A review of all the action from the Smithy’s VFL preliminary finals.
History will be made in the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, with the Gold Coast Suns a chance to win their first flag at any level and Werribee seeking to break a 30-year drought and again fly the flag for the standalones.
See how both sides progressed to the premiership decider.
SECOND PRELIMINARY FINAL
WERRIBEE 3.2, 7.3, 11.5, 14.10 (94)
BRISBANE LIONS 1.3, 3.4, 5.9, 9.10 (64)
WERRIBEE will play in its first Grand Final for 18 years chasing its first premiership since 1993 after outlasting a gallant but wasteful Brisbane Lions by 30 points in front of a big preliminary final crowd at Avalon Airport Oval.
The experienced Tigers jumped out the blocks with the opening three goals of the game to Nick Hayes, Shaun Mannagh (his 100th in the VFL) and Hudson Garoni and professionally held the Lions at bay for the rest of the day.
The Lions twice drew within single figures in the second quarter but never seriously looked like winning, with the crucial moves coming late in the second and third quarters, when the Tigers kicked the last three goals of each quarter to get out to a match-high 32-point lead at the final change.
The visitors put a brief shudder through Werribee’s many vocal fans when Darcy Fort, Tahj Abberley and Rhys Mathieson slammed on three goals in the opening eight minutes of the final quarter to get back within 13 points, but Hayes went behind the ball and took three crucial intercept marks in the space of five minutes to halt their momentum.
Josh Porter then took a couple of important grabs in attack and kicked his second goal to steady the ship and ensure a seven-year goal came one step closer.
You need 23 players to win a final and Werribee found them, with some of its lower profile players getting the job done – although it would be disrespectful to call a 180-odd State league gamer in Hayes a lesser light, he doesn’t have the profile of his star-studded midfield.
He was magnificent with 17 disposals, seven marks and two goals, plus that crucial last quarter at half-back.
The best man on the ground was another player who we will hear much more about in young defender Sam Clohesy, who showed himself to be a big game player with 26 disposals and 12 marks, all of them coming at vital stages and at a high efficiency.
Kye Declase again dominated down the outer wing to grab a game-high 33 disposals, eight marks, seven inside-50s and the sealing goal in the last quarter.
Dom Brew was again a powerhouse under the packs with 27 disposals, nine clearances, nine tackles, while Tom Gribble had 22 disposals and five clearances and Jack Henderson picked up 21 disposals and 10 tackles as the link-up man.
Leading goalkicker Garoni booted four first-half goals to set up the win while the selection of Connor Thar for his first game since Round 8 proved a masterstroke as he buzzed around in elusive fashion to kick three in a game where the Tigers honoured former coach Max Molloy, who died during the week.
At the other end captain Nick Coughlan and Nathan Cooper gave nothing away – the former holding Wylie Buzza goalless and the latter conceding just one to Henry Smith, while Tom Fullarton also could not hit the scoreboard.
The Lions could not find a multiple goalkicker and their forward six only contributed two majors as their silky skills eluded them and they were forced into regular mistakes which hampered their gallant efforts to get back into the contest.
If he doesn’t find favour with Chris Fagan in the next two weeks, Daniel Rich has played the last game of a magnificent career for Brisbane, and he received a guard of honour after impressing with 23 disposals and seven rebounds.
Jaxon Prior (22 disposals, seven marks, nine rebounds, one goal) and James Tunstill (19 disposals, five clearances, five tackles, eight inside-50s) were also strong in the contest, Harry Sharp (19 disposals, one goal) did give Declase something to think about at times and Bruce Reville (20 disposals, seven marks) also impressed.
But their stars were well held, with Mathieson restricted to just 18 touches, five clearances, six tackles and a goal and Jarryd Lyons managing just 14 possessions and five inside-50s as the Lions fell short in Abberley and Blake Coleman’s 50th VFL games.
Matt Keast will be the watch ahead of the Grand Final after sitting out the entire last quarter for Werribee with an ice pack attached to his lower back.
BEST
WERRIBEE: S. Clohesy, D. Brew, N. Cooper, K. Declase, H. Garoni, N. Hayes BRISBANE LIONS: J. Tunstill, B. Reville, D. Joyce, J. Prior, H. Sharp, D. Rich
GOALS
WERRIBEE: H. Garoni 4, C. Thar 3, N. Hayes, J. Porter 2, K. Declase, N. Lever, S. Mannagh
BRISBANE LIONS: T. Abberley, B. Coleman, K. Dunkley, D. Fort, R. Mathieson, D. McDowell-White, J. Prior, H. Sharp, H. Smith
FIRST PRELIMINARY FINAL
GOLD COAST SUNS 3.3, 7.5, 9.11, 12.16 (88)
BOX HILL HAWKS 3.1, 5.2, 8.6, 11.7 (73)
MABIOR Chol sent a reminder of his talents to his new (and former) coach Damien Hardwick, booting five goals to lead Gold Coast Suns to their first Grand Final at any level with a 15-point victory over a gutsy Box Hill Hawks at Heritage Bank Stadium.
With joint Frosty Miller medallist Brodie McLaughlin a late withdrawal for the Suns, Chol stepped up from the outset as the Suns jumped a listless Hawks with the first three goals to build a lead it did not relinquish for the rest of the day.
Box Hill woke up late in the first quarter with three goals of its own to go into the break only two points in arrears, but that was as close as it got, even though it never let the Suns get out of sight.
Gold Coast’s lead hovered between 10 and 20 points for most of the match but the gallant Hawks kept coming, drawing within a kick early in both the third and fourth quarters, but they could get no closer.
Chol bobbed up whenever it was required, with one goal in each of the first, second and last quarters and two in the third to finish with 5.4 from 16 disposals and 11 marks – a number that probably should have been higher but for his finishing
The Suns dominated the inside-50 count 60-39 on the back of the ruck dominance of Ned Moyle, who overcame the efforts of Max Ramsden to set up hitout (55-24) and clearance (42-29) dominance in a best afield display.
Moyle finished with 20 disposals, six marks, 49 hitouts, nine clearances and five inside-50s in a powerhouse display, but Ramsden (nine disposals, 18 hitouts, one goal) did better than his numbers suggest in a solid effort against a bigger and more experienced opponent.
Gold Coast put in an even display behind those two, with Charlie Constable (25 disposals, seven marks) continuing his fine season across half-back, captain James Tsitas (24 disposals, seven clearances, seven entries) and Elijah Hollands (23 disposals, six entries) being driving forces.
Down back, Joel Jeffrey (19 disposals, seven marks, six rebounds) and Bodhi Uwland (17 disposals, eight marks, five tackles, six rebounds) threw themselves at the ball and repelled plenty of forward thrusts, and Chris Burgess bobbed up with three goals from limited opportunities.
Box Hill Hawks star Damian Mascitti was terrific in what turned out to be his final VFL match, leading all comers with 26 disposals, five marks, eight rebounds and a goal to savour, while Callum Brown (26 disposals, seven clearances, five entries, six rebounds) was again fantastic in a game where the Hawks honoured one of the most influential people in their history, Brian Coghlan, who died early last week.
Lachie Bramble overcame an early shoulder problem to have 22 disposals, Ed Phillips roamed his wing for 22 and seven marks, Henry Hustwaite did well for 21 touches, six clearances and a goal, Emerson Jeka marshalled the defence for 21 and 10 marks and Josh Bennetts snagged three goals from just five kicks.
BEST
GOLD COAST SUNS: N. Moyle, M. Chol, J. Tsitas, E. Hollands, J. Jeffrey, J. Sharp
BOX HILL HAWKS: Not supplied
GOALS
GOLD COAST SUNS: M. Chol 5, C. Burgess 3, A. Sexton 2, O. Faulkhead, E. Hollands
BOX HILL HAWKS: J. Bennetts 3, J. Koschitzke 2, F. Greene, H. Hustwaite, D. Mascitti, C. Porter, M. Ramsden, J. Thorpe
