The opening football contest of the day at Memorial Park at Deniliquin saw the dominant Blues face up to second-placed Berrigan in search of the junior flag.
While Picola easily handled the Saints in the regular season, it quickly became clear that wouldn’t be the case in the title fight.
In fact, the lethal attack of the Blues was held entirely at bay in the opening term and the minor premier couldn’t notch a single point.
Meanwhile, Berrigan displayed pinpoint accuracy in its own attacking raids, kicking three straight in the period for an early lead.
Picola recovered in the second period and began to display the form that led it to a perfect record.
The first Blues goal sailed through before half-time, while this time it was Berrigan held scoreless as Picola halved the deficit.
However, it was to be Berrigan’s day, which quickly became apparent in the third when the Saints kicked four goals and masterminded another scoreless Picola quarter.
The Blues tried to fight back in the final term, but found the Saints score a bridge too far, Berrigan claiming the flag 8.3 (51) to 4.5 (29).
League best-and-fairest and golden boot winner Beau Griffiths was again a key force for the Blues, kicking three of his side’s four goals, but it wasn’t enough to cap a powerful season with the flag.
Jaz Von Luederss also hit the target for Picola, while Hudson Ware was Berrigan’s leading scorer with three goals.
The Game
Scores
Picola United: 0.0, 1.3, 1.3, 4.5 (29)
Berrigan: 3.0, 3.0, 7.2, 8.3 (51)
Goals
Picola United: Beau Griffiths 3, Jaz Von Luederss
Berrigan: Hudson Ware 3, Nicholas Arnold 2, Jack Phillips, Jordan Swann, Jace Willemsen
Best
Picola United: Maxwell Holyman, Lachlan Nagle, Billy Baxter, Blair Watson, Reeve Sellarrs, Will McNair
Berrigan: Jordan Swann, Jack Arnold, Hudson Ware, Tully Ryan, Jack Phillips, Dustin Ryan
14°C