Tigers pounce late

Big last quarter puts Colac into preliminary final

COLAC has stormed into the GFL preliminary final after a 14-point win over Bell Park yesterday.

The Tigers were five points down at three-quarter time but kicked five goals to two in the last quarter to book a date with the previously undefeated St Joseph’s in this Saturday’s preliminary final.

They also consigned the Dragons to a straight sets exit.

Luke Hillman kicked five goals for Colac in a brilliant display inside-50, while big man Zach Zdybel bagged four in a standout performance.

Bell Park had defeated the Tigers by 28 points only two weeks ago, but ruckman Lochlan Veale said his side’s younger players were enjoying the wide expanses of Simonds Stadium.

“There were some moments through the game there that looked a bit touch and go but the boys stuck true and stuck tough, and came away with the win, which was very exciting,” Veale said.

“It’s always hard to beat Bell Park at Bell Park where it’s tight and in close, but I think with young guys with young legs we got plenty of run (out of them).

“Once we got it on the outside I think we looked very dangerous when we were going forward.

“We probably kicked a bit wayward early but . . . we stuck to the game plan and held our structures, which was really good and we kicked away in the end with those young legs.”

For the Dragons, Jackson Bright, Patrick Bright, Jarrod Garth, Tim Sheringham and Patrick Knott all kicked two majors but they could not match the running power of the Tigers in the final term.

Veale said confidence levels within the playing group were on the rise after back-to-back wins in cutthroat finals, and that anything was possible.

“They (our finals) are obviously all cutthroat and elimination but the guys have got really good belief and I think that comes with a young crew,” he said.

“Nothing really fazes them too much, even when we get down in games everyone cracks in and has a really good go at it, and that is all we ask of them.

“We talk about our game plan being based around finals footy and it is proving that it is working well at the moment.”

Colac will again be without co-captain Ryan Monaghan for the St Joseph’s clash as he sits out the final week of his two-match ban for rough conduct.

“Once we got it on the outside I think we looked very dangerous when we were going forward.” LOCHLAN VEALE