By Marcus Uhe
Dreams will become reality and hearts will be broken at Starling Road on Saturday 23 September with Officer Recreation Reserve chosen to host the Outer East Football Netball League’s premier division football and netball grand finals.
The league announced all finals venues for all three divisions on Thursday 10 August with the Division Two finals beginning on August 19.
Healesville will host the Division One deciders, including the White division junior netball competitions, on Sunday 17 September, and Yarra Glen the Division Two equivalent, with Woori Yallock on standby as a back-up venue, should the Yarra Glen showgrounds not be available.
Blue Division junior netball and the Under 19s football grand finals will also be played at Starling Road on 23 September.
Officer Football Club president Lachlan Balzary said the day will be a great opportunity for the football club and the town to show what Officer has to offer.
“We thought it would be a great opportunity to showcase our new rooms and new facility, and we believe that we’ve got great facilities at our venue and around our venue, with the ability to have parking,” Balzary said.
“We had great success in 2015 and 2016 hosting grand finals at Officer in the past, and we’re really excited for the opportunity to do it again.
“Officer has probably changed a lot since we last hosted a big event like this. To be able to get the opportunity to facilitate that, and hopefully have a great day of football, is a really exciting prospect for not only us, but the greater community.
“Hopefully we get a great turnout from locals and the club’s that are in it, and we make it a really big day for the league and us as a club as well, and Officer as a community.”
With only one home game remaining for Officer in the home and away season, Balzary is confident the playing surface will be in excellent condition for the big occasion.
“The long-range forecast has it at 21 degrees,” he said with optimism.
“I don’t know how accurate that is a month out, but fingers crossed it will be something like that, and we can make it a real showcase of local football talent.”
The decisions open the door to the possibility of Narre Warren and Healesville playing home finals in the first week and the Bloods playing in a home grand final, should they progress that far.
FULL FINALS VENUES ALLOCATION
PREMIER DIVISION
Qualifying and elimination finals Saturday 2 September: Kalora Park (Narre Warren) and Chandler Reserve (Emerald).
Semi finals Saturday 9 September: Officer Recreation Reserve (Officer) and Chandler Reserve (Emerald).
Preliminary final Saturday 16 September: Yarra Junction Recreation Reserve (Yarra Junction).
Grand final Saturday 23 September: Officer Recreation Reserve (Officer).
DIVISION ONE
Semi finals Sunday 3 September: Woori Yallock Reserve (Woori Yallock) and Don Road Complex (Healesville).
Preliminary final Sunday 10 September: Woori Yallock Reserve (Woori Yallock).
Grand final Sunday 17 September: Don Road Complex (Healesville).
DIVISION TWO
Semi finals Saturday 19 August: Woori Yallock Reserve (Woori Yallock) and Yarra Junction Recreation Reserve (Yarra Junction).
Preliminary final Saturday 26 August: Harley Hammond Reserve (Broadford).
Grand final Saturday 2 September: Yarra Glen Showgrounds (Yarra Glen).
