YARRAWONGA captured its fourth and most satisfying Ovens and Murray Football League premiership yesterday by finally beating modern day arch rival Albury by 12 points.
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Click or flick across the the above photos for full gallery of celebrations, commiserations and action shots (iPhone users can use the 'Photos' tab).
The Pigeons avoided becoming the first club in O and M history to lose four successive grand finals by overcoming their conquerors of the last three seasons at the Lavington Oval.
Yarrawonga’s first flag since 2006 was achieved in front of a record crowd of 12,068 people.
Click play for video of interviews and celebrations.
On a momentous day, the Pigeons also created history in becoming the first team to win four successive A-grade netball premierships, as well as back-to-back flags in the reserves.
Star recruit Brendan Fevola again defied a leg injury and went on to boot five goals in the grand final after he and his direct opponent, Albury’s Jay Koehler, were reported and sent from the ground early in the first quarter.
The Tigers trailed by 44 points in the last quarter and defied game-ending injuries to Heath Caldwell and Michael Thompson to boot seven goals in the last term.
The grand final defeat could mark the end to the careers of some modern-day Tigers’ greats including Andrew Carey and Matt Fowler, following the earlier retirement of Luke Carroll.
Co-captain Luke Packer was heroic in defeat as Albury’s best player.
Yarrawonga’s champion rover Craig Ednie won the Did Simpson Medal for best on ground.
Ednie coached the Pigeons to two grand final losses and won the Morris Medal when the club last won the flag but he left Yarrawonga heart-broken at the end of last year.
He signed with Mulwala but when the Pigeons recruited Fevola he decided to return to Yarra- wonga and was rewarded with a second premiership medallion.
An emotional Yarrawonga president Glenn Brear fought back tears after his club’s greatest day in the O and M.
“From a town’s perspective it is outstanding to come here and do what we’ve done today,” he said.
“It will be something spoken about for a long time.”
Brear said the Pigeons supporters had been scarred by the last three losses to Albury.
“It would have been worse today if we had of lost because we had the lead early,” he said.
“In the first grand final in 2009 we were outplayed by a great Albury side. In the next two we tried to work our way into a position where we could get in front but couldn’t. It weighs on the supporters more than anyone.”
The Pigeons had other fine players in Matthew Dwyer, Tim Cooper and Marcus McMillan with the latter also a member of the club’s last flag in 2006.
Another survivor from the last premiership team, Xavier Leslie, was also a star after finishing runner-up in the Morris Medal this season.
But Ednie was a unanimous choice for the best-on-ground.
“They’ve won the last three and we’ve finally got one,” Ednie said. “For the town it is just great to have another premiership.”
Ednie’s father Russell played in the club’s 1989 premiership team with Yarrawonga’s only other flag coming in 1959.
The Pigeons victory was also a triumph for co-coaches, Chris Kennedy and Drew Barnes.
“We were under extreme pressure at the start of the year because there were critics everywhere,” Kennedy said.
“Fev has been huge for our town, our club and competition.
“Everyone should give Glenn Brear and the Yarra footy club some credit for taking the punt.
“It is unlikely we will see another season like this one.”
Kennedy acknowledged the support of Alan and Matthew Tripp as the lifelong Yarrawonga supporters were instrumental in the recruitment of Fevola.
Wangaratta won the under-18 football and C-grade netball premierships and North Albury took out the B-grade and 16 and under flags.
