The Northern Football Netball League Preliminary Final drew the crowds to the Lalor Recreation Reserve on Saturday to see which sides will play in the Grand Final next week.
Kilmore Reserves Coach Leigh Irons is hoping the Reserves can return to their winning ways, after their last game resulted in a 32-point defeat to Mernda. He said losing that game was a reality check, and they play better when they play back-to back.
“We had the bye last week, [prior] and we’ve shown this year that our worst footy has been off a bye,” he said.
“We earned the crack at a second chance, and we’re going to use it. To be honest, it’s a reality check.”
After the bounce, the Blues immediately set up their wall of defenders and ball barriers, and they were ready to pounce on any loose balls before the Old Paradians could get to them. It was a low scoring quarter, with the Old Paradians kicking the only goal for the quarter near the eight-minute mark, while Kilmore kicked five behinds.
Into the second quarter, near the six-minute mark, Kilmore took the lead with a crowd-pleasing goal, and the crowd wanted more, and another goal came six minutes later. Shortly before the end of the first term, the Old Paradians kicked a goal, but Kilmore were still in front by four points, 2.6 (18) to 2.2 (14).
The second term was explosive and rewarding for Kilmore at least. It was goal after goal from Kilmore and the Old Paradians could not keep up, with three back-to-back goals from the Blues. The chance to play again this weekend looked more and more like a possibility. The Old Paradians snuck in a goal near the 16-minute mark, but it didn’t stop the familiar corridor Kilmore had set up from being used again, and they responded with four back-to-back goals to finish the third quarter in front, 10.8 (68) to 3.2 (20).
When the Old Paradians returned from their huddle and kicked the first goal, the crowd got even louder, and when they missed four back-to back shots, the cheers could be heard from miles away. It was near the 18-minute mark when Kilmore won possession again, and scored two nifty goals to extend their lead, and finish in front with a convincing victory 12.8 (80) to 4.7 (31).
Kilmore will go on to play Mernda in the Grand Final next week, and it will be a memorable game for the Blues, as Mernda came close to snuffing out the Reserves’ winning streak in Round 8, and then succeeded in beating Kilmore in Qualifying Final rounds by 32 points.
The best players for Kilmore were Thomas McMillan, Hayden Phillips, David Saunders, Ryan McDonald, Brian Lawrence, and Cole Isbister.
Goal kickers were Ryan McDonald with four, Brian Lawrence, Marcus Webb, and Ryan Hall with two each, and Cole Isbister, Marcus Webb, and Michael Fenech with one each.
In the Senior games, the Old Paradians defeated Mernda by 61 points. Although Mernda won the first quarter 2-5, the Old Paradians exploded and finished the first term in front, 68-11. When the siren sounded the score was 17.12 (114) to 7.11 (53).
This weekend, the Old Paradians will play Mernda in the Grand Final at 2.10pm, at the Lalor Recreation Reserve.
