Sport

‘Golden’ Bears too good for brave Bombers

By Rohan Aldous

Aug 27, 2024

Shepparton Bears Notre Gold’s Alex Whitlock hits the deck alongside Kyabram's James Hargreaves. Photos: Rechelle Zammit Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Kyabram’s dream run into the grand final of the Goulburn Murray Junior League’s under-16 division one competition ended at the hands of the undisputed top team on Sunday.

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The Bombers had beaten two teams that finished above them on the ladder in the first two weeks of the finals, but could not continue the post-season form that had seen it develop strong hopes of building further on the post home-and-away season results.

Kyabram had beaten Tatura and Shepparton Notre Bears Maroon in the lead-up to the grand final, but could not do it a third time at Deakin Reserve on Sunday.

A 30-point defeat came after week one of the finals produced a six-goal win and was followed a week later by a similarly impressive showing.

Kyabram could manage no better than one goal a quarter against the team that lost only once during the 13-week home-and-away season.

Shepparton Notre Bears Gold won the game 9.8 (62) to Kyabram’s 4.8 (32), but had to overcome a two-point quarter-time deficit and led the Bombers by just nine points at half-time.

Kyabram’s Mitch Wilson races to the ball ahead of Shepparton Bears Notre Gold’s Kaiden Whittaker. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

It was a four-goal-to-one third term by the Bears that split the game open, but the Bombers did themselves no favours by kicking one goal and five behinds in the final term.

Kyabram captain Oliver Barnett led by example and winger Cooper O’Neill combined with another of the team’s key ball carriers Isaiah Scoble to keep the Bombers in the contest until the Bears’ third quarter explosion.

James Priest and Jedd Turpin were among the four individual goal-kickers for Kyabram in a game where the Bombers were kept to their lowest score of the season.

Final score: Shepparton Notre Bears Gold 9.8 (62) d Kyabram Bombers 4.8 (32).

Goals, Notre Bears Gold: Alex Whitlock 3, Riley Myers 2, Nate Warrin, Hunter Howells, Archie Daniel, Ben O’Brien. Kyabram: Jeff Turpin, James Priest, Mitch Wilson, Tyrell Gallivan.

Best, Notre Bears Gold: Angus Williams, Cody Montgomery, Jack Supple, Hunter Howells, Alex Whitlock, Cody Hooper. Kyabram: Oliver Barnett, Cooper O’Neill, Isaiah Scoble, Nathan Kuiper, James Priest, Jedd Turpin.