By DAVID NAGEL
PERENNIAL powerhouses Narre Warren and Berwick dominated the Casey Cardinia league curtain raisers at Edwin Flack Reserve on Saturday.
The Narre Warren reserves made it back-to-back flags with an emphatic 83-point victory over Pakenham and will now look to emulate the Doveton side which clinched its third consecutive premiership in 2009.
The Magpies were wildly inaccurate in the first half but kicked 13.4 to the Lions’ 3.3 after the main break to run out convincing winners.
Stewart Scanlon kicked five and Andy Vella three for the premiers while Ben Carter was superb in a best-on-ground display.
The Magpies’ under 19s also made it back-to-back titles with a 58-point premiership victory over Berwick.
The Wickers led at quarter time but the Magpies kicked six goals to none in the second quarter to set up the win.
“It means a hell of a lot, I love doing what I’m doing and I’ve got great kids who want to listen,” Narre coach Matt Shinners said.
Corey Machaya, Kurt Mutimer and Jackson Bianco kicked three each for the winners, while Brent Urwin was named best on ground by the umpires.
Inaccurate kicking at goal couldn’t stop Berwick from winning a four-point thriller over Narre Warren in the under 17s.
The Wickers trailed – 2.16 (28) to 5.3 (33) – at three quarter time but goals to Luke Nelson and Trent Thomas saw coach Russel Trait join his son and captain Jarryd on the premiership dais.
“We’ve had some great contests against Narre, last year was the same story, but they’re a great bunch of kids, they’ve got some great character, those boys, they’ll play some good footy going forward,” a respectful Russell Trait said.
Jonathon Bishop and Mat McLardy joined Nelson and Trait as Berwick’s best.
