MOULAMEIN will go into this year’s highly anticipated Golden Rivers finals series as a team nobody wants to face, following a comprehensive 63-point win over Wandella on the weekend.
The 14.9 (93) to 4.6 (60) victory ensured the Swans finished the home-and-away season in third position, with their first opponent set to be Murrabit after they held onto fourth place by percentage over the Bombers.
In the end just six points was the difference between Wandella usurping the Blues in the race for fourth position, with the two clubs both finishing on six wins for the season.
The Bombers, whose time in the Golden Rivers has now come to a close, will be ruing their inaccuracy in front of goal throughout the season, with it not only costing them several victories across the 15 rounds, but now a spot in the finals.
Wandella kicked more behinds than goals in all but four games and finished the season with 128 goals and 160 behinds.
One of the stories of the season has been the improvement of Moulamein, with the Swans returning to the finals this season thanks to a late season resurgence after winning five of their last six games.
It’s this form line that will have Hay, Ultima and Murrabit concerned ahead of the next three weeks, with Moulamein co-coach Brodie Tonkin pleased with his team’s form heading into the business end of the season.
“It was a really good performance from the boys, we’ve had a really good blocks of games leading into the finals which has been good,” Tonkin said post-match.
“Hopefully it sets the boys up and be confident that they can compete with the best teams, and not think we’re just making up the numbers, because we’re not.
“I think one of the main differences over the past month, has been the development in our game plan where we are consistently being able to play to the structures that we set out during the pre-season.
“I think that has allowed us to play a lot more predictable, and then as a result, we’ve been able to be flexible when opposition teams throw curveballs at us.
“A lot of the teams have been dropping a spare back in defence against us at the moment because obviously our clearance work is one of our strengths with Heath Moloney in the ruck and as a result of that, we’ve been a bit more methodical going inside our forward 50.”
Moloney was again at his influential best, along with Brett Kennedy who would have sent shockwaves through the Lions, Roos and Blues camps after finishing with nine goals for the match.
Also among the Swans better players were Mark Drotsky, George Austin, Blake Launer, Trae Atkinson and Tobie Richardson, with Tonkin also impressed with the way his team utilised the wind to their advantage both in attack and defence.
“Wandella had the scoring end in the first quarter, with the wind going straight down the middle and we were able to hold them to only two goals,” Tonkin said.
“When we had the wind in the second quarter we were able to break the game open, but I think it was probably more our ability to defend and defend well when we didn’t have the wind.
“We made it into a bit more of a scrappier sort of contest with repeat stoppages and then opened the game up offensively when we were going with the wind and made the most of the scoring end.
“I think some of the boys are starting to realize how good we can be when we’re playing our best footy and when we’re doing all the right things that allow us to play our best footy.
“I think at the start of the season it can be a bit daunting when you’re coming up against teams like Hay and Ultima, but as the year has progressed I think we’re beginning to realise we can actually compete and win against these top end teams.”
Kaine O’Connell was the Bombers only multiple goalkicker with two majors and was among his team’s better players, along with Laing Waddingham, Logan Tuohey, Adam McKenzie, Adam Ward and Tim Robinson.
The Swans will take on Murrabit in the first semi-final this Sunday at Moulamein after the Blues suffered an 84-point thrashing at the hands of Ultima on Saturday.
Murrabit trailed by 17 points at quarter time despite being kept goalless in the first quarter but were unable to fight their way back into the match, with the Roos extending their lead at every change to eventually run out 16.13 (109) to 3.7 (25) winners.
Kade Benfield and Corey Grey each finished with three goals for Ultima, with Jack Delmenico, Martyn Cooper and Zac Cattlin also among their better players, with Jack Shannanhan, Riley Carse and Nathan Morrow the best for the Blues.
Ultima will meet Hay in the second semi-final on Saturday, with the winner to progress directly through to the grand final.
The Lions prepared for the all-important clash in the best way possible after defeating Macorna by 173 points in the Tigers final game in the Golden Rivers Football Netball League.
Jack Headon and Declan Watson each booted six goals in the 28.16 (186) to 1.7 (13) result, with Fergus Cattanach, Joel Crocker and Harry Loughnan all among Hay’s better players.
Conner Burge was Macorna’s lone goal scorer and was also named in the Tigers bests, along with Luke Gray, Tori Ferguson, Corey Walters and Blake Forster.
