RESURGENT SAINTS STORM INTO FINAL
ST MARY’S has surged into the GFL Grand Final, keeping its magical run going with a 26point win over St Joseph’s.
Needing to win 11 of their last 13 games of the home- andaway season just to make the top five, the Saints’ giant- killing finals run collected its third scalp with the 13.8 ( 86) to 9.6 ( 60) victory over the reigning premiers.
The Saints have been irrepressible in their September campaign and will now play in their fourth consecutive grand final — hoping to finally break through for their first flag since 2008.
“It’s good for the boys to get some reward from where we were at the start of the year, to be honest,” co- coach Glenn Keast said. “The boys battled hard. It was a true club- versusclub rivalry. We started really well and then they hung tough, but we were really good, I thought.”
St Mary’s stormed out of the blocks, leading by 26 points at quarter- time before St Joseph’s narrowed the margin to 15 at the final change.
The margin was cut even further to just eight points midway through the final term, but the Saints did enough thanks to Tom Lang’s four goals and Trent McMullan holding up the defence.
A grand final meeting with Colac awaits, something that wasn’t looking likely for St Mary’s at 1- 4 after Round 5.
“You always want to keep positivity in the group, but the reality was it was unlikely,” Keast said of their finals hopes back in May.
“We mapped out what we needed to do and we thought we could win 11 out of 13 games.
T. Lang 4, D. Bond 2, K. Reid 2, B. Pritchard, J. Travaglini, P. Dowling, M. Augerinos, J. Blood. J. Davis 2, D. Capiron, L. Anderson, L. Webb, P. Kelleher, M. Dufty A. Hickey, K. Paliouras
T. McMullan, T. Lang, N. Connors, H. Ling, B. Moloney, M. Augerinos.
B. McNamara, J. Hickey, L. Featherstone, L. Webb, R. Adams, C. Mitchell.
“We put it to the boys and if we had asked them at the start of the season could we win 11 of 13, they would’ve said yes.
“So to execute that has been great, but I suppose now it’s all about opportunity.”
Harry Ling kept the St Joseph’s small forwards quiet and midfield pair Ben Moloney and Max Augerinos continued their strong finals form.
It was Lang, however, who proved to be the difference — his four goals taking his finals haul to 12 from three games.
“Langy was really good,” Keast said. “His competitiveness is really good and he stays in the contest. He gives us a good option up there.”
Attention now turns to Colac, a side St Mary’s will look to emulate in winning a premiership from fifth place as the Tigers did in 2014.
“They’ve been the best side all year and ( only Newtown & Chilwell) has beaten them since we did in Round 4. We’re looking forward to it. They’re the benchmark,” Keast said.