The top three teams in this competition have nearly been inseparable this season, and with Police Boys having already won through to the Grand Final, West End and Combined Saints were looking to win the other spot in next week's Grand Final.
West End got off to a good start, getting the ball out of the middle, and within 90 seconds nearlyhad the first goal of the game, except for the ball hitting the post. It wasn't long before Combined Saints were able to get the ball into their forward line, and with Flynn "Buddy" Shields and his trusty left foot slotting it through. This goal got the Combined Saints players going, as Tom Harris bounced on a loose ball, and casually kicked it on the outside of his right foot to score their second goal. Not long after, it was Flynn "Buddy" Shields again, sending it long from 30 metres out, over the pack with a kind bounce to score his second of the term. Nathan Harrup and Cooper McGregor were next to get into the act, both snapping truly for Combined Saints and hold a handy five goal lead. West End players never stopped trying, and were duly rewarded with the last goal of the quarter to Colby Kennedy, trailing 33 to 8 at quarter time.
The second quarter was a complete reversal, as West End got the jump to continue with the momentum of the goal to end the first quarter, dominating play in this term and notch the first goal of the quarter. With Tye Hourigan, League Best & Fairest Winner starting to dominate around the ground, he was able to kick his team's third goal and close the margin to within two goals.Brody Deering was unlucky to hit the post, but Tye Hourigan kicked his second for the quarter, and West End kept the opposition goal-less for the term, to trail by 5 points at half time.
The third quarter saw some brilliant football and teamwork from both teams. Combined Saints seized control of this quarter early, with "Buddy" Shields kicking the forst two goals of the quarter, the first being in the wrong pocket for a left footer 25 metres out, but managed to squeeze it through! The diminitive Tommy Harris finished off some good qork by his teammates, extedning the lead back out to four goals. The West End kids kept plugging away, and were rewarded with a goal to Josh Wardle against the run of play, but guess who, "Buddy" Shields pops up and snags his fifth for the game. Combined Saints Damien Hough highlighted the perfect crumbing of a marking contest, being front and square, collecting the ball and slotting another goal, followed by Nathan Harrup weaving a side-stepping the defence to score another goal. The tireless work of Tye Hourigan was rewarded when he kicked his third goal of the game from a strong pack mark, keeping the deficit to just under 5 goals.
West End were looking for a good start to the quarter, but Combined players had other ideas, as Marsh tapped the ball to Harrup, who found Shields, and he calmly slotted his 6th for the game to just about put the game out of reach within 15 seconds of the restart. Liam Deering and Jacob Lambert goaled for West End to keep them in the hunt. For much of the last quarter, the ball was played between both half back lines as neither team was able to penetrate. Nathan Harrup popped up and slotted another for Combined, and Riley Murdoch managed to kick the last goal of the game, with Combined Saints holding on to win by 22 points in a terrific game, adn earn a spot in the Grand Final against Police Boys.
Last Modified on 28/08/2011 00:40