Dusties daring to dream due to dominant defence
Write them off at your own peril.
That is the lesson the rest of the competition is learning after the Warragul Industrials pulled off yet another remarkable finals victory, this time overcoming Cora Lynn for the first time in a decade to keep their premiership dream alive.
As they were last week, the Dusties were put under immense pressure early but were able to find a way to pull through before turning the game on its head and grind their way to a 7.4 (46) to 4.7 (31) win on the Cobras' home deck, leaving them just one win away from the grand final. It's a remarkable rise for a side that, it must be remembered, finished bottom of the table with just two wins to their name after the competition's last full season in 2019.
Not only that, but to make a preliminary final from sixth position, knocking off two sides that they failed to beat during the home-and-away season, is simply the stuff of fairytales.
Equally as impressive was the defensive job the Dusties did, particularly on Cora Lynn's superstar full forward Nathan Gardiner. Gardiner had been on an absolute tear through the latter parts of the season, having kicked 41 goals in the five games prior to the weekend, including eight last week to knock Nar Nar Goon out of the finals. Against the Dusties though? Gardiner was held to just two goals, while his side managed just four for the day.
This was, in large part, thanks to the clear defensive intent the Dusties presented throughout the day. Cora Lynn struggled to find clear leading lanes to run to inside 50, and when the ball inevitably hit the deck the tackling pressure of the defenders was near-perfect.
Wilson McGillivray played the primary job on Gardiner and did it with aplomb, while the importance of the role Todd Beck as the seventh man in defence cannot be understated.
The early stages of the game would have given the Dusties players a distinct sense of déjà vu to their final last week against Inverloch-Kongwak, as their opponents dominated the inside 50 in the first term. Cory Machaya kicked the Cobras' first goal early, but as had been the case last week the Warragul defence was standing tall, albeit being aided by some poor goalkicking from the Cobras.
By quarter time the Dusties had failed to score and weren't looking threatening, but trailed by only 11 points.
The second quarter had them work their way into the game though, and after Bailey Beck, Anthony Bruhn and Mason McGarrity all found the big sticks suddenly their quarter time deficit had turned into a half time lead.
The Dusties' midfield had begun to go to work, as the likes of Bailey Beck, Will Gibson and Kane Oldham matched their opponents at the coalface, while the Dusties' outside players used a short kicking style to starve the Cobras of many opportunities with the ball.
And after kicking the first two goals of the third term thanks to Todd Beck and Kyle Staples, suddenly the Dusties looked well and truly on for a famous win, though two late Cora Lynn goals ensured things were tight going into the final term at just eight points.
Mason McGarrity's second goal propelled the Dusties' advantage out again, but a quick response from Gardiner kept the Cobras in the game. Cora Lynn pushed hard late, but after Adrian De Sando showed all his class to kick a sealer it was enough to send Warragul through.
It means that for the second week in a row, against a side boasting a great deal of firepower in their forward half, the Dusties have managed to make the game an absolute grind to keep themselves in it and ultimately win.
That's not to say Warragul are entirely lacking in their own forward line, but against the best teams in the competition the more defensive style they've adopted has absolutely paid dividends, allowing their contested ball prowess to come to the fore. Senior coach Harmit Singh and the rest of the coaching staff would no doubt be earning plenty of plaudits for their strategies to this point.
It was a rather disappointing end to the season for Cora Lynn, who had won 12 of their past 13 games before the loss. They'll likely be left ruing their 0-5 start to the season, which left them playing catch-up for much of the year and ultimately finishing fifth on the table instead of a potentially higher finish.
The Dusties, meanwhile will be entering their prelim next week with supreme confidence, especially given that they were just one of two sides to defeat their opponent, Phillip Island, throughout the year.
There's a certain air around the Warragul Industrials at the moment, and the sense that they may just be creating something very special this year.
Their finals victories thus far have given them a true up and coming underdog status for neutrals to get around, especially since they have made it to the final three sides left in it despite finishing sixth. If they were to win it, it would be one of the greatest stories country footy has seen in a long time.
Now we just wait to see if they can get their fairytale finish.