A GRADE – KALANGADOO V PORT MACDONNELL

Kalangadoo players only have a few more days to fine-tune their game plan ahead of the final match in the 2022 Mid South Eastern Football League season.

They have earned a place in the “big dance” and will now play in-form Hatherleigh in the MSEFL grand final at Kalangadoo on Saturday.

It follows their comfortable 25-point win over a gallant Port MacDonnell in the preliminary final in fine but overcast conditions at Kalangadoo last Saturday.

The 2022 semi-final combatants will face off again with the Eagles ahead two-to-one in this season’s three meetings.

Coming into the match, the home team had lost their champion goal kicker Michael Krieger to suspension.

He had accepted a one-match set penalty after being reported in the second semi-final for a high bump on Hatherleigh’s Joe Rayson.

Krieger has won the past two goalkicking trophies in the MSEFL and Kalangadoo selectors have to find room for him in their final team of 22 for 2022.

Back to Saturday at Kalangadoo, it was the superior brand of football of the minor premiers which has earned them the chance to win their first A Grade premiership since 2019.

By a remarkable coincidence, the Magpies had defeated the Demons by the identical and massive margins of 91 points at their minor round meetings this season.

The weather forecasters had predicted cloudy skies for the MSEFL preliminary final and they were spot-on in their statements.

Despite the three curtain-raisers and a wet winter, there were no muddy areas on the Kalangadoo Oval and the surface was well-grassed and reasonably firm.

The Australian flag alongside the timekeepers’ box flew at half-mast in recognition of the death of our sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth but otherwise no other public acknowledgement.

There was a strong breeze favouring the northern end and the seasiders had first use of it.

Although they did not concede a goal, they did not take full advantage of the wind either and were only 13 points clear at the first change.

The black-and-whites worked well after quarter time and showed why they have had only two blemishes to date on their 2022 playing record.

The home team conceded just one goal but added seven of their own from five different players to go to the long break with a buffer of 28 points.

Demon-turned-Magpie Justin Bromley booted the first of his three invaluable goals into the breeze just after half-time and one could sense the momentum was all the way of his club.

After a goal glut in the second term, the match became a scrappy battle of defences with few scores.

Kalangadoo took a 34-point lead into the final term and honours were shared as the heat went out of the contest.

James Pratt and Patrick Davies continued their high work-rate for Kalangadoo and both were worthy of the best-on-ground ranking.

A Will Macdonald goal from a set-shot after the siren cut the winning margin back to under five goals.

Thus, the minor premiers defeated the reigning premiers and went some way to easing the painful result of the 2021 grand final.

It was quite a feat for the seasiders to reach the penultimate game of 2022 given they had lost over half of their premiership team to either retirement or transfer as well as having irregular access to their home ground.

To add interest to the upcoming season decider, Kalangadoo will also do battle in the B Grade curtain-raiser when it takes on minor premiers Hatherleigh.

Convention dictates that Hatherleigh has the choice of changerooms on grand final day as it finished higher in the rankings.

Saturday’s crowd paid $14,010 at the gate and this was within a whisker of an all-time preliminary final record.

There were few spectators, if any, from the Casterton Sandford Football Netball Club who want to join the Mid SE League in 2023.

In the meantime, preparations are again in full swing at the Kalangadoo Oval in readiness for the grand final and a bumper crowd.

Kalangadoo last hosted a season finale in 2012 when Mount Burr lowered the colours of Port MacDonnell.

The MSEFL umpires panel will have their final training run at Glencoe tomorrow night and then the appointments across all four grades will be announced by umpires’ director Neil Webber.

B GRADE – KALANGADOO V GLENCOE

Apowerhouse performance was put on by the Kalangadoo Magpies with a sensational 14 goal team win.

Glencoe had chances to get the lead but it was not the case because the rampant Magpies had all the answers.

Kalangadoo had some level heads on the ground in Scott Agnew and Chris Mules who rotated across the ground to give their side some stability and both scoring four goals each.

The Murphies also had some admirable players that were busting their guts out and trying to get team mates to lift.

But in the end it was Kalangadoo that got the huge win having been on song from the start of the game.

SENIOR COLTS – KONGORONG V ROBE

On paper these two teams matched up very well during the home and away rounds, but it was Robe that settled early to set the scene in the preliminary final.

The Hawks responded despite having their wings pecked by the Roosters, but the seasiders managed to rise above and let the scoreboard do the talking.

By this stage, the Roosters were clucking and running all over the ground with confidence and left the young Hawks in their wake to speed to a 96-point win.

Hudson Peel, Jimmy Murch, Max Robertson and Flynn Peel were named as some of the better players for Robe while Brodie Von Stanke-Dowie, Nate Von Stanke-Dowie and William Von Stanke all stood out for Kongorong.

JUNIOR COLTS – GLENCOE V HATHERLEIGH

It was preliminary final action in the 2022 Mid South East Football League Saturday at Kalangadoo and action did not disappoint the large crowd in attendance.

Glencoe got out of the stalls early to stun Hatherleigh in the opening minutes of the Junior Colts game, booting six unanswered goals.

The Murphies’ Lachlan Brierley was the target up forward for his side, kicking four majors with the support of Daniel Ferguson who slotted three of his own.

The Eagles had no answer to the running game of Glencoe which won by a comfortable 45 points to advance to the grand final.