PYRAMID Hill will go into this Saturday’s second semi-final confident of upsetting Marong’s dominant finals record over recent seasons, after the Bulldogs registered a commanding 88-point win over Bears Lagoon-Serpentine in Saturday’s LVFNL qualifying final.
Five unanswered goals set the tone in the opening quarter for Pyramid Hill, who defeated the Bears for the first time this season after losing both their earlier meetings this year.
The Bulldogs completed the job in an ominous second half, kicking 10 goals to one after half-time on their way to recording a dominant 19.9 (123) to 5.5 (35) victory.
The result sets up a mouth-watering contest at Bridgewater this Saturday, with the Bulldogs the only team to have beaten Marong this season, a five-point win in round 12.
It was an emphatic display from a club that looks intent on breaking a 74-year premiership drought, with coach Nathan Fitzpatrick impressed with his team’s all-round performance.
“We defended very well, we attacked very well, and it was definitely the best game of footy we’ve played for the season,” Fitzpatrick told the Gannawarra Times.
“The last month we’ve been winning, but it’s been a little bit hard to get a gauge of exactly where we’re at, but against a quality side on Saturday it was good to see that what we’ve been doing is working and it’s given us good confidence.
“Our ball use going inside 50 was really good, all of our first five goals came from shots from 20 or 30 meters out and directly in front, and when we moved the ball quick, hit our targets and got in some good positions.
“The second quarter (Bears Lagoon-Serpentine) got on top of us through the midfield and had some clean centre clearances, but we were a lot better in there after half-time.
“I think they would have won the centre clearance count for the day, but our ability to intercept mark and then transition the ball off half-back was really good.
“Our midfielders then got involved in those chains and got forward and kicked goals as well, so their work rate was there, we just needed to clean up some of our work around the centre clearances.”
Damon Hemphill continued his strong form in the midfield and across half-forward, while Zach Alford (five goals) provided a good target up forward.
Bailey George on the wing was also among the Bulldogs’ better players, along with Brodie Carroll, Steven Gunther, Jack Timmins and Tom Brennan, while midfielders Justin Laird and Doolan Nihill were among the Bears’ best, with Bailey Harrison, Louis Mott, Tyler Miles and James Rippingale.
Michael Dundon ended the day with a tight calf and will be in some doubt to face Marong, with Dundon the only player expected to miss from a full-strength Pyramid Hill.
“Scott Mann and Seb Relouw should be back next week, so we’ll go in pretty close to full strength,” Fitzpatrick said.
“We’re confident that if we can execute our game style, that it stacks up against them.
“We showed that earlier in the year, but we know Marong are going to come out hard next week and they’re a very, very good side – it should be a ripping game.”
The Bears, on the other hand, will have to lick their wounds ahead of a must-win first semi-final encounter with Bridgewater at Marong this Sunday, with the Mean Machine recording an equally impressive 63-point win over Newbridge in the elimination final.
The 16.17 (113) to 7.8 (50) result ends the Maroons’ season, with Bridgewater perfectly placed to reverse their 83-point loss to the Bears from round 14.
Lachlan Sharp (five goals) and Jack Neylon (three goals) led the way for the Mean Machine, with Neylon adjudged best on ground by the Bridgewater coaching staff, along with Joseph Mayes, Lee Coghlan and Darcy Wood.
Similar to the Bulldogs’ performance 24 hours earlier, the win was set up in the opening half an hour of the contest, with Bridgewater holding Newbridge to just a solitary point, while piling on four unanswered goals.
The game could have been put to bed if not for the Mean Machine’s inaccuracy in front of goal in the windy conditions as they kicked just four goals from 11 scoring shots, with Newbridge responding after the first break to reduce the margin to 24 points at half-time.
That would be where the joy would end for the Maroons, however, with Bridgewater kicking nine of the next 12 goals to run away with the win and book themselves a spot in Sunday’s first semi-final.
