Seconds Premiership 2023/24

Winning Grand Finals isn’t easy. Just ask Moonee Valley’s Second Eleven. Making finals isn’t easy. You can ask Moonee Valley’s Second Eleven that question too.

The 2023/24 season was a tough road for our Seconds. Nothing came easy, but a strong finish to the back half of the year and a gutsy finals campaign made it all worthwhile – the Premiership.

                                                 

Our victorious Seconds. L-R: Back - scorer Brendan Rhodes, Mitchell Higgs, Paul Sevenson, Mark Gauci, Jason Walsh, Luka Anderson, Jordy Walsh, Tom Morrissy. Front - Henry Thomas, Dom Gibaldi, Jim Polonidis, Geoff McKeown, Zac Nilsson and Oscar McKeown.

We came from a long way back to even make the finals. The scorecard indicates we were comprehensively beaten in Rounds 8 and 9. Then we had a tie in Round 10.

A reverse outright in Round 11 boosted our chances after we blew it in the first innings, then a tense final round which went down to the last over got us across the line – whoever won out of Moonee Valley and Footscray Angliss made the finals. It was us.

Moonee Valley's Seconds won the 2023/24 flag after prevailing in a nail-biter over Melton South on a dodgy pitch.

The March 16/17 result was in the balance up to the end, before a superb bowling spell by man of the match Jim Polonidis snuffed out Melton South's hopes 11 runs short of our modest total.

Jim took 5/31 and also scored a direct hit runout from side-on. Melton South appeared to be well on track at 4/79 chasing our 110, but then Jim changed up the gears.

A reverse outright in Round 11 helped us sneak into the finals in fourth spot, after we played the winner-takes-all sudden-death match v Footscray Angliss in Round 12 – we were both equal on points. We reeled in their target with four balls to go.

After a tough run to even make the finals, we then knocked off the top team Gellibrand in the Semi.

We were under the pump in the Grand Final when Tom Morrissy, fresh from his 6/26 heroics in the Semi, went down while batting and suffered a dislocated shoulder. We finished the innings nine down for 110 while he was in hospital.

Moonee Valley’s batting never really got going at any stage. The pitch was diabolical, and not conducive to playing any shots. Even survival was a problem, as the ball was doing crazy things.

We lost our first wicket in the ninth over with the score at 9, after Henry Thomas had absorbed 27 balls without scoring. We lost our second wicket at 11 after 13 overs – Geoff McKeown also absorbing 10 balls for no score.

Opener Zac Nilsson lasted until the 48^th over and 129 balls for his 24, by which time we were 6/73. Paul Sevenson faced a lot of dot balls, but also hit six 4s on his way to an innings-high 40.

Batting at No. 9, Tom Morrissy hit a four off his second ball, then dislocated his shoulder one ball later and retired hurt. Jordy Walsh and Jim Polonidis added a crucial seven runs to see out the innings.

Melton South bowled an astounding 28 maidens in their 62 overs, a testament to how hard it was to score.

Defending just 110, we were going to have to be at our best.

And we didn't have Tommy's bowling - but not to matter. On a deteriorating pitch, Jimmy Pol bowled us to victory with his magnificent 5/31, backed up by wickets from Mitchell Higgs and Zac Nilsson (2 each).

Mitch Higgs opened the bowling, for a tidy single as the openers checked out the pitch. Coming on from the other end, Jim Polonidis struck in his first over, with a successful LBW off the fifth ball of a wicket maiden.

Mitch gave up two singles in his next over, before clean bowling the other opener off the fifth ball to leave Melton South reeling at 2/3.

Their No. 3 absorbed 60 balls for his four runs before he was fourth man out in the 21^st over – the victim of Pola’s great runout.

The other bats pushed on the run rate, with the No. 4 going for a run-a-ball 18 and they got to 4/79 in the 30^th.

Jim secured the umpire’s nod for an LBW shout, then the incoming bat clobbered him for a first-ball six to take the score to 85 – just 25 runs short. Melton South had obviously decided that hitting out was the best way to reach the target.

Zac Nilsson got the big hitter LBW in the next over without him adding to his score.

Jim and Zac then dispatched the last three batters for 10 runs, Jim fittingly finishing off the resistance with another LBW shout.

Melton South had lost 6/20 to collapse when it seemed to have all the answers.

The victory had great merit, with six of our team being aged 18 and under. The other five were in the veterans class, including 400-gamer Mark Gauci, Jim Polonidis' 350 games of experience and Geoff McKeown bringing up his 200th game in the decider.

With the young players now experiencing Grand Final pressure, and two other teens playing in the Firsts Grand Final, we're in good hands for the future.

two other teens playing in the Firsts Grand Final, we're in good hands for the future.
***To see more pictures and other reports, click HERE