Round 24

"We will make changes, we will bring in some boys who we know will put their hand up and compete"

Coach Ben Reid questions the heart of some Pies

Around the Grounds

In a disappointing showing for the first all Wang final in 35 years, the Rovers trumped their cross town rivals in formidable fashion.

The brown & gold jumped out to an early lead before taking the game away from Wang, nabbing 7 of the next 9 after the Pies narrowed the margin to 11 points early in the 3rd.

Pies coach Ben Reid has swung the axe, severely disappointed with the showing.

Doug Strang Medallist Josh Minogue lifted the Hoppers to their first finals win in 14 years with a bag of 6.

North survived a trademark gritty & determined Bulldog comeback after opening up a 35 point buffer late in the 2nd with 6 goals into the wind.

7 goals to 2 from that point nearly saw Wodonga snatch the game, but it wasn't to be as their brave season came to an end.

Minor Semi

Wang v North

The Hoppers announced themselves with a R2 upset of the Pies, setting up an unexpected run to be pipped at the post for a top 3 finish.

The Pies responded in R11, but only by under a kick.

Their prospects aren't helped by the 2 week suspension of Liam McVeigh for a dangerous tackle on Rover Sam Cattapan - but the other side of the coin is overwhelmingly positive, Cal Moore to come back into the lineup.

Form: Wang (3-2) - North (2-3)

Last time: R11 - Pies by 3 points

Tip: Pies by 12 points

Major Semi

Yarra v Rovers

A stinging blow for the Rovers prospects of staging an upset & progressing straight to the decider, coach Sam Murray opting to miss this week, accepting a week on the sidelines for a head high hit on Pie Hunter Gottschling so as not to risk a Prelim or Grand Final.

Hard to see the Pigeons not taking the direct route, their dominance over the league evident & 2 comfortable wins over the Rovers, most recently a fortnight ago.

Form: Yarra (5-0) - Rovers (4-1)

Last time: R18 - Pigeons by 35 points

Tip: Pigeons by 26 points

"The club hasn't won a final since 2016... It was up to us to draw a line in the sand"

Power coach Kyle Docherty on their first finals win in near a decade

Around the Grounds

CDHBU had little trouble accounting for an understrength RWW, storming past the Giants with 7 goals to 2 in the opening term & never losing their grip.

Despite heading in without league leading goalkicker Ryan Beveridge, the Power wouldn't be denied avenue to goal with Paddy Lavis & Corey Smith combining up forward with 7 apiece to deliver their first final win since 2016.

Jindera looked to have the match signed, sealed & delivered heading into the final quarter, leading Lockhart by 36 points having only conceded the single goal.

What followed highlighted exactly how far the red & the blue have come since near collapse a few short years ago.

The Dees stormed home with 5.5, coming painfully close to stealing a berth in the Semi's, but were unable to overturn a lackluster 3 quarter effort, the Dogs holding on with a Trent Castles long bomb into the wind halting momentum.

Semi

CDHBU v Jindera

The Power are surging, saving their best for the right time of the year - something Jindera experienced first hand around a month ago.

The Doggies were no doubt fully focused on the task presented by Lockhart, but half a mind surely turned towards how they'd stop CDHBU as they watched the teal wave run riot on Saturday.

It'll take a coaching masterclass, but the red, white & blue have a bloke who's manufactured back-to-back wins over an ever dangerous Dees outfit, with finals experience to boot.

Is that enough, though?

Form: CDHBU (5-0) - Jindera (4-1)

Last time: R15 - Power by 61 points

Tip: Power by 24 points

Qualifying

Osborne v Holbrook

Holbrook are the only side to best Osborne since 2019, the pair splitting the past 2 flags.

They've also split the points this season in narrow meetings, but the winner on both occasions dominated the scoring shots & should have done more damage.

Brad Carman, Jock Triggs & Luke Gestier are all fit for the Brookers, while the Tiges welcome back spearhead George Alexander, setting up a blockbuster between the 2 standout teams with full lists.

Form: Osborne (5-0) - Holbrook (3-2)

Last time: R16 - Tiges by 2 points

Tip: Tiges by 1 point

"They gave us a touch-up in the qualifying final... The record counts for nothing"

Swans coach Brad Hibberson on their form over the Hawks & at Sandy Creek

Around the Grounds

Yack & KSC put their cards on the table in a ripper outing for a spot in the decider.

The Hawks will rue not seizing opportunities, trailing at the half by a point with their 4.6 to 5.1 before the Roos hopped away with 5 goals in the premiership quarter.

Chiltern responded definitively with a couple of 6 goal quarters in the 1st & 3rd to send Beechworth packing.

The Swans kicked their highest score against a top 5 team since their R4 thumping of Thurgoona with 10 individual goalkickers, 5 multiple, booking themselves a Prelim in the process.

Prelim

KSC v Chiltern

The last 2 Grand Finals contenders face off a week earlier than they're used to, with only 1 spot up for grabs.

Having been held goalless against the Roos, Hawk Connor Newnham will be keen to bounce back to the form that saw him dominate the Swans in the 1st Qualifying.

Chiltern though, still boast a formidable record at Sandy Creek, winning 7 from the last 8 there, plus a 6 & 3 record against the brown & gold.

Here's hoping for as good a contest as last year's decider.

Form: KSC (4-1) - Chiltern (3-2)

Last time: QF1 - Hawks by 51 points

Tip: Hawks by 18 points

"When you play a side like Bonnie Doon, you know you have to bring it... We knew we would have to go the distance"

Blues coach Chris Dube on what it takes to topple the best

Around the Grounds

Greta have booked a ticket to their first decider in a quarter century, knocking Bonnie Doon off the perch for the first time in 34 games.

An even opener saw the Bombers hold a slender lead, before the Blues gained the ascendancy with 19 shots to 8, charging to a 6 goal win in an impressive 4 quarter display.

Goorambat put in a quality half of football, leading at the first change before the Bright took control.

Still within 2 goals at the main break, the writing was on the wall for the Bats, -6 in shots on.

The Mountain Men restricted the Bats to just 2 more minor scores for the game, while piling on 10.5 themselves to book a spot in the Prelim.

Prelim

Bonnie Doon v Bright

The Bright faithful will no doubt feel they owe the Bombers after last year's Grand Final heartache, & those around Pioneer Park will also remember being eliminated in straight sets by the Bombers back in '22.

Bonnie though, won't like the bitter taste defeat, their first in a long while.

How they respond to that is the big question, surely keen to both bounce back, then seek vengeance. They haven't kicked big scores against the top 6 this year, but they sure don't concede many either.

The Mountain Men well give themselves every chance of progressing back to the big stage, inaccuracy the big issue in their only meeting this year.

But now they know the Bombers can bleed...

Form: Bonnie Doon (4-1) - Bright (5-0)

Last time: R12 - Bombers by 14 points

Tip: Mountain Men by 7 points