There’s nothing quite like the magic of a preliminary final.
Wangaratta Magpies won through to their fifth senior grand final in seven years in an electric final at Birallee Park on Sunday in one of the best games of Ovens and Murray footy this season.
The Magpies managed to stand tall and come up with the goods when it mattered, running out winners 15.8 (98) to Myrtleford’s 12.11 (83).
With a spot in the grand final on the cards, and with two talented teams lining up on each other, the match was a guaranteed scorcher.
It was a shoot-out early, with both midfields feeding their forwards efficiently, with nine goals kicked for the opening term.
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There was just a kick in it at quarter time, with the Magpies ahead, and they used their trademark pressure and stoppage work to gain the upper hand, denying Myrtleford access to their preferred run and carry game style.
The Magpies piled on four goals to the Saints’ one in the second term, opening up a 24-point rift by the long break.
As the match resumed, Wangaratta continued to heap the pressure on, with their midfield crew rising to the challenge, led by big Chris Knowles in the ruck.
The Magpies led by 35 points at the final change of end, and although the Saints threw everything at the wall to try and force a comeback, Wangaratta’s composure and the siren won out.
Coach Jason Heatley said it was a terrific final to be part of, and praised his entire list for the victory.
“Myrtleford are a terrific side, really well-coached, we knew they were going to come and that was their time,” he said.
“To be fair, I thought we repelled really well under some adversity, but we got the job done.
“The free-flowing scoring probably wasn’t what we were looking for – that was as quick as I’ve seen the ball move end to end all year.
“You just had two really good sides going at it, the brakes were going to be put on at some stage, but we just hung in there for longer and were able to get the game on our terms and impact the scoreboard.
“They had some good players around the footy, [Simon] Curtis going in there was an inspired decision, but we only needed to wrest aside a couple of times and hit the scoreboard.”
Xavier Laverty finished with four goals in a best on ground effort, supported across the park by Chris Knowles, Michael Bordignon, and Jackson Clarke.
Heatley said it was a full-team effort.
“I thought Knowlsey [Chris Knowles] was unbelievable in the middle against a couple of big boys in there - he’s done it all year, he’s just outstanding,” He said.
“We’ve been doing lots of different bodies of work, we needed to get that midfield group connected and healthy.
“We have [Daniel] Sharrock back in there, [Alex] Federico not carrying as much of the load, getting [Tyler] Norton through there, and [Hunter] Gottschling through there, and [Jackson] Clarke at different times.
“To have those guys fit and healthy and running on top of the ground, it makes an enormous difference.”
Wangaratta is the first senior team to make the grand final from fifth placed since the 2003 season.
The result sets up a mouth-watering grand final 48 years in the making, up against the old enemy Wangaratta Rovers in Sunday’s decider at Lavington Sports Ground, their first meeting in a grand final since 1977.
In other grades, it was heartbreak in the thirds when the minor premiers Rovers were denied a place in the grand final by Lavington, defeated 5.4 (34) to the Panthers 5.6 (36).
