Magpies left thunderstruck as Power surge into semi
Week one of the finals proved to be every bit the classic viewing it promised to be on paper, with one team now eliminated and another having emerged as the strongest contender to Leongatha's grip on the premiership cup. Here's what you may have missed this week.
Wonthaggi vs Sale
Wonthaggi have booked their place in a semi final against Leongatha next week after an impressive win in their qualifying final against Sale over the weekend.
In front of a large and passionate crowd of fans keen to watch the league's first finals series in three years, the Power proved themselves to be the pick of the bunch to challenge the Parrots as they won 12.7 (79) to 9.9 (63).
In a high-stakes final between two contenders, it can often take one outstanding performance to separate the sides, and in this case it was Wonthaggi forward Troy Harley who proved the difference. Harley, playing against a side laden with some of the best tall talent the competition has to offer, was near unstoppable in the middle two quarters of the game as he booted seven goals for the game.
Three of these came in the second term, being the only goals the Power scored for the quarter, before four more in a row in the third term blew the game apart to give Wonthaggi a 30-point buffer headed into the final quarter.
The Magpies were able to kick the only two goals of the final term, but by then it was much too late.
Jarryd Blair, Andrew Murray and Aiden Lindsay were outstanding at the contest, and were able to consistently lower their eyes going forward to set up the Power's forward line.
The only downside for the day was a serious injury to Mitch Hayes, who had to be stretchered off following a collision with Sale forward Brad Dessent.
Sale, for their part, were outworked defensively for much of the day. They looked to have captured their freewheeling scoring ability in the first term, kicking 5.3 to 4.1 for the quarter, but were well held from then on.
Jack Leslie, Mitch Bown and Shannen Lange were among their better players.
Wonthaggi will now face top seed Leongatha in what looms as a blockbuster match-up, with the winner to go straight to the grand final.
Sale, meanwhile, will now need to win their final next week against Traralgon to stay alive.
Traralgon vs Morwell
When the young Morwell team pulled off the impossible last week to make finals, it was close to the story of the season. Unfortunately for them, however, that's where their fairytale ended as the Tigers were sent packing out of the finals series by a tenacious Traralgon side.
The Maroons showed every bit of their experience early with to a five goal to zero first term, before managing to hold their opponents at bay to emerge victorious 13.6 (84) to 9.12 (66).
A league-record crowd for an elimination final attended the day, which included a cameo from ex-Melbourne superstar Nathan Jones for the coin toss.
Having been denied a top three finish thanks to some slip-ups earlier in the year, including against Morwell, Traralgon appeared to be a team on a mission early. They cleaned up at the clearances, while forward Brett Eddy looked as threatening as ever.
Eddy would finish with four goals for the day, while captain Matthew Northe kicked three. Tye Hourigan was also a standout in defence, helping to keep the always-dangerous Morwell spearhead Brandon McDonald to just two goals.
And while the Tigers, having looked overawed by the occasion early, gradually worked their way into the game, giving a team like Traralgon a five-goal buffer to begin the game was always going to make things difficult, if not impossible.
In the end, Morwell actually ended up winning every quarter except the first, but were so thoroughly outplayed in that opening quarter that they now must look to the off-season.
Ryan Hearn and Tyler Brown were earnest in their efforts, as was upcoming ruckman Tristen Waack, and ultimately the Tigers will be pleased with how they played after the first term, having looked the better side from then on. But again, it will be of little comfort to them given their hard work to make finals has now been brought undone.
Traralgon will now look to next week's final against Sale.
The Maroons and the Magpies went 1-1 in their meetings during the season, leaving this as a potential classic.
Reserves
A four-goal to zero first term allowed Maffra to prevail in their qualifying final against an inaccurate Wonthaggi, the final score being 11.4 (70) to 8.10 (78).
Though the Power were able to win every quarter beyond the first, they were cruelled by their inability to maximise their opportunities on the scoreboard, and will now have to play a sudden death final against Sale next week.
Maffra will now face the ladder leading Leongatha for a spot in the grand final.
Sale managed to stay alive in their elimination final, winning a thriller against Morwell 9.9 (67) to 8.7 (55).
The Magpies led for virtually all of the day and though at no point did they look totally comfortable, they were eventually able to outlast their opponents and end their season in the process.
Sale will next meet Wonthaggi, with the loser to exit the finals series.