Sea Eagles soar to grand final

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Sea Eagles soar to grand final

INVERLOCH-Kongwak will play in all four Alberton Football Netball League grand finals football matches on Saturday.
The venue, the Meeniyan Recreation Reserve will be a sea of blue and gold.
Well almost.
There will be a fair smattering of red and white around the boundary line with Fish Creek playing in three while the Reserves will play Dalyston.
It is the first time IK has had four teams feature on grand final day.
It is all coming together for the Sea Eagles as it bows out of the Alberton league with the Seniors footballers ready to carry out the plan it set in action 12 months ago: win the league premiership.
A huge crowd gathered to watch Inverloch Kongwak record an 18 point win over last year’s premiers Dalyston, in conditions which grew colder as the game unfolded.
A strong wind which affected the day’s earlier games had abated to a steady westerly breeze favouring the southern end of the ground with no more than a one goal advantage.
Tom Wyatt, the team captain said, “The things we have been working on together for the last 12 months all came together.
“We played well as team.
“We broke their back in the third quarter to take an 18 point lead into the fourth quarter which was nothing but a shootout.”
In the final quarter play swung from end to end but with Dalyston unable to make inroads into IK’s lead.
The Sea Eagles last two weeks’ team meetings had focused on the opposition more than usual and its main concern was Dalyston forward Bret Thornton.
As if to prove IK’s concern, Thornton kicked the opening goal of the game; with the help of a 50 metre penalty.
With all three goals in the opening quarter off his boot Thornton kicked five for the match.
IK’s Tom McQualter snapped a rover’s goal midway through the term.
Dalyston’s key forwards were working well but in reality Thornton at full forward has been carrying a nagging hamstring injury and while normally quite a versatile player who the coach moves around, on Saturday it appears he wasn’t available for positional changes which disadvantaged the Magpies.
In fact neither of the full forwards was 100 percent fit with IK’s Lucas McMillan recovering from an ankle injury.
One goal down at quarter time Ben Soumilas entreated his players with one of his favourite sayings, to play like IK.
His message was calm, “Stick to the game plan.”
One key component of the game plan was to keep the ball away from strong marking goal blocker at half back for Dalyston, Brad Fisher.
That part of the game plan was improved in the second quarter of play and with Fisher’s effectiveness cancelled he was moved to the forward line in the third quarter where he managed to kick three goals.
The Sea Eagles also worked hard to win the ball in the midfield.
Dean Wiley was a danger at half back and he was checked closely by Adam Cross who played a pretty good game.
Key moves by Soumilas sent Brad Hender from ruck to full back where he held Thornton goalless.
Hender’s ruck replacement, the more attacking defender, Dylan Clark had an influential last quarter.
The second quarter saw momentum swing IK’s way with a six point deficit exchanged for a seven point lead.
IK was getting the ball how it had planned to and then moving it forward the way it had wanted to.
Will Hetherington kicked a lovely goal from the pocket, the first for the quarter.
IK was quietly confident it could win the game with Soumilas opening his half time address in his usual calm, level headed manner, “Now I’ll tell you how we are going to win the game.”
He mainly spoke about taking the initiative, playing the patterns, getting numbers around the ball and utilising hand ball rather than bobbing the ball along.
The third quarter saw two goals kicked by each team.
IK’s came from a very strong Lucas McMillan tackle 20 metres out from goal with Dalyston back Liam West pinged for holding the ball, and two minutes later when Toby Mahoney got knocked over late and  was awarded a 50 metre penalty which brought him to the goal square.
That is when Brad Fisher was moved up forward and ended up with three goals for the quarter.
Fifteen points up at the last change Inverloch Kongwak had the game by the horns and had wrestled it away from Dalyston.
IK prides itself on being the fittest side in the competition and its fitness was showing with more player making it to the contests.
The last quarter swung from end to end with Brad Fisher looking increasingly dangerous until Andy Soumilas kicked the goal on the run that sealed the game.
A large group gathered for a short celebration before quickly turning to the business of winning the ticket to the grand final and Andy Houston booted the authoritarian goal late in the quarter.
IK named 17 year old Campbell McKenzie best on the ground.
On Saturday take note of his courage and skill and his impact on the game.
Dylan Clark across half back and ruck in the last quarter exerted influence on the game as did Josh Clottu and Corey Casey, two midfielders who consistently won the ball and fed it on to the runners.
Louis Rankin had a great game on Brad Fisher with his athleticism giving him the edge – he is regarded as the fittest and fastest player on the team and is good at spoiling with the longer reach of his left arm.
Will Hetherington was the other player named among the best with his running and bouncing the ball gaining valuable metres all match.
This week it’s all about keeping things on an even keel with training Tuesday and Thursday nights.
There will be plenty to talk about; Fish Creek looms a formidable opponent.
Reserves
Inverloch Kongwak versus MDU
The wind, it could be said, blew this game apart.
The wind, more a gale, made it difficult for the boundary umpires to throw the ball back into play and accounts for the inaccuracy of the scoring with five goals scored and 23 behinds.
Only one of those five goals belonged to MDU.
All the same, in the captain’s view, fewer of IK’s 13 behinds should have been missed.
IK had the bulk of the inside 50s and its back line held up much better than MDU.
IK was able to exert more pressure around the ball with players like S. Buxton getting first use of the ball and showing a clean pair of hands.
Billy Huitema was in front of his opponent and Todd Lomax provided great run off the half back line.
MDU appeared to have little in the way of forward structures and allowed players to get bottled up.
Barry Withers normally plays on the backline but he went forward on Saturday and was the only multiple goal scorer on the day with two goals.
Essentially he managed to muscle it through.
The Inverloch Kongwak Reserves play Dalyston in the grand final next Saturday.
Thirds
Phillip Island versus Fish Creek
The first quarter of the Thirds preliminary final, Phillip Island versus Fish Creek was a hard, even contest.
Both teams contested strongly for the ball and were determined in their pressure.
Fish Creek opened the scoring with a goal to Josh Standfield.
Phillip Island responded quickly with a point, followed by a goal.
Fishy worked hard from the centre bounce and showed great team work, resulting in a goal to Brady Mitchell.
Phillip Island was not to be outdone and scored its second goal after a 50 metre penalty.
Fish Creek again worked the ball into its forward line but the blustery wind made scoring tough.
Fishy kept the ball in its forward 50 but could only manage two points before quarter time.
The wind continued to be a major factor in the second quarter.
Fishy battled hard to keep the ball at its scoring end but could not convert the work into goals.
Owen Straw was leading the team and tackling hard.
Jai Stefani scored Fish Creek’s only goal for the quarter.
Phillip Island responded with a very quick goal, followed by a point at the end of the quarter, giving Fish Creek a slim four point lead.
Fish Creek controlled most of the play in the third quarter.
Toby Redpath was taking some important intercept marks in the back line and helped to keep Phillip Island’s scoring to a point. Fish Creek was still finding it difficult to convert its work into goals with the gusting wind making all shots difficult.
Sam Flanders was in everything and Brady Mitchell was marking well in the difficult conditions.
He scored Fishy’s only goal for the quarter, after a 50 metre penalty.
Phillip Island had the scoring end in the final quarter and was determined to make the most of it.
The Bulldogs scored a fast goal from the centre bounce and then kept the ball in their forward line, scoring two more points.
Fish Creek was not going to give up.
Toby Redpath was continuing to stand strong in the back line while Sam Flanders was applying tremendous forward pressure. Phillip Island took control of the play again and managed two more points but Fish Creek stood strong and even though it was scoreless for the quarter came out the victors and into the grand final.

Joy: Lewis Rankin and Rowan Clark celebrate victory in a match that has given their team a place in the biggest game of the year.

Joy: Lewis Rankin and Rowan Clark celebrate victory in a match that has given their team a place in the biggest game of the year.

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Posted by on Aug 30 2016. Filed under Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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