FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
Defending premiers Yarram have made it through the first week of finals footy in emphatic fashion, disposing of Traralgon-Tyers United in the qualifying final on Saturday, 13.26 (104) to 7.7 (49).
The game was effectively over by quarter-time, the dominant Demons at full flight with a clinical, but wasteful, four goals and 10 behinds while holding the Bombers to no score.
TTU found their feet and the scoreboard in the second, scoring three goals to Yarram’s four and the damage stood at 40 points at half-time.
In an unbelievable display for all the wrong reasons in the third quarter, the Demons converted just four goals from 15 scoring shots, their 11 behinds preventing them from reaching the 100-point mark by the last change but giving them a match-winning 74-point buffer.
With one foot in the grand final the last quarter was a mere formality for Yarram and they settled with the knowledge they had reached the last hurdle, putting the cue in the rack and scoring just one goal to the Bombers’ four.
Jacob Davis and Daniel Vardy shone for the Demons on goal and finished with three majors each.
There was no shortage of contributors for the defending premiers either with another seven players chipping in with singles.
Among the best in the landslide win for Yarram were Griffin Underwood, Chris Bruns and Louis Rodaughan.
Yarram will now face Churchill in the second semi-final this weekend with the winner moving through to the grand final.
Heyfield v Rosedale
Rosedale emerged victorious in a thrilling elimination final over Heyfield yesterday, bumping the Roos out of the post-season and booking their spot in the semi-finals, 15.8 (98) to 12.10 (82).
The Blues established a four-point lead at the first break courtesy of some tidy kicking, their three straight goals trumping Heyfield’s two goals and two behinds.
The Roos turned the tables soon after quarter-time, piling on four goals to Rosedale’s two to reverse their fortunes and lead by nine points at half-time.
A heated third quarter again saw the lead change once again, the Blues turning out seven goals to go into the last change with a 19-point buffer.
Heyfield had ample opportunity to close the gap in the final term but inaccurate kicking returned three goals from eight scoring shots while Rosedale, with three goals and one behind, ran out 16-point victors.
Brock Williams and Brad Scott led the way for the Blues on the scoreboard and finished with four goals each while Matt Royal kicked two and singles went to five others. For Heyfield, Jesse Jackway was a standout and booted five goals and Nick Woodland kicked three.
The Blues have now set a date with TTU in this weekend’s first semi-final.
