Young Gulls win last-gasp thriller over Hawks
In the end it was as close as close can be.
Warragul and Drouin's thirds went to battle in Saturday's qualifying final, and ultimately it took until the final few seconds of the game to separate the two sides. By the final siren though, Warragul was the team that prevailed by the slimmest of margins 8.8 (56) to 8.7 (55).
With mere minutes to go in the contest the scores had been totally even after a Drouin goal, with the match essentially turning into a case of next score wins.
For the final 90 seconds of the game, the ball was living in the Gulls' forward line, as they tried to find the score they needed to break the deadlock, with the Hawks desperately trying to hang on.
Multiple Gulls players had set shot opportunities with a minor score being all that was needed to win, but miraculously they all fell just short, where the Hawks' desperation in defence somehow stopped the ball going through when it appeared all but certain.
And just when it appeared we were destined for an extra time classic, a quick Warragul snap out of a pack floated through for a behind with just two seconds left on the clock, the final siren sounding as the umpire signalled the score. Gulls players celebrated with jubilation, while their Hawks counterparts dropped to their knees.
It was a fitting end to a game that never truly had either side looking comfortable, the match ebbing and flowing between the two sides.
At ground level Drouin were strong, as the likes of Zayne Atkins, Noah Rogers and Thomas Wans were able to go to work and match Warragul at the contest. That's not to say the Gulls mids were overwhelmed, however, as Kai MacLean and Liam Serong ensured Warragul remained in the fight.
But the air belonged to the Gulls, as their bigger bodies held a lot of sway in the contest. Big man Liam Finnegan enjoyed a strong day in the forward line with four goals, three of them coming in a rush in the first term where he monstered his opponent.
Patrick Ireland's marking ability gave Drouin headaches all day, both in the backline early and the forward line late.
And Lachlan James Smith played a big role in the ruck, utilising his size and a surprisingly solid running capacity to help Warragul in the centre clearances.
All these factors meant that both sides played quite different styles of footy in what was an overall high-quality contest. The Hawks, without big man and star player Ryan Maric, lacked the size to take contested marks, often looked for short passes or tried to run and carry. The Gulls were happy to play a more brutal contested style, winning the contest and knowing that even if their clearing kicks weren't necessarily accurate, their big men would work to make sure the ball came to ground.
Momentum swung wildly at various points, as every time it appeared one team was in the process of pulling away the other would find a response. Things did appear at breaking point, however, after Kai MacLean nailed a long-range set shot after the siren at three quarter time to push the margin to 14 points at the final change.
Given the relatively low-scoring affair of the game, combined with Drouin's lack of a strong aerial presence up forward, there was a general feeling that if the Gulls were able to get the first goal of the final term that it may be a bridge too far for the Hawks.
It never occurred though, with Drouin kicking the only two goals of the last quarter, and though they ultimately fell short, their endeavour could not be questioned. There's a reason they are a side that had won their last eight coming into this encounter.
The Hawks will now have to fight if they are to win the flag though, and will now play Bairnsdale in a cutthroat final to keep in contention. The Redlegs were able to progress courtesy of their dominant 14.13 (97) to 3.7 (25) win over Moe in the elimination final.
The Hawks will enter that game with confidence, having knocked off the Redlegs by 22 points the last time they met.
Warragul, meanwhile, will now meet top side Maffra for a spot in the grand final. The Eagles lost just three games for the year, but two of those were their two matches against the Gulls, meaning it will be an intriguing contest.
Should Warragul lose next week though, a potential finals rematch looms with Drouin. And given the quality of this contest, should that happen fans will no doubt be in for another treat.