VAFA ROUND 21_Col.indd - Victorian Amateur Football Association

DIVISION 1
BEES BOOK A BERTH IN THE BIG DANCE
Rees Quilford
Werribee secured promotion to Premier C but
more importantly claimed a spot in the big dance
when they held off a determined and straight
kicking Monash outfit. On the other side of town,
North Old Boys/St Pat’s secured a hard-fought
14-point victory over Peninsula and will face
off against the Blues in the Preliminary final this
weekend.
In a much improved showing from the previous
week, the Blues took it right up to the minor
premiers for the entirety of their match at St
Bernard’s. The game opened with a nine goal
shootout and established a number of trends that
continued throughout much of the day. Most
obvious difference was the in the accuracy of the
two sides, the Bees squandered some gettable
opportunities to record 4.5 while their opposition
had the kicking boots on from the outset. 5.2 for
the term delivered the Blues a three-point lead
at quarter time. The second term continued in
much the same vein, Tommy Craven and Tim
McKenzie were repeatedly setting up play for
the Blues and, despite getting plenty of attention,
Stef Callea was the Bees everywhere man. Three
goals to two saw Monash take a six point lead
into the main change.
With the likes of McCutcheon, Morrish and
Tedeso winning plenty of it for the Bees and with
Smyth, Young and Frater doing likewise for the
Blues, the floodgates opened for both sides in
the third term. The willingness of the Werribee
forwards to put head over the ball saw them
rewarded with a number of free kicks close to
goal while Monash continued to convert their
opportunities and apply scoreboard pressure.
Eleven majors for the term had spectators
enthralled and put the contest on a knife edge
at the final change. An entertaining finish had
momentum swings, desperation and flair. Both
sides kicked five majors but it was the number
of opportunities generated by the Bees that got
them over the line in end. The ten point margin
was testament to the closeness of the contest.
Both sides had a good spread of goal kickers, Lee
and Panayi were the most damaging for the Bees
with four apiece while Gareth Smyth and Tommy
Craven kicked three each for Monash. Collins,
Parsons, Cunnington and Hickey also bobbed up
as multiple goal kickers for the Blues.
The result sends Monash into a sudden death
Preliminary final with NOBs but if they manage
to secure a Grand Final berth they will go in
confident in their ability to match the Bees.
Sunday’s 1 st Semi Final had North Old Boys/St
Pats taking on the Peninsula Pirates at Frearson
Reserve. The game opened as a relatively even
affair; with both sides diving headlong into every
contest scoring was difficult. On the back of
the repeated and polished efforts from the likes
of Matt Keown and Chris Horsley, NOBs led
by a kick at the first change. The second term
was played in a similar fashion, the physicality
of both sides made space difficult to find. Cade
Bannister and Nick Fisher were again rock solid
down back for the Pirates but Todd Patterson
also looked dangerous up forward for NOBs.
Both sides missed several gettable chances on
goal throughout the term but once again NOBs
slightly shaded their opponents on the scoreboard
and took a 13-point lead into the main break.
While the opening half delivered just six majors,
it had been an enthralling tussle and set the scene
for an epic second half.
The pressure didn’t relent thereafter but the game
did open up somewhat in the third term. As he
has done all year skipper Shaun Payze led the
charge for the Pirates, attacking every contest
8 THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2010