AFL Sydney Men’s Premier Division Preliminary Final Preview – North Shore Bombers v St George Dragons

Image- Kerry Wynn

 

Written by Michael Shillito

 

Preliminary Final

North Shore Bombers v St George Dragons

Henson Park, Saturday 1:10pm

Just two games remain in the 2022 Mens Premier Division season. This Saturday at Henson Park is Preliminary Final Day. UNSW-ES have already qualified for the Grand Final, and they’ll be watching on with interest to see whether it is the Bombers or the Dragons who will be joining them for the big dance.

If you can’t get out to Henson Park for this, the next best thing is to catch the live stream on Kayo Sports and the AFL Sydney Facebook page. But there’s nothing like being there; and if you’re coming, don’t forget you’ll need to go online and snap up your tickets before you get to Henson.

It wasn’t the Preliminary Final that anyone who saw three-quarter time scores from last Sunday would have expected, but here we are. After the Bombers let a five-goal lead slip in the Major Semi-Final, and the Dragons were four goals behind in the Minor Semi-Final, two unlikely comebacks have brought these teams together.

For the Bombers, the Major Semi-Final was one that got away. Five goals ahead ticking into time-on in the third, still four goals ahead at three quarter time. But the Bombers slowed to a walk, failing to score in the last quarter, as the Bulldogs ran them down. Jake Veale and Ned Campbell kept working, but this has happened to the Bombers in finals in recent years more than once. But the double-chance gives them another opportunity. They live to fight another day, and have to make it count.

Then in the Minor Semi-Final, St George came from nowhere to run over Sydney Uni in the dying minutes and keep their season alive. Ben Jones and Tim Coenen were the standouts, experienced steady hands at the wheel who have kept the Dragons in contests so many times. The Dragons have built some impressive form in recent weeks; and the winning momentum continues to propel them forward. More often than not in recent seasons, we’ve seen the team that won the Minor Semi-Final continue on their winning way through the Preliminary Final; and the Dragons will fancy their chances here.

The teams have met twice already this season, with the home club getting up both times. St George prevailed by seven points at Olds Park in round eight, but the Bombers reversed that result at Gore Hill in round 15 to win by 33 points. This time we’re on neutral territory, there’s no tomorrow, and it’s now or never.

Both teams have come a long way this year. They’ve worked hard, often under adversity, to get here. But they haven’t come this far to only come this far. It’s been a long time since either of these clubs have drunk from a premiership cup. There’s an opportunity ahead, but only one of these clubs can succeed. The other will be lamenting an opportunity lost. With so much on the line, you can expect a tightly-fought contest. There’ll be celebrations for the winner, but those celebrations will be muted. For the winner, the true test is yet to come.