In our year-in-review special, Weekly sports reporter Lance Jenkinson looks back at 10 big sports moments of 2013 …
And after you read on, check out our Sports Pictures of the Year – Mega gallery.
FALCONS TAKE FLIGHT
City West Falcons’ supremacy in the Victorian Netball League championship division continued with a premiership repeat.
The Falcons made it back-to-back titles when they pipped Peninsula Waves 44-41 in an intense grand final at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.
Falcons coach Marg Ling rated it the greatest triumph in the club’s history because it was a younger squad than the season before, one that was missing bookends Kath Knott and Peta Fay.
The Falcons claimed the 19-and-under spoils, making it nine of a possible 15 premierships across three grades in the competition’s five-year history.
PICTURE GALLERY: City West Falcons win premiership
MATCH REPORT: Falcons soar to VNL premiership
’SCRAY BREAK THE ICE
Footscray came from the clouds to claim its first Lacrosse Victoria men’s state league title.
The ’Scray qualified for the finals in fourth and was rank underdog heading into September.
No one gave it a chance, but the side hit top form at just the right time to create club history.
The fairytale was completed with a 10-7 win over Surrey Park in the grand final at Lakeside Stadium.
Footscray was also premier in the women’s state league after a 9-6 win over Newport.
PICTURE GALLERY: Footscray v Surrey Park men’s grand final
MATCH REPORT: Footscray men win first title
PICTURE GALLERY: Footscray v Newport women’s grand final
MATCH REPORT: Footscray women beat Newport
PRODUCTION LINE
A number of western suburbs-aligned players made it to the AFL via the national and rookie drafts.
James Sicily was the only current Western Jets player drafted when Hawthorn used pick 56 on the forward.
Johnny Rayner, a former Jet and talented sportsman who took the athletics route, gets a second chance in the AFL system after being rookie listed by Essendon.
In a signal of the strength of the Werribee-North Melbourne alignment, two Tigers, Ben Brown and father-son selection Luke McDonald, made their way to North’s primary list through the draft.
Werribee Devils basketballer Michael Luxford was picked up by Geelong as a category B rookie because, like Rayner, he had not been registered in an AFL competition for three years.
ROOSTERS FIRE
Altona Roosters had the pre-season from hell with their clubrooms burning down and years of history turning to ashes.
In a year that would be the ultimate test of the Roosters’ resilience, they didn’t let the setback keep them down for too long.
With the help of the local council, they erected portable clubrooms to get them through the season and would become stronger with record membership
numbers.
On the field, they were again one of the Victorian Rugby League’s glamour teams, making it through to another grand final.
They lost 36-16 to Sunbury United in a one-sided decider, but just making it to the big day was no mean feat for the Roosters in a year like no other.
PICTURE GALLERY: Altona Roosters v Sunbury United
MATCH REPORT: Altona Roosters lose VRL grand final
DROUGHT BROKEN
For the second year in a row, the biggest match on the WRFL division 1 calendar produced an unforgettable one-point cliffhanger finish at Chirnside Park in Werribee.
Deer Park stole victory with a late flourish to eclipse Spotswood in the grand final by the barest of margins.
The Woodsmen were inconsolable at the final siren and will be remembered for losing consecutive grand finals by single points.
The Lions were eyeing league domination when they assembled a matured-age squad and lived up to the hype under player-coach Marc Bullen, snapping a 19-year premiership drought.
PICTURE GALLERY: Deer Park v Spotswood WRFL grand final
MATCH REPORT: Deer Park premiers over Spotswood
LISTON UP
Liston Tennis Club took on the big boys of the Asia Pacific Tennis League and won.
The tiny club from Williamstown put western suburbs tennis on the map as it conquered all at Melbourne Park during the Australian Open.
Liston, captained by Dane Nebel, took down ATP Sydney four rubbers to two in a tense decider that had many twists and turns.
The big-serving Sam Groth was the headline act for the Seagulls.
PIONEERING THE WAY
Women’s football took a massive step forward when the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne featured in the first AFL-sanctioned match at the MCG.
The sides went hell for leather at the ’G, with Melbourne emerging victorious by 32 points. Number one draft pick Daisy Pearce was named best-on-ground for the Demons.
The Bulldogs were coached by Peta Searle.
PICTURE GALLERY: AFL women: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs
MATCH REPORT: Demons women dominate Bulldogs
DOUBLE DELIGHT
It was a year baseball in the western corridor is unlikely to forget for a while.
In a rare occurrence, Newport Rams and Williamstown Wolves, both playing in the same division, went away content with their lots after the season.
The Rams claimed the minor premiership and their young and talented list was promoted to the first division.
The Wolves spoiled the Rams’ finals party, though, pouncing on the premiership.
Melbourne Aces returned to Melbourne Ball Park in the 2012-13 season.
PICTURE GALLERY: Williamstown Wolves Baseball Victoria grand final
MATCH REPORT: Williamstown Wolves win premiership
HOME-GROWN HEROES
Yarraville-Footscray and its band of home-grown players won the Bowls Victoria division 1 title to earn promotion to the metro premier division.
The Bulldogs put Burwood District to the sword in an 84-61 mauling to erase the pain of their straight-sets finals exit a year earlier.
Coach Wayne Roberts placed his faith in local talent, and the move paid massive dividends.
It was a big year for Roberts, who won the prestigious Victorian Open men’s singles at his first attempt.
A CLASS ABOVE
Glenorden talked the talk and walked the walk in the WRFL division 2.
Hawks coach Nick Diker made no secret of his determination to bring silverware to the refurbished clubrooms at Heathdale Oval.
Second best is not an option when you have the likes of brothers Adem and Damien Yze, the latter booting 136 goals for the year, and Kent Kingsley, Chris Scudamore, Dash Barolli and Jesse Fortune on your side.
The Hawks outclassed everyone this season, capping off a dream campaign with a 43-point win over Parkside in the grand final at Chirnside Park.
PICTURE GALLERY: Glenorden v Parkside WRFL division 2
MATCH REPORT: Glenorden wins WRFL division 2 premiership
