MPFNL
MEN’S DIV ONE SEN
DROMANA held off a frantic last quarter fightback to win the MPFNL Men’s Division One grand final on Sunday (20 September) at Kinetic Stadium.
While it was a battle bewteen first and third on the ladder, the positions didn’t tell the whole story.
Rosebud had played an exceptional regular season, and ended up on top of the table, losing just two games for the seaon and finishing on 64 points.
While Dromana were third on the ladder, they ended up with only 40 points, and conceeded eight times for the season.
With six extra wins under their belt for the season, Rosebud looked hard to beat.
The wind was howling, and it was obvious from the outset it would have a bearing on the game.
Dromana had the advantage in the first quarter and were quickly off the mark.
The first three scoring opportunities were Dromana’s, and with one minor score, and two majors, the Tigers were 13 points up by the six minute mark.
Rosebud managed a goal in the 10th minute, bringing the margin back to seven points, but that was the last time they’d hit the board for the quarter.
For the next 20 minutes, Dromana peppered the sticks, managing another 3.5 for the quarter, and going into the first break with a handy 30 point lead.
In the opening few minutes of the second quarter, Dromana managed another two goals, and by the seventh minute of the quarter, the margin was out to 42 points in the Tigers’ favour.
The next five goals had Rosebud’s name on them, as they steadied and started showing the form that made them virtually unbeatable in 2026.
By the 23rd minute mark, the margin was back to just 11 points, before a late goal from Dromana took it out to 17 points for the long break.
Rosebud were the first to score in the third, kicking a goal in the second minute to bring the margin back to 11 again.
The next five scoring opportunities, two goals and three points, belonged to Dromana though, and the margin was back out to 26 points by the 12th minute mark.
The next 10 minutes saw Rosebud scoring three times, but missing the big sticks each time, with Dromana sneaking in a goal to leave Dromana 29 points up in the 23rd minute.
The rest of the quarter saw a goal apiece, and a minor score to Dromana in the dying seconds.
The scores at three-quarter time were 12.12 (84) to Dromana and 8.6 (54) to Rosebud; a 30 point buffer for Dromana, going into the final term against the wind.
Dromana were the first to get on the scoreboard in the final term, slotting a point in the third minute. Little did they know it would be their final score for the day, as Rosebud began to storm back into the game.
The fightback began slowly, with points to Rosebud in the sixth and seventh minutes, leaving a 29-point deficit by the seventh minute mark.
What followed then was a goal to Rosebud in the ninth and the 11th minutes to bring the deficit back to 17 points.
The scoring then stopped in its tracks as a war of attrition fought out.
It wasn’t until the 24th minute that Rosebud found the goals again, slotting another major, leaving an 11 point deficit with around six minutes to play still.
Another goal followed in the 26th minute to bring them to within five points, but that would be the final score of the day.
When the final siren sounded, the scores were 12.13 (85) to 12.8 (80) in Dromana’s favour.
They had clinched the win and were 2026 premiers.
MEN’S DIV ONE RES
LANGWARRIN are the MPFNL Men’s Division One Reserves grand final winners after beating Mt Eliza on Sundaya (20 September).
It was another game influenced by a strong wind advantage at Kinetic Stadium.
Mt Eliza shot out of the blocks early kicking with the wind, and notched the first eight scoring opportunities of the game.
By the 19th minute mark of the first quarter, the Redlegs had put on 33 points and Langwarrin were still scoreless.
The Kangaroos finally managed a point in the 22nd minute and a goal in the 23rd minute to get their account opened, but headed into the first break with a hefty 26-point deficit, with the scores at 5.3 (33) to 1.1 (7).
In the second quarter, it was the Kanga’s time to fire, holding Mt Eliza to a point in the forth minute and a goal in the 17th minute.
In the meantime, Langwarrin piled on 4.3.
It wasn’t quite enough to catch the Redlegs, but they went into the long break just six points behind.
Mt Eliza would have had a feel for what was at stake in the third, needing to establish a lead to stave off a final quarter wind advantage for Langwarrin.
They did well in holding the Kangaroos back, keeping the goalless, and allowing them just two minor scores for the quarter.
But Mt Eliza couldn’t replicate the first quarter onslaught they needed to establish a buffer for the final term.
They had plenty of chances, but most of them missed the big sticks.
The Redlegs notched majors just twice for the quarter, but six minor scores left them with a sea of missed opportunities.
They went into the third quarter break with 22-point lead, but the wind against them in the final term.
The question was, would it be enough?
Langwarrin knew what had to be done, and notched up goals in the third, fourth and sixth minutes to all of a sudden be just four points down.
Two points came over the next two minutes to reduce the margin to just two points, before Mt Eliza kicked a goal against the run of play to take the margin back out to eight points in the 10th minute.
Lanwarrin countered again near the end of the 14th minute with another goal to again be just two points behind.
A minor score in the 20th minute took them to just a single point behind.
Then, at the end of the 23rd minute, Langwarrin slotted a goal and hit the front for the first time for the day.
It would end up being the final score for the game, and when the final siren sounded, Langwarrin were up by five points.
The final scores were 9.10 (64) for Mt Eliza and 10.9 (69) for Langwarrin.
Lanwarrin’s best on the day were Kaiya Deas, Jhett Moli, Chad Bertrand, Jai Boaler, and Mitchell Mathie.
The win was just reward for a strong season where Langwarrin finished top of the table, and only dropped two games for the entire regular season.
MEN’S DIV ONE U19s
It was a grand final clash of the top of the table teams, with a fair pinch of local rivalry thrown in, and the MPFNL Division One under 19’s grand final didn’t disappoint.
The Redlegs were quick out of the box on a day when a stiff breeze was always going to be a factor.
Mt Eliza scored 2.3 to a single goal for Mornington to go into the first break with a nine point lead.
The second quarter was Mornington’s turn, putting on 1.3, and keeping Mt Eliza scoreless.
At the long break, both teams were tied at 15 points each, and it was anyone’s game.
Mt Eliza had five shots on goal in the third quarter, but missed the big sticks with four of them, adding just one major, and missing a vital opportunity.
At the other end, Mornington managed a single major, and the Redlegs were four points up at the final break.
Having only scored three majors in the first three quarters, the Bulldogs came out in the final term and banged on another three, while holding Mt Eliza to a single major.
When the final siren went, Mornington were nine points up, and had the win.
The final score was Mornington, 6.4 (40), defeating Mt Eliza, 4.7 (31).
