A Grade – Hatherleigh d Kalangadoo
Bookies have been forced to re-draw their odds as Hatherleigh has taken the direct route to the Mid South Eastern Football League grand final following their impressive 42-point win over Kalangadoo in the second semi-final at Mick and Jean Walker Oval at Mount Burr on Saturday.
Ahead of the match there was a heavy weight of expectation placed on the minor premiers as an online media outlet had stated Kalangadoo had seven players among the best 50 across the South East.
Following their upset triumph, the Eagles are now sizzling-hot grand final favourites and well placed to take the Wilf Sprengel premiership shield back to their clubrooms on Mission Station Road for the first time since 2013.
The match was played under mostly grey skies, on an excellent playing surface and before a crowd which paid a pleasing $11,888 at the gate.
There was plenty of praise for honorary groundsman Peter Henderson and the hosting duties undertaken by the other Mozzies.
The Magpies now have to face-up to a revived Port MacDonnell in the cut-throat preliminary final on the Kalangadoo Oval on Saturday.
It was all blue-and-gold in the second semi at Mount Burr as these colours also prevailed in the Senior Colts and B Grade.
The day was memorable for the likes of third-generation Hatherleigh player Jett Faulkner as the teen got to sing the victory song after playing in both the Senior Colts and A Grade games.
Kalangadoo had won their second consecutive minor premiership after conceding just one loss during the minor round.
They first kicked to the northern end which was favoured by a three-goal breeze.
As Hatherleigh was behind by 14 points at quarter time, it could be said the first term honours were shared.
The Eagles were helped to get back into the game after two lapses in discipline from the Magpies indirectly led to two goals.
At the 10-minute mark of the second term, Lachy Jones laid a rough tackle on Mikey Telford which resulted in a free, a 50-metre penalty, a yellow card and a goal.
A short time later, Michael Krieger made high contact when bumping Joe Rayson.
As before, there was a free, a 50-metre penalty, a yellow card and a goal.
Restricted to just 16 players, the Magpies flooded the backlines.
At one stage, 31 of the remaining 34 players were within the Hatherleigh 50-metre line making for congested play.
Hatherleigh took a five-point lead into the long break and doubled it by the final change after only three goals were scored in total in the third term.
The ladder leaders quickly regained the lead in the last stanza with goals to James Pratt and Krieger.
The breeze had dropped to a zephyr and so it was game on.
A lucky break came the way of Hatherleigh skipper Joe Ferguson-Lane in the goal square.
While off-balance, the ball grazed his lower leg and then passed over the goal-line to bring up a six-pointer.
After a tight tussle, the Ferguson-Lane miracle goal triggered an avalanche of scoring by his team mates.
Two majors each came from the boots of Brad Mitchell and Jake Wight with singles to Sam Telfer and Darcy Bateman.
Kalangadoo went off the boil as the Eagles played a champagne brand of football.
Players from both teams were testy with each other over the course of the two hours and field umpires Barry Nilsson, Adam Maidment and Travis Lockwood did well given these circumstances.
B Grade – Hatherleigh d Kalangadoo
This game was a battle of the heavy hitters in the B Grade competition.
Hatherleigh got away incredibly early and was never put under any pressure from Kalangadoo for the remainder of the day.
The Eagles’ scoring was on point in every quarter and they ran away with a 71-point win with Tom Bell and Tim Merrett kicking multiple goals, while Nathan Reeves, Jack O’Connor and Dallas Jeffree were the Magpies best.
Senior Colts – Hatherleigh d Robe
It was a good day for the Hatherleigh Football Club which advanced through to another grand final with a 20-point win over Robe.
A tight affair was had in the first quarter and it was the Roosters that held a four-point lead at the first change.
But the Eagles came out flying in the third quarter to outscore the seasiders and seal the win.
Blake Werchon, Ethan Leopold and Tyson Atkinson were the best for the Eagles while the Roosters named Jimmy Murch, Flynn Peel and Joel Bryant.
Junior Colts – Kongorong d Glencoe
It was a game that pushed all limits in the first half as the Murphies’ held on to an eight-point lead.
But a fight back was needed from the young Hawks and they did by finding the goals and taking the lead back at the last minute of the third term.
Right from the start of the last period of play Kongorong ramped up its run and carry to pile on three majors to Glencoe’s three points.
In the end the Hawks got over the line by 20 points to advance to another grand final with Nate Von Stanke-Dowie, Declan Richardson and Rhys Newton leading the way, while the Murphies’ best were Tyronne Siebert, Lachlan Brierly and Kallan Price.
