The weekend's TAC Cup Semi Finals saw two teams that finished outside the top four knock minor premiers the Dandenong Stingrays and third-placegetters the North Ballarat Rebels out of September in straight sets.
The results mean the following preliminary finals will take place this Saturday September 17 at IKON Park:
- Geelong Falcons vs Sandringham Dragons at 11.45am; and
- Murray Bushrangers vs Oakleigh Chargers at 2.30pm.
1st SEMI FINAL
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 13.13 (91) d DANDENONG STINGRAYS 4.6 (30)
The Dragons knocked the minor premiers out of the finals in straight sets and advanced to a preliminary final against the Geelong Falcons by controlling play throughout the contest at IKON Park. Sandringham put the first three goals on the board before Sam Fowler scored Dandenong’s opening major on the quarter-time siren. A Josh Battle goal brought the Stingrays closer early in the second term, but the Dragons answered with the next three – including two of Tom Maloney’s four goals for the game – to take a 24-point lead into half time. Fowler bagged his second major within a minute of the restart before a Sandringham midfield led by Corey Lyons, Will Setterfield and Tim Taranto took over the game, dominating possession and kicking goals with ruthless efficiency.
2nd SEMI FINAL
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 12.14 (86) d NORTH BALLARAT REBELS 12.8 (80)
The Chargers reached their fifth preliminary final in six years – this time against the Murray Bushrangers – by knocking a top-four team out of the finals in straight sets for the second season running. Oakleigh went 18 points ahead of the Rebels with a Josh Daicos goal entering time-on of the final quarter at IKON Park, but answering goals to Hasker Dawborn and Lachlan Huppatz kept the Chargers on edge until the final siren. Earlier, Shannon Beks booted North Ballarat’s first three goals and threatened to blow the game apart before Oakleigh’s Dion Johnstone (three majors) helped his team to a four-goal run during the third term that established a 14-point lead at the last change. It proved a gap slightly too big for the Rebels to overcome.
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Related content:
Stats Central: Stats that mattered in Finals Wk 1
TAC Cup Finals Week 1 review
Last Modified on 12/09/2016 15:29