SYDNEY AFL FINALS WEEK 2 2012
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
The finals series continued under sunny skies; with windy conditions on Saturday and sensational Sunday weather. On the field at Blacktown, minor premiers UNSW-ES booked themselves a Grand Final berth, while North Shore’s season came to an end.
The second semi-final was played first, on the Saturday afternoon. Minor premiers UNSW-ES had enjoyed a week off last week, and were taking on Pennant Hills. The Demons came into the match in good form after back-to-back wins over North Shore.
It promised to be a closely-fought affair, and the first quarter lived up to that promise. The flukey wind made controlling the ball difficult, while both sides played a tightly-contested game. Only five goals were scored in the first quarter, with the Bulldogs leading by a kick at quarter time.
Bulldog coach Rhys McAllister had plenty to say to his charges at quarter time, keeping them in their huddle until well after the Demon players had already moved into their positions to start the second quarter. Had McAllister been able to speak for longer, he may have been able to warn about the danger of leaving opposition key forwards unchecked. In the first few minutes of the second term, Luke Bilbe marked on the 50 metre line, but finding no-one on the mark, Bilbe played on with two bounces before running into an open goal. And two minutes later, Bilbe was again in the thick of the action, roving a pack to snap another and put the Demons in front. Momentum was running the Demons’ way, and Dan Witt had a chance to add another but missed from close range.
The wind was getting stronger, balls moving unpredictably in the air. The Bulldogs got the ball down their end, but shots by Max Collett and Dane Rampe that normally would have been easily converted sailed agonisingly wide. Eventually Jeremy Kiel got one through to restore the lead for the Bulldogs, with Joel Robbie extending the margin to seven points shortly before half time.
A sensational snap by Mitch Crawford in the opening minutes of the third term levelled the scores. But the key break came during those early minutes of the third term, and it was the Bulldogs who opened up an advantage. Adam Gulden burst through the centre square, before shooting on the run from the 50 metre line and putting the ball through. Then it was time for key forward Leigh Lavery to stand and deliver. The competition leading goalkicker put his mark on the game, twice leading out to mark and give the Bulldogs a three-goal lead. Even with the Demons getting one goal back, the Bulldogs were 11 points clear at the last change.
Early in the last quarter, the Bulldogs were looking safe. Tom Williamson and Ben Way got themselves on the scoreboard, while at the other end the Demons were shooting and missing. The Bulldogs, 21 points ahead, looked to be cruising. Widmer got a goal back for the Demons, but at the 16 minute mark there were three Bulldogs and no Demons in the forward line after a stoppage; the three Bulldogs could have raffled it, but Lavery took the ball and kicked his fourth. With a 21-point lead, the contest looked dead and buried.
In the final moments, however, the Bulldogs visibly fatigued. James Dunn got a goal for the Demons, and the Demons lifted around the ground. Oscar Sidlo-Jones was brought down in a brilliant tackle in the centre, with Wray gathering the crumbs and going long for Crawford.
It had been a long day for the Bulldogs, and the run in their legs had gone. Forced to defend, chipping the ball around the backline, running down the clock. Marking defensively under pressure as the Demons launched raid after raid. Under siege, the Bulldog defence held their ground until the 27 minute mark; when Crawford kicked his third to bring the result back to within a kick.
But there would be no last-minute winner for the Demons, the Bulldogs hanging on for dear life to take the game by five points and book themselves a Grand Final place. Leigh Lavery kicked four for the Bulldogs, while Peter Kefalas, Adam Gulden and Max Collett were among their best. For the Demons, Kieran Wright, Cameron Smith and Luke Bilbe were prominent performers.
UNSW-ES will enjoy another week off, going straight into the Grand Final. The Demons have another chance to qualify, by going through the Preliminary Final. And their opponent in that game will be Balmain, after the Dockers ended North Shore’s season by 20 points at Blacktown on Sunday afternoon.
Veteran Troy Luff, now in the twilight of his career, has a long list of achievements in his footballing resume. But one reward that has eluded him is to play in a premiership. In the opening minute, the experienced Luff kick-started the Balmain push to the title as he showed plenty of strength to take a difficult contested mark, then go back and kick the goal, to give the Dockers an early lead.
Dale Fitzgerald quickly replied from the pocket; and the Bombers continued to attack. But they could only manage behinds, and never led by more than a kick. At the other end, two late Docker goals gave Balmain a lead they would not relinquish again for the afternoon.
The Bombers would rue missed opportunities as the behinds continued to mount up in the second term. The Dockers threatened to run away, but the Bombers kept themselves in contention; and had Tim Nash been able to convert a difficult shot from a tight angle as the half time siren sounded, the Bombers would have taken the lead into the rooms at the break.
The premiership quarter would prove decisive, as the Dockers would open up a match-winning lead. Coach Craig White was leading from the front, landing a long bomb from the 50 metre line, and within a minute of the restart the Dockers had extended their lead. A few minutes later, Conway set up Brad Plug, who fired off a quick handball, got it back and played on to score. Then a long, penetrating kick from Luff found Aaron Cottrell unmarked within scoring range. The Dockers were well in front, and the Bombers would have to pull out something special to get back in the contest.
The Bombers were forced to take risks, to roll the dice, but their luck was out. Although only 11 points behind at the last change, they never really looked a chance to get out of the game with a win. Every time the Bombers scored, the Dockers had the answers; and the Bombers needed to take risks, risks that didn’t come off. Like Nick Todd, marking on the 50 metre line; a distance too far for Todd on the set shot. His attempt to play on and get into goal-scoring range came horribly unstuck, symptomatic of his team’s performance in the quarter.
Frustration mounted, and Tim Schmidt was presented a yellow card. But for Balmain, it was a countdown to victory. When the siren sounded, the Dockers were 20 points clear. Balmain live to fight another day.
Kris Ericson, Jerome Farrell and Matthew Round had picked up plenty of the ball for the Dockers, instrumental in their success. For North Shore, Sam Carruthers, Ron Wason and Rory Pryor were among their best. But it was a disappointing day for the Bombers. Just three weeks ago, they were flying high on top of the ladder and surging into premiership favouritism. A loss in the last round cost the Bombers the minor premiership; and after straight-sets losses in the finals, the North Shore season comes to a premature end.
So just three teams remain. UNSW-ES will have the luxury of next week off, but will be watching with interest next Sunday as Pennant Hills and Balmain will fight it out for the right to join the Bulldogs in Sydney footy’s biggest day. Recent history is on Balmain's side; in eight of the last nine seasons, the team that won the First Semi Final has defeated the Second Semi Final loser in the Prelim Final.
Last Modified on 10/09/2012 10:08
