Big week ahead for the Wildcats.

Woodside qualified for the North Gippsland Football-Netball League Grand Final, following victory in the preliminary final last Saturday.

In fact, Woodside qualified for their first Grand Final in the NGFNL, and first as Woodside and District.

More on that later.

The Wildcats were too strong for Heyfield at the weekend, winning through to the decider in an 11.9 (75) to 7.4 (46) scoreline.

A six goal to one opening term set the scene for Woodside, from which time they rarely looked back.

Come quarter time at Glengarry, the Wildcats led by 33 points, and the margin stayed within that vicinity for the rest of the game.

The Kangaroos made some running in the third term, kicking four goals to two, to be in with a sniff at the last change only 24 points down. However, defences reigned supreme for both teams in the last, as only one goal was kicked between the two sides.

While Heyfield had three quarters to make up for their poor start, Woodside had the football smarts to keep their opponent’s at arm’s length.

Kangaroos coach Leigh Brown booted four goals, while Murray Casella, Tom Marchesi, Liam Heasley, Tyson Birss, Kail Hole and Rob McMillan were best-on.

Having been originally engaged to help find a new coach for the year, Brown came to realise he was in fact the man for the job. The favourite son of Heyfield, with more than 200 AFL games under his belt, ended up taking the Kangaroos on an unforgettable journey this season, surprising most within North Gippsland circles by finishing top-three.

Most pundits didn’t even have Heyfield making finals this year.

Heyfield was without gun youngster Asher Eastham, who was required to play a final for Gippsland Power.

Adding to that the names in the best such as Heasley, Birss and Hole – all still under 21, the Kangaroos have some serious upside for future years.

If they can keep this core group together, as well as add a few from the thirds team about to play in their own Grand Final, Heyfield will be scary good in years to come.

Matt Dyke was best-on-ground for the winners, and did an excellent job shutting down key Kangaroo midfielder Mitch Bennett. Ben Johnson was also good, as was Jack Avage, Ryan Foat, Joh Fythe and Cameron Whiteoak.

Avage hadn’t played a game since Round 15 before the finals started, nor been in the best players.

There is always one bloke you least expect in finals …

Foat, a dedicated servant to the Wildcats, played a captains game, and will now get some reward for loyalty as he prepares for his first Grand Final, continuing a strong lineage of Foats to have represented Woodside on Grand Final day – particularly in netball.

Fellow senior captain Dan Missen will also be one eagerly awaiting the Grand Final.

Both have stuck by Woodside through some tough years, and will finally get their opportunity on the big stage this Saturday.

Woodside now has another crack at Traralgon Tyers United, in a rematch of the second semi-final.

The Wildcats will be aiming for not only the flag, but to also hand the Bombers their first loss for the season.

For Woodside coach Michael Duncan, there will also surely be personal incentive, as he will be coaching against his old club. Duncan was, somewhat surprisingly, let go as TTU coach in 2019 despite taking the team to consecutive top-three finishes.

His time with the Wildcats since has seen them enjoy a meteoric rise. In 2021, they finished on top of the ladder in the eventually abandoned season, and last year, made the preliminary final after finishing the regular season fifth on the ladder.

Somewhat ironically, Woodside was only 20 minutes away from making the Grand Final in last year’s preliminary final, and has now made the Grand Final off the back of its first 20 minutes in this year’s preliminary final.

This will be Woodside’s first Grand Final in its current incarnation.

Woodside and District was formed in 2008 after splitting from Devon-Welshpool-Won Wron-Woodside, which in turn was a merger between Devon-Welshpool and Won Wron-Woodside.

Although the modern Woodside takes in the history of DWWWW and Won Wron-Woodside, this Saturday will be the first Grand Final as Woodside and District.

Perhaps fittingly, the last ‘Woodside’ flag was 20 years ago, when DWWWW won the Alberton Footballl-Netball league title.

Players and officials from that team gathered in Woodside earlier this year for the reunion, many of whom are now involved with Woodside District, including club president Ash Walpole.

Speaking at the reunion, Walpole hoped to be able to pass the baton of last Woodside premiership team on.

“Hopefully in 10 years’ time we can have a 30 year Allies reunion and a 10-year Woodside reunion,” he said.

Former AFL Number 1 draft pick and Woodside local Anthony Banik coached that DWWWW team, and shared similar sentiments.

“They can forget about us and move on,” he said laughing.

“Would love it (a Woodside flag), would be a great thing.”