KERANG will play in a ninth consecutive Central Murray Football Netball League grand final after the Blues finished strongly against Koondrook/Barham in Saturday’s second semi-final at Nyah.
The Raiders came out with a very well planned game strategy aimed squarely at nullifying the renowned run of Kerang, but a four goal to nil final term secured a 21-point win for the four-time reigning premiers.
The much anticipated ruck duels between the peerless Blue Troy Davis and the Raiders’ Rhett Sutton was a part of the Raiders’ plan that did not eventuate as from the first ball up it was the Kerang big winning the hit-outs.
For the first half of the contest it was the Raiders’ on-ball brigade who held the upper hand around the packs. Fraser Neate, Mark O’Neil, Tom May and Troy Rogers were offering their forwards excellent opportunities.
This resulted in early goals to Tom Lamb, May, Jay Reynolds and a 55-metre monster from Sutton and at the first change of ends, the Raiders held a 21-point.
Still in command, the swarming Raiders did not allow the Blues to recover in the second term.
The Blues did manage to make the scoreline a little more respectable but it was under great duress while Travis Matheson, Luke Livingston and Ryan Gillingham showed their class in registering valuable majors.
The resilient Raiders outfit was up to the task and went to the long break still in command, holding a 19-point advantage.
In the second half, the Blues looked a more efficient outfit and began to feed off the ruck dominance of Davis.
It was Troy Coates who sent the ball forward and within one minute it was a Kerang goal off the boot of Matheson as the complexion of the match was changing.
The rain arrived midway through the third term, which seemed to favour Kerang, with the premiers reducing the deficit to nine points with one quarter to play.
Matheson, on the end of some great midfield work, kicked truly to start the final term, with a second goal to the Blues giving the flag favourites the lead.
The bigger stronger bodies of the reigning premiers were superior in the conditions and, with the game in their keeping, earned another week off, whilst Koondrook/Barham will regroup for a preliminary final encounter against Nyah-Nyah West United this weekend.
Demons’ comeback win
NYAH-NYAH West United booked a Central Murray Football Netball League preliminary final showdown with Koondrook/Barham, coming from behind to win by five points in Sunday’s first semi-final at Kerang.
A late goal to Dom Violi gave the Demons the lead for the first time since the second quarter to keep the club’s premiership goal alive.
Despite going in as underdogs, Darryl White gave the Demons the best possible start, but the Tigers rallied thanks to Doug Beams and Doug Palmer to hold a six-point lead at the first break.
Nyah-Nyah West United came out firing in the second term to open up a two-goal lead, but Woorinen was able to fight its way back into the match to trail by one point at half-time.
Ben Heenan gave the Tigers the lead at the 12-minute mark of the third quarter, with both sides trading goals before Beams inceased the advantage to 19 points with one quarter to play.
The Tigers looked to have the game sealed as time-on in the final quarter begam, but the Demons kept fighting and reduced the deficit to two points with two minutes remaining.
Nyah-Nyah West made one last surge forward, with White dishing off to Violi, who snapped truly.
