort of always been a midfielder and in the senior side in 2019 we had a good side and I was young and I wasn’t going to play so I went out to the wing, which wasn’t too bad, I could still play that but my preferred position was in the middle.
“Wiggsy knew that and this year he put me in there, which was good. He’s always talking to me about different stuff, how to improve and is really helpful.
“He (Dowie) is unreal, just with his mind and how it works, he knows stuff that other people don’t. He is probably the main person who has helped me through all of this.”
Bermingham, who said it was “unreal” to join Ryan and Porter as Maskell Medallists, still harbours aspirations to test himself at the elite level in the future after returning to the Eagles from the Rebels earlier in the year.
But he is undecided as to just exactly how that will transpire, adding he still covets an elusive senior premierships, which he hopes to achieve with North after flags went unawarded the past two seasons.
“The Rebels wasn’t working out. I was just playing bad footy, not to my style or position and I knew coming back here Wiggsy would help me and put me in a position and play good footy,” Birmingham said.
“It worked which was good and I was happy with it but I want to keep going and see how far I can get.
“I obviously want to play with North and try and win a flag first of all but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
“I’ll just see where it goes.”
With 2020 wiped due to COVID and this year’s season severely impacted, it was always going to be quite a memorable win for whoever claimed the league’s top gong.
With six games lost, numerous training sessions cancelled and plenty of conjecture and unknown, Birmingham believes he handled the ups and downs as best he could.
He credited a simple approach helped deal with what was transpiring, while his team-mates kept him accountable as they waited for a competitive return.
“I tried not to get too down on myself because footy has been cancelled three different times this year,” Birmingham said.
“I just tried to go with the punches and keep myself busy in the meantime, just keep running, kicking the footy because you didn’t know when it was going to go ahead again.
“We’ve got a Facebook page in which everyone posted their extras in and I think by posting in your extras it helps other people get motivated.”
In the other senior football awards, Cobden’s Jack Hutt claimed the Pitstop Menswear MVP award ahead of Camperdown’s Sam Gordon, while Gordon claimed the league’s Sungold Milk leading goal kicker award.
3YB SCOTTY STEWART TEAM OF THE YEAR
B: Dallas Mooney (Koroit), Tim McPherson (Koroit), Josh Dwyer (Port Fairy)
HB: Luke Wines (North Warrnambool), Isaac Thomas (South Warrnambool), Fraser Lucas (Camperdown)
C: Austin Steere (Warrnambool), Liam Youl (South Warrnambool), Jett Birmingham (North Warrnambool)
HF: Tim McIntyre (Koroit), Sam Dobson (Koroit), Adam Wines (North Warrnambool)
F: Will Kain (Terang Mortlake), Sam Gordon (Camperdown), Joe Arundell (Terang Mortlake)
R: Ben Malcolm (Portland), Toby Jennings (Portland), Josh Saunders (South Warrnambool)
I/C: Patrick Smith (Cobden), Jackson Bell (Warrnambool), Matthew Wines (North Warrnambool), Lachie Waddell (Hamilton
Kangaroos), Sam James (North Warrnambool)
COACH: Chris McLaren (Koroit)
RUNNER: Xavier Mills (North Warrnambool)
UMPIRE: Geoff Barker)
HFNL Media
SOUTH Warrnambool’s Ally O’Connor has completed a triumphant return to competitive netball, with the mid-courter winning this season’s Hampden league open and netball best and fairest.
The 21 year-old polled 22 votes to finish four ahead of Warrnambool’s Amy Wormald, with the pair well clear of Cobden’s Sophie Blain and Portland’s Remy Grant, both on 12 votes and North Warrnambool’s Skye Billings and Bomber Remeny McCann who both polled 11.
O’Connor, who missed the 2019 season due to a battle with reactive arthritis, has juggled Victorian Netball League commitments with Geelong Cougars alongside duties at South this year, often playing two games a weekend in what has been a remarkable comeback season.
She has also earned selection in the Victoria Fury squad for the Australian Netball Championships, which has been a testament to her return, with her on-court prowess recognised by the umpires.
“It’s definitely probably one of the better feelings I’ve had,” the South netballer said of her first ever senior league best and fairest.
“I think ever since my injury everything I’ve ever worked for has probably…felt a lot sweeter.
“Making Fury this year I felt I had to work really hard for that to come back and obviously this award I just feel as though it’s a lot sweeter knowing I was able to come back basically from a two year stint off netball.
“To come back and do this, I’m pretty proud.”
O’Connor, who is no stranger to winning a league award having won the 17 and under best and fairest back in 2014, polled in nine games to become the first Rooster since Michelle Green won awards in 1988 and 1990.
The mid-courter credited a strong fitness base for enabling her to star at Hampden level as well as at the VNL, with O’Connor often clocking up the kilometres to hit the court each week.
An understanding coach, who is willing to give her star pupil the chance to bring as much knowledge as she can back to South, has also helped O’Connor thrive.
“Coming into open grade at an young age I kind of just relied on my natural fitness but as I’ve gotten older I’ve really had to work hard and maintain and exceed in all that sort of (fitness) stuff,” she said.
“Being in the fitness industry has helped a lot as well. I think this year would be one of the best in terms of my fitness levels.
“I’ve had to find a balance (juggling South and VNL duties) and it has been challenging. It is a lot of travel with Cougars games predominantly being in Melbourne and with South obviously in Warrnambool and then living in Geelong.
“It is a lot of travel but its 100 per cent worth it. The girls in my team at Cougars are amazing, the girls in my team at South are amazing so I think just the camaraderie we have creates this sense that I’m more than happy to do that travelling.
“Leesa (Battistello) always comes to me and says is there anything from Cougars you’d like to put into South and I think I have taken some of the things like training drills and brought them into South and vice versa.
“I do like to bring that experience if you like to call it back into the country football netball scene and I think it’s worked really well.”
O’Connor celebrated her triumph with some of her Rooster team-mates on Saturday, acknowledging them and Battistello and assistant coach Wil Jamieson for their impact on her game this season.
“It was one of my favourite seasons to be a part of,” she said.
“The girls I had in this team were unreal, I formed so many good friendships with them and I was being coached by Leesa which was unreal and then Will who is so experienced and has got so much experience with elite netball.
“To be in a side with all those girls and those coaches was pretty amazing.”
A win in the netball’s top award for O’Connor was complemented by a joint victory in the Miss Kit MVP award alongside Hamilton Kangaroos shooter Hollie Phillips as well as Sungold Milk Open Netball Team of the Year selection.
HFNL OPEN NETBALL TEAM OF THE YEAR
GK: Nadine McNamara (Cobden)
GD: Carly Watson (South Warrnambool)
WD: Georgia Corbett (North Warrnambool)
C: Ally O’Connor (South Warrnambool)
WA: Sophie Hinkley (Cobden)
GA: Amy Wormald (Warrnambool)
GS: Nell Mitchell (Koroit)
I/C: Annie Blackburn (South Warrnambool), Skye Billings (North Warrnambool), Hollie Phillips (Hamilton Kangaroos), Amy Hammond (Cobden), Millie Jennings (Koroit)
COACH: Sophie Hinkley (Cobden)
TEAM MANAGER: Janelle Smith (Cobden)
UMPIRE: Leah Kermeen (South Warrnambool
Welcome to the 2021 HFNL Football and Netball Awards. See below summary of the top vote-getters from each football and netball competition below:
McDonald’s 13 & Under Reserves Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Mia Compton | Cobden | 18 |
| Tayla Bell | Terang Mortlake | 13 |
| Hannah Gleeson | Koroit | 13 |
| Shelby Mahony | Camperdown | 12 |
| Sophie Smith | South Warrnambool | 11 |
McDonald’s 15 & Under Reserves Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Maggie Johnstone | Warrnambool | 22 |
| Paige Compton | Cobden | 19 |
| Keely Beaton | Hamilton Kangaroos | 18 |
| Frankie Butters | South Warrnambool | 16 |
| Lucy Murray | North Warrnambool | 14 |
McDonald’s Under 14 Football Stuart Brunt Award
| Talor Byrne | Koroit | 21 | |
| Samuel Rhodes | South Warrnambool | 20 | |
| Archie Taylor | Cobden | 20 | |
| Jett Grayland | Koroit | 18 | |
| Benjamin McDowell | Portland | 16 |
McDonald’s Under 16’s Doug McConnell Medal
| Darcy Campbell | Portland | 22 | |
| Connor Byrne | Koroit | 20 | |
| Deacon White | Hamilton Kangaroos | 19 | |
| Oscar Pollock | Port Fairy | 15 | |
| Reggie Mast | Warrnambool | 13 | |
| Luke Smith | Cobden | 13 |
Powercor 13 & Under Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Piper Stephens | Camperdown | 25 |
| Elsie Sinnott | Camperdown | 24 |
| Shelby O’Sullivan | Koroit | 21 |
| Charli Dillon | Terang Mortlake | 17 |
| Saylah Veale | South Warrnambool | 15 |
Powercor 15 & Under Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Matilda Darcy | Cobden | 20 |
| Alice Suhan | Terang Mortlake | 20 |
| Katie Scarlett O’Donnell | Koroit | 16 |
| Molly McLaren | Koroit | 15 |
| Tyleah Barr | Portland | 14 |
| Kate Smith | Cobden | 14 |
Powercor 17 & Under Reserves Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Holly Fowler | Terang Mortlake | 14 |
| Tayla Hickey | Cobden | 13 |
| Eloise Chivell | Cobden | 12 |
| Keely Waterson | Koroit | 12 |
| Alice Cameron | Koroit | 11 |
Powercor HFNL 17 & Under Netball Rebekah Moroney Memorial Award
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Tahni Porter | North Warrnambool | 23 |
| Millie Jennings | Koroit | 22 |
| Grace Wareham | Terang Mortlake | 21 |
| Holly Duynhoven | Cobden | 21 |
| Jedah Huf | Hamilton Kangaroos | 20 |
Powercor U18.5’s Football Judd Cup
| Mojwok Akoch | South Warrnambool | 17 | |
| Curran O’Donnell | Koroit | 14 | |
| Ethan Boyd | Warrnambool | 12 | |
| Judah Greene | North Warrnambool | 11 | |
| Simon Atkinson | Terang Mortlake | 10 | |
| Myles McCluggage | South Warrnambool | 10 | |
| Bailey Aitken | Portland | 10 | |
| Lachie Warburton | Portland | 10 |
Lyndoch Living Div 3 Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Caitlin Bain | Koroit | 20 |
| Stacey Dwyer | Port Fairy | 14 |
| Olivia Arandt | South Warrnambool | 14 |
| Grace Dawson | Cobden | 12 |
| Laura Riordan | Port Fairy | 12 |
| Ella Sevior | Hamilton Kangaroos | 12 |
| Georgia Lewis | Koroit | 12 |
R & M Security Div 2 Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes | |
| Aleisha Mugavin | Koroit | 20 | |
| Kym Goonan | Port Fairy | 18 | |
| Casey Anderson | South Warrnambool | 18 | |
| Linda Clifford | Terang Mortlake | 16 | |
| Brianna Bensch | Portland | 14 |
94.5 3YB FM Div 1 Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes |
| Sarah Tunstall | Portland | 19 |
| Katie Pattison | South Warrnambool | 16 |
| Rhiannon Cuomo | Koroit | 16 |
| Jaymie Finch | Cobden | 13 |
| Sarah O’meara | North Warrnambool | 13 |
R & M Security Reserves Football Lew Kelly Medal
| James North | Koroit | 14 | |
| Lachie Barling | North Warrnambool | 11 | |
| Nick Whiting | Koroit | 11 | |
| Louis O’Connor | Warrnambool | 11 | |
| Angus Noske | Hamilton Kangaroos | 10 |
Sungold Milk Open Netball
| Player Name | Club Name | Total Votes | |
| Alexandra O’Connor | South Warrnambool | 22 | |
| Amy Wormald | Warrnambool | 18 | |
| Sophie Blain | Cobden | 12 | |
| Remy Grant | Portland | 12 | |
| Skye Billings | North Warrnambool | 11 | |
| Remeny Mccann | Cobden | 11 |
Sungold Milk Senior Football Maskell Medal
| Jett Bermingham | North Warrnambool | 20 | |
| Liam Youl | South Warrnambool | 15 | |
| Timothy McIntyre | Koroit | 13 | |
| Sam James | North Warrnambool | 12 | |
| Ben Malcolm | Portland | 12 |
Then there were five.
The AFL’s finals series is getting down to the pointy end, with the five Hampden league exports still a chance to be a part of the action.
Camperdown’s Easton Wood and Ken Hinkley, Cobden’s Gary Rohan, Koroit’s Willem Drew and South Warrnambool’s Jamarra Ugle-Hagan all remain in the hunt for glory with their respective clubs.
Wood and Ugle-Hagan with the Western Bulldogs, Hinkley and Drew with Port Adelaide and Rohan with Geelong.
Wood has been selected in the back pocket for his side’s preliminary final clash against the Power.
The Bulldogs earned their spot after a thrilling one point win over Brisbane Lions, while the Power enjoyed a week’s break after its qualifying final win over Geelong.
Ugle-Hagan has missed selection this week, but will continue to put his hand up at training for a spot in the grand final if the Bulldogs progress.
Hinkley will lead the Power into its second successive prelim, while Drew will play in his first after being named rover.
The pair’s clash will be played at Adelaide Oval tomorrow night at 7.30pm,
Rohan produced a more prominent display in the Cats semi-final win over Greater Western Sydney Giants to book a spot in the other preliminary final against Melbourne.
The two sides played out a last-round thriller three weeks ago, with Max Gawn kicking a goal after the siren to claim the minor premiership.
The pair’s clash will be played at Perth’s Optus Stadium tonight starting at 7.50pm.
The Cats win over the Giants subsequently ended South Warrnambool’s Leon Cameron’s season.
The Giants coach lost no admirers for taking his side to the preliminary final after encountering numerous COVID challenges throughout the season.
Profiles:
Easton Wood
Age: 32
Number: 10
Position: Defender
Games: 186
Gary Rohan
Age: 30
Number: 23
Position: Forward
Games: 164
Willem Drew
Age: 22
Number: 28
Position: Midfield
Games: 33
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan
Age: 19
Number: 22
Position: Forward
Games: 5
Ken Hinkley
Age: 54
Position: Coach
Games: 201
2 September 2021
Since the State Government directive to cease all community sport on Friday 20 August, the HFNL Executive have consulted a number of stakeholders, including all member clubs regarding the HFNL Final Series. Following this consultation, the HFNL are now in a position to announce the following:
Saturday Competitions
Should a resumption of training and games be permitted by 13 September the HFNL will play a two week final series with the following format.
Weekend of 18/19 September | Semi Final 1 – 1st vs 4th | Semi Final 2 – 2nd vs 3rd
Friday 24 September 2021 | Grand Final – Winner of Semi Final 1 vs Winner of Semi Final 2
The HFNL wishes to allow the opportunity for some player preparation (training) for finals. And as such, should there be no confirmation from State Government and AFL Victoria/Netball Victoria by 13 September the final series will be cancelled for all Saturday Competitions. Should the HFNL be forced to cancel the season no Premierships will be awarded.
Sunday Competitions (Grand Final)
The HFNL remain committed to facilitating the Grand Final of the Sunday Competitions. The HFNL is not in a position to announce a Grand Final at this time, but can confirm it is not subject to the same 13 September deadline as Saturday competitions.
As long as a resumption of community sport be permitted by the long weekend commencing Friday 24 September, Grand Finals for the Sunday Competitions will proceed.
Best and Fairest Counts
All Best and Fairest counts, for the Saturday and Sunday Competitions will be conducted in a virtual format. Dates will be confirmed by the HFNL Executive in due course.
The HFNL acknowledges the challenging circumstances the entire HFNL community has faced not just this season, but since the pandemic begun 18 months ago. We note that the shortened final series will see 5th placed teams miss out on playing finals in all competitions, and in particular would like to make mention of Portland in the Senior Football and North Warrnambool Eagles in the Open Netball. Portland would have played in their first Senior Football final since joining the HFNL should a 5 team final series had have gone ahead.
We thank all member clubs for their collaboration and continued commitment in facilitating an outcome for the 2021 season if COVID-19 restrictions allow in line with the above plans.
Copyright © 2022 | Hampden Football Netball League
Built by
