WERRIBEE DISTRICTS ADVANCE TO THIRD STRAIGHT DIVISION 1 GRAND FINAL
By Connor Pain |
Werribee Districts has booked its spot in a third consecutive TIV Division 1 Senior Men’s Grand Final after a heart stopping seven-point win over Caroline Springs.
Needing extra time after nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the reigning premiers survived and need just one more win in season 2024 to make it back-to-back premierships.
The minor premiers got off to a scintillating start looking ready from the opening bounce with Lachlan Rainbow one of several Districts players to fire early.
Five goals to one in the first term undersells just how clinical Werribee was, going from defence to attack on the wide expanses of Skinner Reserve in seconds, aided by a strong wind behind their backs.
Caroline Springs settled after the first break, however a lack of polish when entering forward 50 kept the Lakers from cutting further into Districts’ 18-point halftime lead.
The second half saw Werribee come out firing once again and the game looked like it could have been over when they got out to a 30-point lead mid-way through the third term.
But Caroline Springs didn’t throw in the towel and with Ryan Allan moving from defence to attack the veteran was influential in helping the Lakers slowly work their way back, winning the third term before roaring back in the fourth as Werribee just couldn’t find anything offensively.
With scores level with just minutes remaining Jamie Ristoski out marked two Werribee Districts opponents and had a guilt edged chance to put Caroline Springs ahead but couldn’t steer home his set shot, allowing Districts to go down the other end and tie the game before the first final siren.
It was Werribee who looked the better side after the quick restart and Joshua Mould’s goal at the end of the first period of extra time would be the difference in the 9.8 (62) to 8.7 (55) thriller.
The Lakers are still alive but now must win their Preliminary Final clash to stay in the premiership hunt.
In Sunday’s elimination Semi Final, Hoppers Crossing produced a brilliant second half booting seven goals to two to storm home and end Yarraville Seddon’s season on their home deck.
The Warriors started strongly but led by just a goal at the half, aided by a wayward Eagles outfit who kicked 4.12 in the opening two terms, 10 of those behinds in the second quarter.
It was as close as the home side got as Hoppers Crossing were unflappable after the restart, piling on six goals in the third while restricting the hosts to a single behind.
The experience of Jed Anderson, Riley Fisher, Braden Ferrari again shone through for Hoppers Crossing while Mitchell Kunigiskis continued his strong late season form kicking a game-high five goals.
With the 13.14 (92) to 6.12 (51) victory the Warriors are peaking at the right time of the season and will be full of confidence after securing a Preliminary Final date with Caroline Springs.
Meanwhile, Werribee Districts’ will again be joined by their Reserves and Under 18s on the final day of the season after wins over Yarraville Seddon in both grades on Saturday.
Both Eagles teams will line up in Preliminary Finals this weekend, their Reserves opponent being Spotswood after the Woodsmen downed Caroline Springs by 32 points.
The Under 18s Preliminary Final will be between Yarraville Seddon and Point Cook after the Bulldogs kept their post-season run going with a 44-point win over Newport on Sunday.
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