The first game at No.1 Oval in Tamworth was the Minor Semi between the Tamworth Swans and the Gunnedah Bulldogs. For the loser it was good bye to season 2009 and for the winner a place in the Preliminary Final. The Swans won the toss and kicked with the aid of 5 goal wind in the first quarter. The Bulldogs kicked the opening goal of the day from Josh Hack and the crowd believed they looked like they had come to play. The Swans Jason Darcy kicked the next goal, but it was the Bulldogs playing the better. Up until the 14 minute mark of the first quarter the Bulldogs were holding the Swans, but this when the Swans started getting to the ball first and using the ball to better effect. The Swans kicked the next 5 goals and 3 of the goals in the last two minutes of the quarter to take a 34 point lead into the first break. The second quarter gave the Bulldogs their first go with the wind and kicked the first goal by Shane Higgins. The Swans Mitch Firth then kicked his first goal of the game steadiyng his team. The Bulldogs had the next 3 shots at goal but could only convert once. The Swans then had the better of the rest of the quarter to extend their lead to 37 points at the main break. The Bulldogs were not happy with their second quarter and should have made better use of the wind. It was expected that the Bulldogs would come out barking in the third quarter but alas they started to struggle against a Swans outfit with advancement on their mind. The Swans could have been a lot further in front, 76 points, at the last break had they kicked straighter, 6 goals 7 behinds. The big bonus for the Swans was they kept the Bulldogs goalless for the third quarter. The final quarter was party time for the Swans as they held the Bulldogs to one goal for the quarter, booting 5 themselves and of the 5 Mitch Frith botted 3 to finish the game with 6 goals. In the end it was a impressive 98 point win to the Swans. And we say good bye to the Bulldogs for 2009. The Swans named the ever reliable Lachlan Rowling as their best player. For the Bulldogs they named Josh Edwards as their best player and Shane Higgins and Josh Hack were their main goal kickers 2 goals each.
The wind had died down before the Major Semi Final between the Tamworth Kangaroos and the Inverell Saints got under way. With the recent history of tight hard games between these two teams this game had the feel of classic game about it. The first quarter started at a frenetic pace with Kangaroo Captain, Tim Cotter, bursting out of the first ball up of the game at a great rate of knots. Pat Walton from the Kangaroos kicked the first goal of the game after the Saints Jono Elphick failed to convert his chance. Saint Stewart Walker did convert his chance though and the Saints were in front and Elphick converted with his next attempt. The quarter was tight with the Kangaroos kicking the next two goals before Elphick kicked his second of the quarter. The Kangaroos got the last goal of the quarter from the boot of Mitch Douglas and took a 7 point lead into the first break. The Saints came out in the second quarter ready to take it up to the Kangaroos and got it underway with a behind and two goals to young Mick Corcoran and Jack Lawton. The dangerous Dan Overeem kicked his second goal of the game next. This was Overeem's last goal of the game as Saint Captain, Matt Harrison, did a good job of closing him down. The Saints' Kieran Te Velde then hit a purple patch kicking two goals in under a minute. Both teams traded the next few goals before the Saints finished off the quarter with two more goals and taking a 17 point lead into the main break. Mick Corcoran opened the third quarter with the Saints only goal for the quarter. Although the Kangaroos outscored the Saints in this quarter with two goals to Pat Walton and one goal to Mark Barrow they were made to work very hard for them. They did however cut the Saint's led to 7 points at the last break and setting up a big last quarter. The last quarter was a tough and willing affair before Darren Pithers of the Saints kicked the first goal of the quarter. At about the 15 minute mark of this quarter it was still anyone's game, but then the Saints shifted up a gear and goals to Peter Dunlop and Mick Viney put the game out of the Kangaroos reach. The Saints weren't finished though as Viney kicked his third goal of the game as did Mick Corcoran with a kick after the final siren. In the end it was a 7 goal win to the Saints. The news got worse for the Kangaroos as their star Pat Walton tore his left hamstring in the last 90 seconds of the game and is very doubtful of fronting up next week. And as he was the Kangaroos' main avenue to goal with 4 goals he will be sorely missed. The Saints named Darren Pithers as their best player from a very good even team effort. And the Kangaroos named hard nut Col Daye as their best player.
Next week will see the Preliminary Final being held at No.1 Oval between the Kangaroos and the Swans for the right to challenge the Saints in 2 weeks time.
Last Modified on 21/09/2009 07:51