Mini Colts
In the closest game of the day, spectators were treated to a beauty in the Under 12’s which was only decided in extra time after the scores were level at the final siren. Tumby Bay opened the scoring with a point against the flow of play early after Eyre United were linking up well with Levi Charlton finding plenty of the ball. Benji Foster saved a certain goal for the Saints early in the second, and after some good team play Bryn Pugsley missed a shot on goal to see scores level. Esix Curtis managed a point late in the quarter as the game turned in to a real arm wrestle. Eyre United dominated things early in the third but could not find the scoreboard and it was Bodi Allen who kicked the games first goal after some great work from Will Viney. Jalen Burgoyne kicked their second moments later and the Blues were suddenly out to a game high 14 point lead. Bryn Pugsley set the Saints alight with a major in the opening minute of the last quarter and with the Cobung-Ware girls in everything, Eyre United were back in the game. It took a game changing 25 metre penalty late in the game to set up Clifford Warrior who converted and the scores were level with the siren sounding moments later.
The Saints were able to do just enough in overtime, with Henri Bates clinching the game kicking a goal with just 2 minutes to go. Bryn Pugsley was outstanding for the winners, the Colbung-Ware’s excellent, and Barney, Bates and Foster all valuable contributors.
For Tumby Bay Will Viney was a standout, Jaiden Jefferson excellent, and Burford, Pucci, Calderwood and young Maxtin Richardson all played great games.
Senior Colts
Most pundits were predicting a close affair in the senior colts, but it was anything but as Tumby Bay blew Eyre United out of the water to win comfortably by 68 points. They were well on top from start to finish and completely dominated the contest with winners all across the ground. Ezra Foster was repelling everything across half back and Nick Cave and Oz Richardson racking up touches. They stepped things up a notch in the second to bang on 5 second quarter goals and keeping the Saints to just 1, and the game was all but done at half time with the Blues leading by 44 points at the main break.
They dominated the 3rd again despite the efforts of Will Turner, Brodey Stratford and Harvey Masson, but they had no answers to the dominance of Foster, Richardson, Cave, Challinger and Allen. It was another 4 goal quarter to the Blues with Eyre United managing just 4 points and struggling to penetrate a tight knit Tumby Bay defence. The game petered out in the last with just 1 goal scored for the quarter, but the damage had already been done and Tumby Bay were simply too good over 4 quarters to advance directly in to the Grand Final. Foster was clearly best on ground, Richardson all class, and Liam Carr, Nick Cave, Thomas Allen and Henry Challinger all solid contributors.
Eyre United were best served by Association medallist WIll Turner, Riley Pugsley did some good things, and Stratford, Masson and Simpson worked hard but were outclassed.
B Grade
Tumby Bay have proved to be the best side all year in the B grade, and they proved this on Saturday with a workmanlike and disciplined performance to march straight through to the Grand Final in a fortnight's time. The game was a real arm wrestle in the first half, with scores level at quarter time and just a 2 point lead to Tumby Bay at half time as both sides crashed in hard in an entertaining game. Calderwood and Anesbury were working overtime for their side while Britza, Pobke and Kidney were keeping the Eagles well and truly in the contest.
The game began to open up a little in the third quarter with the Blues adding 2 goals to their tally but more importantly kept the Eagles scoreless for the quarter with Edmonds, Cocks and Lebrun forming the backbone of a discipline defensive unit. The last quarter was clearly Tumby Bay’s best as they took complete control of the game as Calderwood, Cross and Smith won many touches to provide forwards in Belt and Fiore plenty of opportunities. The Blues piled on 5 goals for the quarter and again kept the Eagles goalless despite some strong efforts from Jed Murnane, Izaac Hancock and McLachlan. Tumby Bay ended up comfortable 41 point winners in the end, but United Yeelanna were well and truly in the contest up until half time and not far away at 3 quarter time. Brayden Calderwood was a clear stand out as best on ground, Edmonds and Cocks excellent in defence, while Lebrun and Fiore were also important players. For the Eagles Jed Murnane played a great 4 quarter game, Hancock and Lawrie good, and Peters and Habner had some good moments.
A Grade
In the main game of the day, spectators were not disappointed as United Yeelanna and Elliston Districts went head to head in a great game of football.
The Eagles came out strongly in the first quarter to assert their authority as Matt Crettenden capitalized to kick the first 2 goals, and Xavier Watson stood tall to add his sides third as they skipped away to a 3 goal lead. The pressure from Norton, Plugga Crettenden and Matt Dyer was outstanding keeping the Roosters to just 1 point for the quarter. Maxfield and Stephen Crettenden kicked the first 2 for the 2nd quarter and the game looked to be slipping away from Elliston Districts, but they were able to slowly work themselves back in to the game with great defensive work from Montgomerie, Bascomb, Lee and Tansell and Gibson stood tall up forward to kick 2 important goals. If not for inaccurate kicking on goal the game could have been closer than the 16 point margin at half time as the Roosters had worked themselves back in to the contest.
It was a similar story in the third as poor kicking for goal cost them, and at the other end Crettenden, Breed and Lawrie had no trouble converting as the Eagles lead skipped out once again. The Roosters once again responded strongly as Gibson and Hutchinson responded with 2 goals, and Williams, McInnis and the evergreen Feltus worked overtime to keep them in the game, but the pressure of Norton, Carr and Martin continually thwarted Elliston Districts forward entries.
With the game on the line after the Roosters had added some early goals, it was United Yeelanna who stood tall in the final quarter with workmanlike discipline that enabled them to kick 3 goals and maintain their lead throughout. Elliston Districts would have come away from the game ruing some missed opportunities in front of goal, (although the pressure from United Yeelanna’s defenders was outstanding), but in the end it was the experienced guns of the Eagles in Plugga Crettenden, Watson, Dyer, and Norton that stood tall, and Murnane, Conlan and Martin were all important. For the Roosters McInnis was outstanding, Montgomerie brilliant across half back, and Hutchinson, Bascomb, Tansell and Gibson with 3 goals were all important players. The Eagles now head in to yet another Grand Final, while the Roosters will face a confident Lock side in next week’s preliminary final.
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