By Russell Bennett
The first ever West Gippsland Football Netball Competition grand final will be held at a neutral venue this September, with Gippsland League club Wonthaggi selected to host the biggest day of the year.
The venues for this year’s finals series were locked in this week, with clubs alerted by this morning (Friday).
Garfield’s Beswick Street ground, considered by many to be the best in the competition, will host the preliminary final while Kooweerup’s Denhams Road will host the qualifying final and Spencer Street at Nar Nar Goon the second semi-final.
In a statement provided to the Gazette, AFL Gippsland said WGFNC clubs were asked to submit an expression of interest if they wished to host a final.
“The competition advisory committee, in conjunction with AFL Gippsland, visited venues that had expressed an interest and based on their findings the venues in question were discussed and eventually agreed upon,” the statement said.
Much of the talk around the WGFNC in recent weeks was that the decider would be held at a neutral venue. AFL Gippsland told the Gazette that Wonthaggi, being within the boundaries of the competition, was decided as this year’s preferred host.
“Pakenham, whilst discussed, was not really in the equation based on it being outside the boundaries of the teams in the competition,” AFL Gippsland’s statement said.
The other two grounds to host finals this year will be Inverloch (elimination final) and Phillip Island (first semi-final).
Rumours have persisted all season to date linking both Wonthaggi and Pakenham to potential WGFNC moves in the future, but the Gazette understands there’s nothing on the horizon at this stage.
This year’s WGFNC grand final will be held in the afternoon of Saturday, 16 September – the same date and timeslot that it’s expected the South East Football Netball League and Ellinbank and District Football League grand finals will be held.
With just four rounds to go before the WGFNC finals begin, four of the top five sides in senior footy and three of the top five in A Grade netball are former Alberton league clubs.
2017 WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION FINALS VENUES
Qualifying Final (Saturday, 26 August) – Kooweerup Recreation Reserve
Elimination Final (Sunday, 27 August) – Inverloch Recreation Reserve
2nd Semi Final (Saturday, 2 September) – Nar Nar Goon Recreation Reserve
1st Semi Final (Sunday, 3 September) – Cowes Recreation Reserve
Preliminary Final (Saturday, 9 September) – Garfield Recreation Reserve
Grand Final (Saturday, 16 September) – Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve
*The venues may be subject to change should the WGFNC’s advisory committee, together with AFL Gippsland, deem the venues to be unsatisfactory in the lead-up to finals.
