Boyup Brook claimed their 4th LSWFL League Premiership, with a 17 point win over 2023 holders, Kojonup, in a spirited encounter at Deanmill. In a fitting finale to the Tyrepower Manjimup League competition for 2024, several of the competition’s big hitters came to the fore on the biggest stage, with Tyrepower Medalist, David Cowan, adding more hardware to the collection with the Harvey Giblett Medal for Best on Ground.
Not far behind Cowan, who also booted 5 goals, was the competition’s leading goal kicker, Matthew Thompson. Thompson booted 8 for the day, crucial in a premiership decider where once again the LSWFL bucked the trend of low scoring affairs when a flag is up for grabs. It was the 3rd LSWFL Tyrepower Manjimup League Grand Final in a row to see over 190 points kicked between the two combatants, highlighting a contested style of football that still saw teams hitting the scoreboard.
Boyup Brook applied the pressure from the outset, carrying their good Preliminary Final form with them, keen to atone for the 2nd Semi Final loss to Kojonup a fortnight earlier. Goals were harder to come by in the 2nd Semi Final in Pemberton, with Boyup Brook going into that game as the ladder leaders in the regular season, but toiling to kick 10 for the game. In the Grand Final, the forward set up that had fired when it need to, to get past Imperials on their home ground and earn a rematch with Kojonup was back to it’s dangerous best.
At quarter time, the Roos held a 16 point lead, 3.4.22 to 1.0.6 and the signs were there that they had managed the all important opener and pulled back momentum on the confident Cougars side, who were looking to not only repeat their 2nd Semi Final victory, but go back to back. As the two heavyweights of the previous two seasons went to to toe, it was Boyup Brook who again got the better of the 2nd Quarter, extending their lead at half time to 31 points. Their 10.6.66 matched their goal output from a fortnight earlier and put all the pressure back on Kojonup, who needed answers urgently if they were to turn the deficit around.
As the Auskickers took centre stage at half time, Gavin Norrish and his team would have been hard at work, looking for a way to gain back ascendency and get Kojonup closer by the last change. A quarter time deficit was one thing, but a 7 goal second term from the Roos was a shift of control that need a big turnaround in a hurry.
The ‘premiership quarter’ saw a back and forth affair, one that would have had Roos supporters confident, though far from comfortable at 3 Quarter Time. A cagey period saw both teams boot 3 goals, an outcome that was better for Boyup Brook with Kojonup needing to work the deficit down. A 13.9.87 to 8.7.55 scoreline at the start of the Final Quarter left what was ultimately too much to do for the Cougars, though they did come out swinging with a 7 goal term.
Cowan’s outstanding showing earned him The Harvey Giblett Medal, while Thompson and Luke Reilly were also outstanding. For Kojonup, Kyle Smith, Jamie Marinoni and William Roe worked tirelessly to pull Kojonup to victory. Ultimately however, it was Matt Michael coaching his first Boyup Brook triumph, after playing in the 2022 success.
On a fantastic day for the Lower South West Football League, the Deanmill Football Club were outstanding hosts, the day capped by a group of Deanmill Auskickers presenting the Tyrepower Manjimup winners’ medallions to the Boyup Brook players and receiving a Tyrepower cap and a footy to remember the experience.
BOYUP BROOK 3.4 10.6 13.9 18.10 (118)
KOJONUP 1.0 5.5 8.7 15.11 (101)
GOALS
Boyup Brook: Thompson 8, Cowan 5, Garstone 2, Michael 2, Campbell
Kojonup: Lucev 4, Taylor 2, Want 2, K. Smith 2, Gibbons, Bellotti, E. Smith, M. Marinoni, J. Marinoni
BEST
Boyup Brook: Cowan, Thompson, Reilly, Pessotto, Michael, Nix
Kojonup: K. Smith, J. Marinoni, Roe, Tonkin, M. Marinoni, O’Shea
The umpires were supported all season by The Avocado Collective and topped off an outstanding season with their officiating of the decider.
FIELD UMPIRES
Matt Dodgson, Dave Rawson, Eric Frahamer
GOAL UMPIRES
Geof De Campo, John McKenzie
BOUNDARY UMPIRES
With thanks to Imperials’ Matt Seymour, Zac Hall, Colby Beebe, Cristian Braovich
