Match reviews via Warragul Drouin Gazette, written by Davyd Reid.
Neerim South have sensationally dropped their first match of the season in a dramatic second semi final at Lang Lang, Buln Buln making the most of their early advantage to hold on and win 7-7 (49) to 4-10 (34).
Most at the venue would have expected the Cats to continue their winning form and advance, but the in-form Buln Buln were every chance with hosting president Chris Brew pointing out he had been impressed with the Lyrebirds’ strength around the stoppages in their encounters during the season.
In a massive free kick for Buln Buln early, Tyssen Morrow was sent from the field for an alleged kicking action behind the play which would see him sit out for 10 minutes and put the Cats a player down.
A further blow came for the Cats as Josh White was stretchered off with a knee injury, taken straight into the rooms to take no further part in the game and put the remainder of his season in doubt. Sam Langford scored a long goal from a free kick to begin a first quarter run of five goals to nil.
Lyrebirds coach Bob McCallum converted from a mark at the top of the square and also had his hand in their third, dishing off to Jack Symes for a running goal.
A Nathan Tutton snap from the pack drifted through before Langford snapped from the pack for another, the now shellshocked Cats facing a five goal deficit at the first change.
The match began to tighten but the margin would ultimately be a bridge too far for the Cats, who continued to gradually cut the margin in the second half to ensure the Lyrebirds would need to continue to work for the victory.
The Cats finally broke their deadlock in the second term and did it in style with goal of the day. Captain Kody Wilson took the intercept and found Chris Urie, who turned left and then right to snap truly.
Matthew Stevens put in an impressive goal of his own at the other end, his roving left foot snap clearing the line to maintain the advantage. Hayden Baker converted from a free kick for some high contact to begin the third term.
But the likes of Lachlan Guy, Cooper Clancy, Kody Wilson, Brock Dorling, Matthew Edwards and Nick Caddy ensured the Cats would continue to press.
Wilson found Lachlan Bambridge in the pocket, with his shot drifting back through to begin a run of three consecutive goals to see the Cats head into the final change 20-points adrift and back in the contest.
But the Lyrebirds would prove to steady, led by the likes of Trent Baker, Matthew Gray, Brandon Allen, Matthew Stevens, Thomas Axford and Jake Herbel in a dour final term where neither side were able to add a major.
Their cause wasn’t helped with Sam Batson going down with a shoulder injury, his day done with the stretcher initially called for and making its way onto the ground.
Indeed Buln Buln would be kept scoreless after the final change, the Cats failing to make the most of their opportunities to add five behinds to ultimately see the Lyrebirds advance to the grand final.
Ellinbank continued its hot finals form, with a third quarter surge helping the Eagles move past Trafalgar and send the Bloods out in straight sets.
Following a frenetic opening half that realised 15 goals, 10 of those coming in a ballistic opening term, the Eagles kicked five goals to one in the third term to open a handy buffer on the way to winning 15-7 (97) to 10-12 (72).
Dylan Farrell found Damian Mann on the lead for the opening goal of the game before momentum swung to Ellinbank, who added the next three majors.
Tom Johnson pulled in a strong mark to get the Eagles moving and was soon in the action again, sending the ball long towards Shaun Phelan with Adam Cook able to crumb their second.
Johnson would ultimately finish with five goals in a best afield performance, also bobbing up to assist around the ground where required.
Phelan converted after receiving high contact and it was Matthew Swenson to arrest the momentum for Trafalgar, finding plenty of space for his first.
A 50-metre penalty to Tim Mashado gifted Ellinbank another goal before Jake Dean got in on the act for their fifth.
The Bloods would hit back with a momentum swing of their own, Sam Wyatt getting it started as he broke the 50 metre arc and with only grass between him and goal, he rolled it through.
A brilliant checkside from the pocket from Matthew Devon continued the momentum before a Farrell snap from the top of the square saw the Bloods into the lead at the first change.
Scoring slowed somewhat in the second term as Ellinbank edged ahead, Nathan Paredes shaking a hard tag from Chris Kyriacou to go off the ground from the pack in the goal square.
Mashado converted from the league but small forward Devon was looking dangerous, and he scored one from space over the back to keep the Bloods in touch.
Daniel Risol was sent forward in a surprise move but it paid dividends as he put through the Eagles’ eighth.
Blake Radford converted from a free kick as Trafalgar went to the sheds with just a threepoint deficit, the likes of Mitch Virtue and Connor Noonan getting amongst it to keep their side in the hunt.
Darcy Brock roved smartly to put Trafalgar in front early in the third term, however Ellinbank would control the contest from there as they put through the next five majors.
Mashado roved smartly, Johnson added two goals in two minutes and Paredes took a bounce and the goal following a good dish off from Johnson as the match began to slip away from the Bloods.
Cook marked and converted from 30 metres to complete the surge, Ben Wragg instrumental in setting his side up from defence with Michael Urie providing opportunities forward of centre.
Johnson would add the first two goals of the final term to ultimately kill the contest, the Bloods finishing with consolation goals through the agency of Mann and Devon.
The questions on most football fans’ lips prior to this preliminary final were around whether Tarwin, the team that sat atop the MGFNL ladder for almost every week of the year, could stop the unbelievable run of success enjoyed by Yinnar over the past month and a half.
The Magpies may have fallen into sixth spot on the back of some lucky results, but there was no doubting their belief.
They proved they deserved their place in the grand final, continuing to go from strength to strength, with a 16.10-106 to 10.4-64 win over Tarwin.
Yinnar coach Daniel Taylor praised another outstanding performance by his boys.
“We came in with a plan to put it on Tarwin early, as we thought they’d be feeling the pressure,” Taylor said. “To their credit, they came out firing and really put the pressure on us early.”
Yinnar settled and worked themselves into the game, with Taylor stating the team was “probably lucky to be within a kick” at quarter time.
“After quarter time, the boys got to work and really started to dominate the game,” he said. “Our tackling pressure was right up, which was led by the midfield group. And then our decision making and ball use going forward was fantastic.”
Taylor said it was “just another really good team effort right across the board”, noting that was what was needed at this time of year to win big games of footy.
“We’ve had our backs to the wall a lot this season, but the character, fight and determination the group has shown all season has been second to none. I’m just super proud and the boys deserve the opportunity to play in the big one this weekend,” he said.
Taylor also gave a shout out to the Tarwin boys and coach Troy Hemming.
“They’re a really good team, and Troy’s done a really good job to get them to the pointy end of the season in his first year at the club,” he said. “On Saturday, we really threatened to open the game up and completely kick away, but they showed some fight and kept coming at us all day, which is a credit to them. I think they will be right in the mix again, come next year.”
The result was obviously not what the Sharks wanted. However, for a young group, the potential is obvious to the coach of the year.
Hemming reflected, “Yinnar just had a little bit more experience than us, they have a lot of quality players”.
“We made some critical errors in bad areas of the ground,” he said. “Ben Ellen, our captain, left everything on field and shows why he is captain of the team of the year. Noah Bee-Hickman fought hard all day.”
“We are a very young group and it’s been a privilege to coach these boys this year,” Hemming added. “They have developed, and they have developed me. Love them like a family.”
It can be heartbreaking for a side that finishes on top to be bundled out in straight sets, but this year is like no other. The margin for error that determines a win or loss is so small that you might not have lost but just been behind when the final siren has gone.
As good as the entire season has been, you cannot help but be excited at what lies ahead on Saturday at the Morwell East football ground as Newborough now prepare to take on Yinnar.
Match review via multiple publications, written by Rob Popplestone.
Match review via Latrobe Valley Express/Gippsland Times, written by Scott Berechree.
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