Hoppers Crossing powered to a 42-point win over Sunshine Kangaroos in the Western Region Football League division 1 reserves grand final at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.
The Warriors consigned the luckless Kangaroos to a third straight grand final defeat in the division.
The Warriors took to the podium as deserving premiers after finishing the home-and-away rounds two games clear on top of the ladder.
The sides went into the quarter-time break locked on a goal apiece, but the Warriors broke the game open in the next three quarters with 11 of the last 14 goals kicked.
In under-18 division 1, Spotswood proved again it is a strong breeding ground for young talent with a massive 119-point win over Deer Park in the grand final. Charles Bettiol booted seven goals for the Woodsmen.
And a week of drama ended in a shock grand final loss for Westbourne Grammarians in Victorian Amateur Football Association division 4 reserves.
The Warriors’ participation in the season decider was an on again, off again affair with the club not knowing until the middle of last week it would be taking part.
The VAFA had told preliminary final loser Point Cook it would be playing off in the grand final after it was revealed Westbourne had unknowingly used an unqualified player.
In a tremendous act of sportsmanship, the Bulldogs refused to take their place in the grand final, conceding it had lost the preliminary final to local rival Westbourne fair and square.
The mentally draining week might have had an impact on Westbourne.
The Warriors were raging hot favourites to beat Canterbury after going through the season undefeated, but it meant nothing on Saturday as they went down in the grand final by 20 points at Garvey Oval.
They struggled to find avenues to goal, kicking just seven for the match through two individuals, Arnel Davis (four goals) and Mitchell Gatti (three).
