FINALS REVIEW – Men’s Premier Division

Image courtesy of North Shore Media.

 

Article by Michael Shillito.

There is always a sense of anticipation when the finals come around. The teams that have struggled this season are out, and only the elite performers are left. The stakes are high with every game.

 

QUALIFYING FINAL

North Shore – 4.1 7.7 11.12 15.16 (106)
UNSW Eastern Suburbs – 4.3 6.4 8.6 8.8 (56)
Goals – North Shore – H Carr 6, A McConnell 2, L Smailes 2, J Campbell, S Barkley, K Latham, W Bradley, L Hayres. UNSW-ES – J Hardman 2, J McLean 2, S Pollock, D Cordell, T Banuelos, J Robbie.
Best – North Shore – S Barkley, H Carr, J McKenzie, W Bradley, A McConnell, H MacDonald. UNSW-ES – T Banuelos, J McLean, M Thompson, D Cordell, N Reinhard, M Lower.

 

The finals began at Blacktown on Saturday afternoon with the Qualifying Final between UNSW Eastern Suburbs and North Shore. The Bulldogs went into the game in second spot and had beaten the Bombers twice this season including a comfortable win in the last round, while the Bombers finished third after the home and away season.

UNSW Eastern Suburbs looked to establish some dominance over the Bombers in the early stages with two goals in the first five minutes, creating an 18-point lead midway through the quarter. As the term went on, the Bombers began to work their way back into the contest, kicking the last three goals of the quarter. The teams finished with four goals apiece, and the Bulldogs led by just two points at the first change.

The second term proved to be close. The Bulldogs were in front but were hanging on for dear life. The Bombers lifted and kept the ball in their forward line for extended periods of the game, but struggled to find the big sticks. It was an arm-wrestle between the two sides, with the Bulldogs desperately working to stay in front as the Bombers kept coming.

Eventually the weight of possession took its toll and the Bombers were able to take the lead. A quarter of three goals to two opened up a lead of nine points at the long break.

It had taken until time-on in the second term for the Bombers to take the lead, but finally the dam wall was broken. North Shore were getting the better of the contests around the ground and despite some wasteful finishing up forward, the tide was running the Bombers’ way. The Bulldogs found themselves starved of attacking opportunities and the quarter would yield four goals to two in favour of the Bombers, extending the lead to 24 points at three quarter time.

The Bulldogs had struggled in the third quarter. Coach Steven Pollock let fly with a three-quarter time spray which could be heard from the grandstand. Frustration was setting in at the Bulldogs and there would be no way back. They continued to fumble and struggle through a final quarter, not scoring a goal.

The final margin was 50 points in favour of the Bombers, reversing last week’s result and seeing the Bombers making it through to the Second Semi-Final.

Harry Carr was in top gear on the forward line, contributing six goals for the Bombers. Sam Barkley and Jimmy McKenzie were also among the Bombers’ best.

It was a solid all-round team performance by the Bombers. The win puts them into the Second Semi-Final next week, where they will play off against Sydney University to be the first team into this year’s Grand Final.

Tom Banuelos, Jake McLean and Michael Thompson worked hard all day for the Bulldogs, continuing to put the effort in when things were not running their way. But for the Bulldogs, after being in the top two for most of the year, they now find themselves in the sudden death zone, needing to win all of the three remaining games to take this year’s flag.

 

ELIMINATION FINAL

Pennant Hills – 6.7 12.11 14.12 20.16 (136)
St George – 4.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 (50)
Goals – Pennant Hills – N Hey 6, M Carey 3, T Edmonds 2, T Wales, K Briggs, J Stern, M Preen, M Thomas, R Ediriwickrama, A Crisfield, J Potter, L Skrivanic. St George – Ryan 2, L Maze, B Guthrie, D Lycakis, B Jones, J Mudge.
Best – Pennant Hills – N Hey, J Potter, J Hare, R Ediriwickrama, S Wray, J Stern. St George – N Shipley, T Martin, E Shaw, B Jones, B McParland, D Michalak.

 

The Bulldogs’ opponent in the sudden-death First Semi-Final will be Pennant Hills, after the Demons qualified in style with a convincing 86-point win over St George in the Elimination Final at Blacktown on Sunday afternoon.

Both teams had endured inconsistent seasons. The Dragons were looking good two-thirds of the way through the season, but three losses in their last four games had cost them a shot at the double-chance. The Demons with a few weeks to go were in serious danger of missing the finals, but managed to scrape through.

When the game got under way, both sides threw caution to the wind, making the first quarter a high-scoring shootout. Both teams were keen to make hay while the sun shone, but dark clouds on the horizon were roaring closer.

The ball was still dry, conditions were good and the scoreboard was ticking over quickly. The Demons had the better of the play around the ground and with six goals to four in the first term they held a 17-point quarter-time lead.

The Demons looked the stronger team but the Dragons kept themselves in the hunt, coming up with the goals they needed to stay within striking distance. During the second term, the wind was picking up and the Demons were kicking with it.

As the second quarter progressed, the Dragons struggled to keep up with the Demons, who were still running hard and controlling the tempo of play. Even when the rain arrived, the Demons were handling the ball with ease and achieving scoreboard reward for their efforts. Six goals to three in favour of the Demons extended their lead to 37 points at the long break.

Conditions had deteriorated by the time the two sides returned for the second half, with the ball and the ground both very slippery. Running players were getting bogged and marks were all but impossible to hold. For St George, out of form and already many goals behind, the coming of the rain was a body blow from which they would not recover

The third quarter was a scrappy term of footy in wild conditions. The Dragons were unable to make any dent in the deficit, and went backwards as the Demons would score the only two goals of the quarter. With a 48-point lead at three quarter time, the Demons were safe.

Nick Hey was outstanding on the forward line for the Demons, kicking six goals in a best-on-ground performance, while Jackson Potter and Jesse Hare also featured prominently. A big win in the final round, then another big win in this final, and the Demons have hit their best form this season. Making it through to the second week of finals, they have improved on last year’s result.

Craig Shipley, Travis Martin and Earl Shaw never gave up for the Dragons and kept working until the end. For St George it was a disappointing afternoon. One of the favourites before the season started, the Dragons struggled with consistency all season.