Grand Final Review – Platinum Division
Written by Michael Shillito
It was a windy afternoon at Rosedale Oval on Saturday afternoon for the Platinum Division Grand Final, a match that saw Penrith Rams up against Southern Power.
The Rams had finished third after the regular season, while the Power finished fourth. But two upsets in the finals saw the top two teams eliminated; with the Rams overcoming Balmain by 10 points and the Power were untroubled in recording a 37-point win over minor premiers Macquarie Uni.
The match was played at a breakneck speed in the opening term, which quickly became a high-scoring shootout. And it was the Rams who had the bullets in the Armory as they raced out of the blocks to set up a match-winning lead in the first quarter.
The Power fired the first shot, with Nick Salter playing on in the forward 50 to get a score on the board after just 30 seconds. But it only took a few minutes for Mitchell Stevens to mark and get the game back on level terms. Two minutes later, the Power defence was bamboozled by the bounce of the ball, which then sat up for Phil Aumann to gather the ball inside the goal square and put the kick through.
Mitch Stevens got his second when a kick up forward caught the Power defenders up forward to add another. Stevens then had his third when he made the distance from outside the 50 metre arc, and the Rams were off to a flyer. Aumann’s second was on the board less than a minute later, when he scooped up an unattended football and snapped truly.
And still the ball kept being pumped forward by a rampant Rams midfield, who by now were in complete control of proceedings. Goal number six came when Brayden Wilson soccered a loose ball off the ground through the big sticks. Against the run of play, Salter got one back for the Power. But it was a rare lapse by the Rams, and their lead was quickly restored when Stevens marked in the pocket and stepped back to kick his fourth.
Eight goals to two in the first quarter, and the explosive opening by the Rams had set up an unassailable lead. Try as they might, there was no way back for the Power, and the Rams were happy to maintain the lead for the rest of the match.
It was two goals to one to the Rams in the second, stretching the margin to 41 points at the long break. A goal apiece in the third, and the Rams were already celebrating their premiership when they banged through three goals to one in the final quarter.
Mitch Stevens finished with six goals and Phil Aumann five; the dynamic duo forming an unstoppable combination up forward that kept the forward line pressure on and forced numerous turnovers from the Power defence. Brayden Wilson was awarded the best-on-ground medal, while James Devlin and Mitch Stevens also played key roles for the Rams. It hadn’t been a great day for the Power, but Wladimir Toro Illanes, Brad Pilkington and James Weir kept putting in the effort against the odds.
For the Power, it was a disappointing finish to the season. It had been a slow start to the season, and for much of the regular season there were no certainties to make the top four; but once they made it they were able to get to the Grand Final. However the dream of back to back premierships was not to be.
Instead it was the Rams who prevailed, their second premiership in the three year history of Platinum Division. Timing their run to perfection, they overcame a higher-ranked team to make it into the competition decider, and their opening quarter burst set up a premiership triumph that will be remembered and celebrated at the Foot of the Mountains for many years to come.
Match Results
Penrith 8.1 10.3 11.6 14.7 (91)
Southern Power 2.2 3.4 4.6 5.7 (37)
Goals:
Penrith – M. Stevens 6, P. Aumann 5, B. Wilson 2, Z. Lange.
Power – N. Salter 3, A. Wardrop, H. Wallis.
Best:
Penrith – B. Wilson, J. Devlin, M. Stevens, P. Aumann, L. Cooke, J. Ware.
Power – W. Toro Illanes, B. Pilkington, J. Weir, C. Davidson, A. Hooker, T. Van Greunsven.
At Rosedale Oval, Saturday 26th September 2020.
Keep up-to-date with all AFL Sydney related news by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
