Football
1 September, 2025
Dimboola prevail in double overtime
It took not one but two periods of overtime to separate Dimboola and Stawell in the elimination final played on Sunday.
After a gallant performance, co-coach of Dimboola, Andrew Moore, was jubilant about the victory.
Chatting with Wimmera Mallee News after the game, he said that the drive home would have seemed a lot longer if they hadn't claimed the absolute thriller.
Scores at the end of regular time were Dimboola 12.15 (87) to Stawell 13.9 (87).
An extra five minutes each way saw Dimboola hold the lead as the siren sounded, but a goal after the siren from Paul Summers levelled the scores again: Dimboola 14.16 (100) to Stawell 15.10 (100).
In double overtime, Dimboola was able to hold its opposition to no further score while adding 2.2 to its own.
Final scores were Dimboola 16.18 (114) to Stawell 15.10 (100).
Dylan Landt was a focal point for Dimboola in the forward line, booting four majors, while Jackson Calder and Jonathon Ross chipped in with three majors each.
Cody Driscoll did his best for Stawell, contributing six goals, while James Sullivan also kicked three.
Landt and Ross were named as Dimboola's best on ground, along with Ben Miller and Simon Hobbs, while for Stawell, Driscoll, Aiden Graveson, Josh Fowkes, and Owen Summers were some of their best performers.
Moore praised Dimboola's good start, adding that finals could throw up a bit of everything.
As expected, the pressure was on his side early in the game, and the heat was up.
"I think we were able to handle that really well, which was nice," Moore said.
"Going into quarter-time, we were pleased, but going into the following quarter, we knew they (Stawell) were a class act, and they were able to win a little bit more of that contest, and that is what their strength is.
"But for us, we were able to assess at half-time and go again in the final half."
Still five points down heading into the last quarter, knowing their season was on the line, Moore said it came down to moments.
"Every player is going to have a moment when the ball is in front of you, take a grab, hit a kick or whatever it is," he said.
"Everyone is going to have an impact on the match, but our season was on the line, and the heart the players showed was impressive.
"We were able to absorb a lot of that pressure, which is an area we have been focusing on, and I am really happy and really proud of how the boys adapted and approached going into that final quarter."
When the siren sounded on regular time, Moore said he was confident his side could still get the win, even in overtime.
"It was pretty quick in terms of when you come off the fourth quarter into overtime – no addresses, so you are straight back into it," he said.
"Again, I was really, really pleased at how the boys handled it and we got the jump, which was nice, but obviously Stawell, to their ability and credit, replied and finished off a with a brilliant kick on the siren."
Moore said it was an impressive kick by Summers to keep his side in the game.
"The amount of that pressure that was on that kick, I take my hat off to him, and he did a fantastic job," Moore said.
"It would have been a great spectacle to watch."
In double extra time, Moore's side again showed composure and maturity to get the jump on Stawell, but this time didn't allow them to impact the score.
"Again, it came down to those moments, but the longer the game went on and with that scoreboard pressure, it was going to take a lot for them to come back, and we had the smarts to be able to lock the ball in and limit their openness in terms of being able to find space," Moore said.
"A lot of guys for us stepped up and had their moments, and it all went our way."
The eventual final siren was met with a big sigh of relief from Moore, who added that if he had to keep playing five quarters of footy, his retirement would be closer.
"I was super happy and proud for the club in general, to see the smiles on not only the players but the families, the spectators, the board and committee, everyone involved," Moore said.
"That's why we play footy, and it was a moment that was special to absorb that and adddress it after the game."
After the results on Saturday and Sunday, Dimboola will now line up against Nhill in the semi-final next Sunday.
