First quarter
2 min – NNW United 1.0 (6) lead Kerang 0.0 (0)
The first score of the game comes from the boot of Ethan Curran, who marks a centring ball from Charlie Boulton 35 metres out from goal after some good forward pressure from the Demons’ forwards forced Bradlee Pay into a turnover. Curran calmly slots the set shot and NNW United are off and running early in the game.
14 min – NNW United 2.4 (16) lead Kerang 0.2 (2)
With the Demons off to a flyer and Kerang struggling to find a marking target inside 50, Nick Lang sneaks forward and out marks NNW United defender Joel Walsh 20 metres out directly in front of goal. With his team having kicked just the solitary behind midway through the opening term, Lang then misses his set shot from 25 metres out. It will be Kerang’s last shot on goal for the first quarter.
Second quarter
12 min – NNW United 6.7 (43) lead Kerang 0.5 (5)
Bradlee Pay’s kick-in is marked by Alex Erlandson in the middle of the ground, with the Demons’ ruckman sending the ball deep inside his forward 50 where Brandyn Grenfell marks over Lachlan Ross. Having missed a set shot a minute earlier, the Demons’ full-forward learns his lessons and kicks NNW United’s sixth goal of the game. Grenfell will go on to kick the next two goals to give the Demons a 49-point lead at half-time.
Third quarter
3 min – NNW United 8.8 (56) lead Kerang 1.7 (13)
Josh Nitschke kicks Kerang’s first goal of the match after roving the front of the pack at half-forward, running to 50 before drilling the goal, giving the Blues the dream start to the second half that they were after and raising their supporters’ hopes of yet another third-quarter fight-back.
19 min – NNW United 9.8 (62) lead Kerang 2.7 (19)
After Jordan Iudica takes the ball on the burst from a stoppage on the wing, the Demons go deep inside 50 once again, where the ball spills to Brayden Bigham and then Max Thompson, who kicks the Demons’ third goal on the run from 30 metres out. With Kerang having kicked the first two goals of the third quarter, Thompson’s goal helps stem the tide and calm NNW United’s nerves as they approach time-on.
Fourth quarter
7 min – NNW United 12.13 (85) lead Kerang 4.9 (33)
After winning the ball across half-back, Jordan Iudica kicks the ball to space on centre wing, with Ethan Curran swooping on the loose ball. After taking a bounce and baulking around Jesse Clark, Curran pumps the ball deep, where it clears the pack and falls into the lap of Riley Daniels, with the small forward running into the open goal and sealing NNW United’s first premiership in 23 years.
