IT’S THE TIGERS

Collegians were firm favourites but never really looked likely. The Tigers took the initiative and played Sportscover Arena a treat, winning by three goals in the end. It was a bizarre old day, with about 80 weather changes, but the Tigers really stuck to their guns. Their silky young onballer Ben Phibbs was a real standout, as was captain Luke Wintle. Others to impress included veteran Michael Hazell and teenage star Brett Collins.
For the minor premiers, there’s a lot of head scratching. Now they face one of the more daunting tasks in VAFA footy – a date with Old Xaverians in the preliminary final. They weren’t terrible – Fergus Watts was a real menace all day, while Nick Stone, Jono Dixon and Nick Ries all stood up. But they didn’t look like the team which demolished the Tigers earlier in the season.
In other matches played today, Williamstown CYMS claimed the D3 title with a comanding 60 point win over Eltham at Coburg City Oval and in D4, St Francis Xavier advanced through to the Grand Final in their first year in the VAFA senior sections when they defeated Albert Park by 55 points at Vermont.