IT has taken three seasons but Brendan Fevola can finally lay claim as Yarrawonga’s greatest goalkicker after a 16-goal haul against Wodonga Raiders in the Pigeons’ 163-point win at J.C. Lowe Oval on Saturday.
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Fevola’s 16.4 came from 26 kicks, four handballs and 16 marks and broke the club’s long-standing record of 14 goals set by Frank Seymour against Corowa at John Foord Oval in 1958.
And in an emotional scene, Seymour’s wife, Betty, was among the first to congratulate the sharpshooter on breaking her husband’s record that had stood for 56 years.
What did it mean for the two-time Coleman medallist?
“Obviously it’s exciting to break Frank’s record,” Fevola said.
“Especially playing in the same team as his grandson Beau.
“When his wife Betty came into the rooms after the match with a tear in her eye and said that ‘after 50 years I’m glad you have broken it’, it made it pretty special.”
From the dominance of Steve McKee and Connor Hargreaves in the ruck, Xavier Leslie was able to run relentlessly through the midfield.
Matt Gorman, Jeremy O’Brien and Tim Cooper never gave their Raiders opponents a look in and controlled the ground level duals and rebounding down the corridor.
Fevola and Kayne Pettifer were always going to have a goal feast with the lace out delivery they were provided.
At times it was no more than a training drill as the Pigeons pumped the ball into the arc 62 times.
Brandon Symes, filling in up forward for the injured Brad O’Connor, relished his role with 13 marks and 24 possessions.
The Raiders did not have a winner in any position, with only Michael Steven, Brock Knights and captain Brad Hibberson finding double-digit possessions.
The Pigeons piled on 17 first-half goals, followed by 16 in the second in a perfect workout before Saturday’s qualifying final against Lavington.
Yarrawonga co-coach Chris Kennedy said his team was ready for the finals.
“I think we did what we had to do,” Kennedy said.
“We played well, ran hard and worked hard at all times.”
In his final game as Raiders’ coach, Simon Bone was a relieved man that the season was finally over.
“When you have injuries to key players and are a bottom team, it makes it tough,” Bone said.
“Young kids have been put into spots that they are not ready for yet, which means you get smashed by the good sides.”
