Having played each other twice late in the season, and TEDAS knocking off Glengarry in the Prelim, the TEDAS boys were hoping to avoid a repeat of 2009 when the same circumstances presented.
Combined Saints got the first score of the game, a point. As in the previous two games, this game was no different, as both backlines withstood much pressure to prevent each other from scoring and looked like it was going to take something special to get the first goal. And that is what happened, with Combined's Brock "Mr. Smooth" Thompson taking a courageous mark with the flight of the ball at the half forward line, playing on straight away and sending it long to a vacant goal square with a kind bounce, it managed to cross the line before others had time to get back. Paul Kuol and Ricky Cochrane were doing a greta job for TEDAS, and it was long before they were rewarded, with a strong mark to Mitch Membrey 25 metres out, who calmly slotted through their first goal. Minutes later, Jack "Sandilands" White picked up the loose ball, and with a handball to his Co-Captain Blake Ward, he managed a short pass to Tate "Rolla" Marsh, who in turn found his partner in crime, Connor "Rex" Ambler who goaled. "Rolla" Marsh popped in again just before quarter time, collecting the ball at the top of the square to snap truly and give Combined a lead of 21 to 7 at the first break.
In the second quarter, Combined kicked the first goal after a greta smother from Trae Creighton, where "Sandilands" White swooped on the loose ball, chipping a nice pass to Joel Phelan, who goaled with his trusty left foot on a tight angle. Riley Loprese was giving his all for TEDAS and was unlucky not to score a goal soon after. The resultant kick-in saw Marsh collect the ball at half back, where he passed to Ward, who was able to move it on to Phelan, giving it on to "Sandilands" White who burst through the pack to kick a goal. Combined Saints defence was once again being very frugal as it had been all year, with many attacks forward beginning from the backline, with Jackson McMahon collecting another possession, finding his mate Ward, who gace it back to pass to White, then Marsh, Thain and Phelan, with the ball ending up with Ambler who goaled to finsih off some great team work. Soon after, big Jack White found himself forward, taking a strong pack mark and calmly slotted through his second for the quarter. The TEDAS team were making changes to maintain possession, and just before half time, Kade "The Flea" Duncan chimed in with a solo effort, taking on the defenders and kicking a much needed goal for his team, reducing the margin to 47 to 15.
The third quarter was much the same as the first, as both teams came out refreshed and there were no goals kicked in the first ten minutes of the quarter due to the tight marking of both defences. Combined managed the first goal of the quarter when Ambler took a lovely contested mark, passing to his mate Marsh, who goals from 10 metres out. Not long after, McMahon delivered the ball to Ambler whose shot at goal was marked by Marsh deep in the pocket, where he unselfishly found "Mr Smooth" Thompson, who kicked his second. This seemed to spark TEDAS into action, as "The Flea" Duncan collected a loose ball and found his ruckman in Loprese, who sent a long kick forward, where Matt "Ewok" Madsen took a strong mark and calmly slotted through his first goal of ther game. Not long after, Reece Pendlebury found himself with the ball, and with a good strong run and carry, his long kick found Mitch Membrey on the lead, who immediately played on and kicked truly to finish the quarter off, and reduce the margin by a point at the last change to 31 points.
With both Teams having given their final instructions, it was Combined Saints who got the first score of the quarter, with excellent ruck work in the middle by "Sandilands" White who found Phelan, with a handball onto "Rolla" Marsh who goaled within the first 30 seconds, just about closing the door on any hope TEDAS might have had making a comeback. The ball was back in the Combined forward line soon after, where an over the shoulder snap by Krieger was marked by Joel Phelan, who kicked another goal. TEDAS responded almost immediately as the boys never gave up, and with a quick handball from Mitch Membrey, he found Dean Jones who kicked a much needed goal for TEDAS. With less than 10 minutes remaining, Joel Phelan found himself with the ball again, and his deadly left foot put paid to any possible comeback by TEDAS when he kicked his third. TEDAS showed their true spirit by fighting th game to the end, kicking the next two goals with Kilgower getting one, and Mitch Membrey his third, whihc is a remarkable effort considering he was on crutches and wearing a "moonboot" for the week! The icing on the cake for Combined Saints came when Jack "Sandilands" White crumbed the marking contest like a "seagull would swoop on a chip" and kicked his 3rd goal of the contest. Matty "Boof" Bond from Combined kicked the last goal of the game, with Combined Saints running out winners 14-9-93 to 7-6-48 in a terrific game of footy.
Best on Ground as judged by the Umpires was Combined Saints Connor "Rex" Ambler.
Best players,
Combined Saints - Great Team Effort
TEDAS - Mitch Membrey, Riley Loprese, Ricky Cochrane, Jack Moon, Jake Frith, Aaron Patmore, Paul Kuol
Last Modified on 05/09/2011 12:20