The NFNL’s Under-14 Boys A team will be shooting for glory when they host the South Metro Junior Football League in the grand final of the 2018 AFL Victoria Metro Junior Championships.
The NFNL’s Under-14 Boys A team topped the ladder at the group stage of the Championships, winning two of their three round-robin matches to finish ahead of both the SMJFL and Yarra Junior Football League on percentage.
On Saturday they will be aiming to become league’s first boys team to win a title at the Championships since 2006.
The match will be played at Eltham Central Park, with the first bounce at 2:15pm.
The boys began their 2018 campaign in style with a 69-point thrashing of the Essendon District Football League under lights at A.K. Lines Reserve on May 30.
Jason McCormick kicked five goals in a best on ground display to lead the NFNL to a 14.7 (91) to 2.10 (22) victory, with great support from Thomas Neale, Henry Way and Ben Ham.
They continued their winning ways in Round 2 of the Championships on June 9, leading from start to finish in a 24-point triumph over the Yarra Junior Football League.
The NFNL booted seven goals to two in the first half to race to a five-goal advantage and held sway all day in the 9.6 (60) to 4.12 (36) triumph at Bulleen Park Oval.
Ben Ham and Thomas Neale again led the way, with Jordan Nguyen and Nicholas Younes also producing strong displays.
The NFNL went down in the third round of the group stage to their upcoming grand final opponent, the South Metro Junior Football League.
Leading by three points at three quarter time, the NFNL was unable to hold off a fast-finishing SMJFL side in the last quarter at Moorleigh Reserve – going down 12.12 (84) to 9.5 (59).
Despite the result, there were still many encouraging performances – most notably from William O’Dwyer Richards, Thomas Neale and Lachlan Watson.
The boys will now look to reverse that result in Saturday’s decider.
The NFNL congratulates all players, coach and parents on progressing through to the grand final and wishes them all the very best of luck on Saturday.
