INSIDE THIS EDITION… TEEN FUNK BAND ROCKS ON, PAGE 8
18 SEPTEMBER - 1 OCTOBER, 2026
BELLARINE’S NUMBER ONE NEWSPAPER
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Grand final buzz By Justin Flynn Ocean Grove and Queenscliff will fly the flag for the Bellarine Peninsula in this weekend’s local footy and netball grand finals. Ocean Grove is into a fifth straight Bellarine Netball League A Grade grand final and for the fifth time, will meet Geelong Amateur while Queenscliff takes on Torquay in a huge senior footy grand final from 2.15pm. A bumper program awaits at Newcomb’s Grinter Reserve on Saturday 19 September. It will all begin at 8am with the 13 & Under Division 2 and 15 & Under Division 2 netball deciders. While Ocean Grove will go into the match as underdogs, coach Mel Holmes said three consecutive premierships hadn’t dampened the hunger for more. “The team is different and the way we’ve got here has been different, but our approach remains the same,” she said. “We know what this week feels like and what it takes, and having been here before gives us something to draw on without taking anything for granted. “What probably stands out most for me is the hunger within this group. The way they want to play for each other is unmatched. There’s a genuine belief and connection between them, and they’re incredibly driven to make the most of the opportunity we’ve earned.” Holmes said the focus would be about playing the way the Grubbers want to play. “At this point you don’t want to overcomplicate things,” she said. “We know how we want to play, we know what our strengths are and we trust each other. “Our focus this week has really been about sharpening the things we do well and making sure we go into the game connected, composed and ready to compete. We’ve done the work so now it’s about backing ourselves.” Ammos won the second semi-final match-up by 12 goals and were always in control. But another opportunity awaits for the Grubbers and Holmes said the team was ready to absorb the inevitable challenge. “Probably that when the pressure goes
Ocean Grove’s Georgia Ryan in between Geelong Amateur’s Keisha Guilmartin and Georgia Duncan (rear) with Queenscliff skipper Caleb Whiteley and Torquay’s Ben McNamara. (Ivan Kemp)
up, we need to stay really disciplined in how we want to play,” she said. “There were periods where we moved away from what works for us and tried to force things rather than staying patient.”
The weather forecast is favourable with a top temperature of 22 degrees for Geelong and mostly sunny conditions with light winds becoming northwesterly during the morning.
See page 22 for starting times and
match-ups and pages 26 and 27 for what the four clubs’ captains had to say during the week.
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