A review of all the action from the Smithy’s VFL semi finals.
The top four teams of the entire season stand alone at the pointy end of the premiership race after Box Hill Hawks and Brisbane Lions recorded convincing victories on Saturday.
SECOND SEMI FINAL
BOX HILL HAWKS 4.3, 5.7, 8.10, 14.11 (95)
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS 3.3, 3.9, 6.12, 10.15 (75)
FOOTSCRAY’s 11-match winning streak came to a crashing halt and VFL great Damian Mascitti’s career will continue for at least another week after Box Hill Hawks sunk the Bulldogs by 20 points in the first semi-final at Box Hill City Oval.
The Bulldogs had been imperious for nearly three months after a slow start to the season, with their winning streak including the scalp of the Hawks at the same venue a month ago.
However, they missed their chance to take control in a wayward second quarter this time around.
The teams traded blows in the opening term, with the in-form Buku Khamis kicking Footscray’s opening two majors with opportunistic left-foot snaps, but each time the visitors hit the scoreboard, the Hawks came up with the answer and took a six-point lead into the first break after Brandon Ryan and Jake Arundell converted from free kicks.
Fergus Greene swept onto a loose ball and drilled it on the left just 18 seconds into the second quarter to give Box Hill a 12-point lead, but it proved to be the only goal either team kicked for the quarter as the fierce pressure resulted in the Bulldogs adding just six behinds to the Hawks’ four for a 10-point margin at the main break.
The Bulldogs bared their teeth out of the half-time break, with Sam Darcy taking a strong mark and kicking a long set-shot to break a 44-minute drought before Khamis pulled in two contested marks either side of an inexplicable Greene miss from 15m at the other end to give them an eight-point lead.
Arundell got on the end of a coast-to-coast move to kick his second a couple of minutes later and the Hawks were sparked into action with Ryan booting his third to regain the lead.
Jacob Koschitzke then hit the scoreboard to reset the 10-point advantage turning for home and the Hawks had all the momentum when best afield Lachie Bramble kicked the first goal of the last term.
Khamis’ fifth was only able to put a blot on things as Box Hill quickly made it seven out of eight to seal the deal, and despite the Bulldogs kicking three in a row – including one after a spectacular mark from Ewan Macpherson – to get back within a goal, the damage had been done and Greene’s third put paid to their challenge and gave Jaylon Thorpe a win in his 50th game.
Bramble was in magnificent touch, picking up 21 disposals in the first half on his way to 32 for the game, plus seven marks, seven rebounds and his goal, with the retiring Mascitti (22 disposals, 12 marks, seven rebounds) and livewire Arundell (20 disposals, six entries, two goals) in excellent touch at either end.
Liston Medal fancy Callum Brown (23 disposals, five entries) was again strong and Ryan and Greene took 13 marks and kicked six goals between them.
Khamis was dangerous whenever the ball went near him, booting 5.0 from 11 touches and six marks, but it was skipper Lachie Sullivan, also one of the Liston favourites, who kept his team alive with 32 possessions, seven marks and seven clearances.
Jordon Sweet again dominated the ruck with 44 hitouts – the only big man to reach double figures – and added 18 disposals, 11 clearances and six tackles, Riley Garcia (29 disposals, five clearances, five tackles, seven rebounds) won plenty of it and Robbie McComb (19 disposals, five tackles, five entries) worked hard.
BEST
Box Hill Hawks: L. Bramble, D. Mascitti, F. Greene, J. Koschitzke, M. Ramsden, J. Arundell
Footscray Bulldogs: L. Sullivan, B. Khamis, J. Sweet, N. Drummond, R. McComb, E. Macpherson
GOALS
Box Hill Hawks: F. Greene, B. Ryan 3, J. Arundell 2, J. Bennetts, L. Bramble, S. Butler, J. Koschitzke, N. Long, M. Ramsden
Footscray Bulldogs: B. Khamis 5, L. Goater 2, C. Clarke, S. Darcy, E. Macpherson.
FIRST SEMI FINAL
BRISBANE LIONS 2.7, 5.12, 8.15, 12.16 (88)
WILLIAMSTOWN 0.2, 2.2, 6.4, 7.6 (48)
BRISBANE LIONS celebrated captain Wylie Buzza’s 100th VFL match in style, booking a preliminary final date against Werribee with a comprehensive 40-point dismissal of Williamstown at Brighton Homes Arena.
But in a big blow, the Lions likely to be without mercurial forward Kai Lohmann after he suffered a broken collarbone in a marking collision midway through the second quarter.
Lohmann was on fire with 11 disposals and a goal before he and ex-Lion Nathan Colenso attacked a marking contest from opposite directions, with the Lions forward landing hard after flying over the top.
The home team had full control of the game by then and should have had it locked away, but kicked 2.7 to 0.2 in the first quarter, extending that to 3.9 before Lohmann was hurt.
Williamstown was made to wait almost 52 minutes for Daly Andrews to kick its first goal and had already conceded 4.10 by that time. However, the Seagulls pulled the deficit back to 22 points through Nick Ebinger in the shadows of half time.
Late inclusion Wilson Barry delivered a hammer blow in the 32nd minute and when Blake Coleman opened the second half with his first goal the Lions looked the goods again.
However, the Seagulls banged on three in succession to again create some nerves in the home team’s camp.
Leading by 23 at the last change, Buzza booted his third goal early in the fourth term to put paid to the challenge and the Lions finished with four goals to one to cruise to victory.
It was a game where both teams wasted countless scoring opportunities with untidy entries inside 50, allowing returning Lion Daniel Rich and star Seagull Marty Hore to dominate as the intercept sweeper at either end.
Rich had 24 disposals (23 kicks), seven marks and seven rebounds in a solid return from a hamstring injury as he seeks the fairytale ending to his career, while Hore had a remarkable 31 kicks in his 32 disposals, nine marks and 14 rebounds.
Buzza only had nine disposals but he sparked his team with the opening goal of the day and his 3.1 was a crucial contribution, taking him to 40.8 for the season ahead of a clash with his former club in the preliminary final.
The victory, however, was set up by none other than Beast Mode.
Rhys Mathieson was everywhere as he picked up 34 disposals and won 14 clearances in another bullocking display, with Jaxon Prior (30 disposals, 12 marks, six entries) also dominant in the middle.
James Tunstill (24 disposals, eight marks, eight clearances) and Shadeau Brain (21 disposals, 12 marks, five entries) were also leading contributors.
The Seagulls couldn’t find a target in attack with Joel Ottavi playing further up the ground, as Rich, Darcy Gardiner (22 disposals, 12 marks) and Darragh Joyce (20 disposals, seven marks) had a field day in defence for the victors.
It was a similar story at the other end, with Williamstown’s one-wood of Hore, Finbar O’Dwyer (23 disposals, 13 marks, seven rebounds), Jake Greiser (22 disposals, nine marks, five rebounds) and Oscar McDonald (18 disposals, five marks, one goal) being the Seagulls’ four leading ball winners as a terrific bounce-back season came to an end with a strong platform laid for the future.
PRELIMINARY FINALS FIXTURE
Saturday, September 16
First Preliminary Final: Gold Coast Suns (1st) vs. Box Hill Hawks (3rd) – Heritage Bank Stadium, Time TBC
Second Preliminary Final: Werribee (2nd) vs. Brisbane Lions (4th) – Avalon Airport Oval, Time TBC
TICKETING
For all matches through to the preliminary finals, admission prices will be adults $15, concession/pensioners $10 and children under 15 free.
Tickets for this weekend’s matches can be pre-purchased at http://www.intix.com.au/org/vfl. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate, subject to capacity. Spectators purchasing at the gate are advised the payment method is EFTPOS only.
BROADCAST
The AFL is pleased to confirm that seven matches in the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series and Wildcard Round will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network via Channel 7 and 7plus, including the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final. Viewers outside of Victoria can tune in to Seven’s VFL coverage via 7plus.
All matches, including the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
LIVE SCORING AND STATS
Live scoring and stats will be available via both the AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Download the VFL App from the Apple or Google Play stores.