Live from Medibank Stadium, Fairfax Regional Media sports writers Justin Rake and Andrew Elstermann bring you all the coverage from the 2016 Landmark Country Football Championships grand finals.
Division 1
Peel v South West
4.30pm: That does it for us and the 2016 Landmark Country Football Championships. We hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you. Congratulations to the Peel Cavaliers and we’ll see you again next year.
4.08pm: Peel’s Jesse Gribble has been crowned the best player of division one for the carnival, while teammate Brendon Jones is awarded best on ground honours for the grand final.
4.06pm: Peel players and coaches embracing as they meet near the boundary, the Cavaliers look set to savour this win over their rivals for a long time.
4.03pm: And there’s the siren! The South West’s reign as champions is over as the Peel Football League claims its first ever division one victory in the Landmark Country Football Championships. Peel win 13.6 (84) to 7.12 (54).
4.01pm: Joel Houghton puts the cherry on the cake with another goal and not-so-kindly gestures to the South West colts players who have enjoyed heckling his side in the stand.
3.57pm: It’s raining now… raining goals that is! A light sprinkle falls on the ground as Joel Houghton boots another goal. Peel lead 12.6 (78) to 7.11 (53), five minutes remaining in the match.
3.56pm: …. But it may be over now. Holmes kicks his third in the quarter to give Peel what should be a match-winning lead.
3.55pm: It’s not over yet! A South West goal brings the game back within 13-points.
3.53pm: Holmes strikes again! Peel has a strong hold on this game thanks to a pair of majors from former WAFL spearhead Brad Holmes. Peel lead 10.6 (66) to 6.11 (47).
3.51pm: Brad Holmes redeems a poor out on the full kick with a lovely pocket set shot goal. Peel leads 9.6 (60) to 6.11 (47) with 10 minutes gone.
3.48pm: Both sides showing some desperate football early this quarter. Peel lead by one goal with six minutes gone.
3.43pm: South West head coach Jaime Nani is imploring his side to show who has the most heart, while Clayton Falkingham is asking the Cavaliers to never give in. Pretty similar messages coming out of the huddle. Play has resumed.
3.38pm: So, it all comes down to this. One quarter left for either side to bring a flag back to their region. Bouncedown imminent.
3.35pm: Three-quarter time and it’s an absolute ripper here in the grand final. Peel made a late rally to build their lead, as they’ll be going against the scoring end this quarter. Peel lead 8.5 (53) to 6.9 (45) at the final break.
3.34pm: Houghton goes bang from outside 50! Peel gets a goal in the dying stages of the third to stretch their lead to eight points.
3.32pm: The Cavaliers hit the front, thanks to a brilliant mark and set shot from Eddy Dann. Peel leads 7.5 (47) to 6.9 (45).
3.30pm: Peel with another quick reply, this time through Brad Holmes, and it’s a four-point ball game.
3.28pm: A bit of magic from Matt Michael leads to a goal for Curtis Guglielmana and the South West. South West lead 5.5 (35) to 6.9 (45).
3.26pm: Joel Hougton gets the desperately needed quick reply for Peel and the game is back within a straight kick.
3.24pm: Matt Michael goals to put the South West 11 points up. They lead 4.4 (28) to 5.9 (39) early in the second half.
3.17pm: Play back on and the South West is regularly entering its forward half. No goals yet though.
2.58pm: HALF TIME. Peel go without a goal for the whole quarter, meaning all eight goals for the match have been kicked at the northern end of the ground. South West lead the Cavs 4.3 (27) to 4.7 (31).
2.56pm: South West continue their relentless assault but Peel has been able to stem the flow of goals for the moment.
2.52pm: Peel’s discipline is beginning to waiver. A number of 50m penalties have been given away this quarter.
2.50pm: …And just like that, Peel’s first quarter dominance is erased and the reigning champs take the lead. Simon Parry goals to put the South West up 4.2 (26) to 4.5 (29).
2.49pm: Peel appear to be tackling strongly and working well as a group, but the South West are running in waves they can’t contain.
2.45pm: Collie’s Travis Cleggett takes a shot from 60 metres out and hits the post for the South West.
2.44pm: South West now have three goals thanks to a great kick from Joel Mahar. This game is well and truly alive now. The victorious South West colts are making one hell of a racket in the stands.
2.42pm: Kelvin Lawrence from Peel works the ball beautifully left to right but sadly hits the post.
2.40pm: Make that two! Tsalikis kicks his second as the South West rally.
2.39pm: Anthony Tsalikis has opened the scoring in the second term, kicking the South West’s first goal.
2.33pm: QUARTER TIME. Peel lead the game at quarter time and look a mile ahead of a slow South West outfit. Peel lead 4.1 (25) to 0.2 (2).
2.29pm: We’ve just uploaded some photos from the first quarter of the league game. View them in the above gallery.
2.23pm: It’s raining goals here for Peel, as they connect through the boot of Aaron Zucconi. They lead 4.0 (24) to 0.1 (1).
2.22pm: South West fail to get that next goal, as Jesse Gribble nails one for Peel.
2.19pm: Troubling signs for the South West early as they started last game slowly and couldn’t claw their way back. They’ll want the next goal desperately.
2.17pm: Houghton kicks his second in two minutes. Peel lead early 2.0 (12) to 0.1 (1).
2.16pm: Peel connects to the scoreboard through Joel Houghton’s boot with the game’s first goal.
2.13pm: Ball has been bounced and the South West are the first to score with a behind.
2.10pm: There’s even bitter rivalry in the stands here. Mandurah Mail reporter Justin Rake thinks Peel is set to claim their first division one title ever while the Bunbury Mail reporter Andrew Elstermann thinks the South West will take their sixth consecutive win.
2.08pm: As division two wraps up with presentations, attention now turns to the highly-anticipated league match between bitter rivals Peel and the South West.
Division 2
Eastern Districts v Mortlock
2.07pm: Mortlock’s Corey Higgins is crowned best afield for the division two grand final.
2pm: FULL TIME. Mortlock victorious! Mortlock Football League takes out the win in division two, beating Eastern Districts 14.6 (90) to 11.9 (75).
1.53pm: Mortlock kicks an opportunistic one from the goal square in what should be the sealer for the day. Mortlock lead 14.6 (90) to 11.7 (73) in the dying stages.
1.52pm: After Eastern’s early goal, Mortlock hit back from point-blank range to take a two-goal advantage.
1.43pm: Eastern gets the first goal of the quarter, it’s game on now as Mortlock leads by just seven points.
1.38pm: Division one grand finalists Peel and the South West have taken to the field for a warm-up.
1.37pm: Three-quarter time. Mortlock still hold the advantage but a late Eastern Districts goal bring the margin within 13 points. All set for the fourth quarter now.
1.28pm: Eastern Districts began to challenge but a blistering goal from Mortlock’s Arron Russell keeps them at bay.
11.15pm: Play is back on the field and Mortlock still hold the advantage, but both sides are playing a spirited brand of football.
12.56pm: HALF TIME. Mortlock maintains their scoreboard advantage despite a late goal to Eastern Districts. They lead 9.3 (57) to 6.5 (41).
12.48pm: A poor 50m penalty from an undisciplined Eastern Districts player gifts Mortlock a goal.
12.40pm: The game continues to be a tussle with Mortlock controlling the scoreboard.
12.33pm: Quarter time. Huge amount of scoring in the first quarter, Mortlock lead 7.3 (45) to 4.3 (27) at the break.
12.25pm: Mortlock kicking away after a hotly contested first 10 minutes. They lead 6.3 (39) to 3.1 (19).
12.18pm: Gavin Carter boots his first of the day to draw Mortlock level with Eastern Districts. Score stands at 3.1 (19) 10 minutes into the term.
12.09pm: Both sides have a goal on the board and the contest seems to be a high-scoring yet tight affair.
12.06pm: Bounce is down for what should be a cracking game of football in division two.
Colts
South West v Great Southern
12.02pm: The Kym Curnow medal for best afield in the colts grand final has gone to the South West’s Jake Bloomfield, from Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault.
11.57am: South West coach Brett Maguire thanked his side for their effort at the carnival.
11.47am: Full time. The South West wins! The South West topple Great Southern 9.5 (59) to 6.7 (43). Great effort from both sides but the South West take home their first title since 2013.
11.46am: Reece Ralston has been in the wars all day and needed assistance from the ground after suffering a heavy collision.
11.43am: The wind has been taken from the match, as both sides begin to tire. South West in firm control and will take out the title.
11.37am: Mitch Tenardi boots the first of the term. South West really in control in this one now, they lead 9.5 (59) to 5.5 (35).
11.34am: Play has been back underway for five minutes now and neither side has a goal. South West lead 53-35.
11.27am: Hernaman’s last play on the defensive end appears to have earned him a battle wound.
11.21am: Three quarter time. The South West controls play for the majority of the third quarter, resulting in a 8.3 (51) 5.4 (34) lead. Lachlan Hernaman saved what could have been a certain goal for Great Southern with a tough tackle earning him a free kick.
11.16am: Reece Ralston appears to have recovered from his head knock, and has a goal to show for it. South West up 7.3 (45) to 5.4 (34).
11.13am: Cameron Davidson sends one home for the South West – South West lead 38-34.
11.09am: Great Southern kicks a goal through the boot of Jaike Dale to put them up. They lead 5.4 (34) to 5.2 (32) at the midway point of the third quarter.
11.07am: Tough start to the second half. The South West have just been warned by a field umpire following some abuse hurled at one of his fellow field umpires, but the abuse came from the stands.
11am: Play resumes and great to see some terrific sportsmanship from Great Southern’s Rhett Lloyd helping South West’s Reece Ralston get some assistance after a heavy knock.
10.45: HALF TIME. South West trail despite dominating most of the quarter. They’re down 42. (26) to 4.4 (28).
10.42am: Great Southern peg one back. They trail 4.2 (26) 3.2 (20) in the dying stages of the second quarter.
10.40am: Kemp had a second while McMullen opened his account to give the South West a two-goal lead.
10.30am: South West boots the first goal of the quarter through the boot of Jed Kemp from Busselton.
10.25am: Great Southern nail the first of the quarter, looks like they are playing the better brand of football but will need to create a bigger gap on the South West before half time.
10.20am: Time for the first break, ripping contest here at the moment. Both sides playing hard, with the South West leading 1.2 (8) to 1.1 (7).
10.08am: Great Southern kicked the first goal of the match but the South West hit back with one of their own. Really good tussle here to start.
10am: Bounce down! We’ve arrived at the ground and are set for a huge day of grand final action. Colts begin first, with South West trying to pinch their first title in three years against Great Southern.
