Omeo Benambra will chase a historic three-peat in this Saturday’s Omeo District Football Netball League grand final after knocking out Swifts Creek in the preliminary final at the Omeo Recreation Reserve last Saturday.
Interestingly, the Alpine Ranges will be trying to emulate the efforts of this week’s opponent, Bruthen, the last side to three peat in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
They will go into the match full of confidence and belief after battling a gallant and tough Swifts Creek, arch rivals from across the pass, over three brutal quarters, before blowing them away in the final term, with a six goal to two burst, sending a ominous warning to the Bulldogs.
The Demons brought in experienced trio, Jordan Hack, Andrew Sandy and Brodie Cameron for the do-or-die clash, with Alpine Ranges including key players, Aiden Hayward and Brent Hartnell.
The game was tough and brutal from the very first bounce, with no pardon asked for or afforded, players going in hard with the stakes high, a place in the big dance up for grabs.
Both sides had chances in the opening term, with Alpine Ranges accuracy seeing them lead by four points at the first change, goals hard to come by, as both defences worked hard in the tricky conditions.
The home side stole the match ascendancy with the breeze in the second term, kicking four goals to two, opening up a handy 17-point buffer at the main break.
Brady Pendergast, Jai Hayward and Tarquin Crosby were working hard through the middle of the ground, pumping the ball into the forward 50 where veterans Ross Ansaldi (four goals), Cody Graske (three) and Travis Balmer (two) were looking dangerous and combining well.
Ansaldi is the ultimate big game player, usually playing a handful of games each season and causing having with his trusty left slipper.
This year he has kicked 23 goals in six outings, playing even closer to goal than ever before.
The Demons lifted in the premiership quarter, with their season on the line, raising an effort and throwing down the gauntlet to the defending champions.
They dug deep, real deep, kicking five goal to two, with the advantage of the wind to cease the lead by five points with 30 minutes to play.
Their big game players and leaders lifted, hard nosed players like Conor Harvey, Brodie Cameron, Jay Robbie and Campbell Moresi.
Andrew Sandy worked hard in the ruck against tough opposition, despite not being 100 per cent, never shirking the issue, showing why he’s still the best ruckman in the competition.
The final quarter promised to be a classic, and it certainly had its moments but it ultimately belonged to champs, who with the breeze behind them, booted six goes to two, much to the delight of the home crowd to cease victory, running away by 20 points.
As good as they were late and in that final term, one senses that two tough and bruising encounters in consecutive weeks may have taken its toll on Swifts Creek, who looked sore and sorry for the second week in a row as the siren sounded.
While Omeo Benambra after some ups and down in form in a testing season, have never lost the belief, which will again be tested by Bruthen this Saturday at the Bruthen Recreation Reserve.
Oscar Brazzale and Jordan Hack both kicked three goals for the Demons and looked dangerous.
Among the best for the Alpine Ranges were defender Tyler Betts, Jai Hayward, Benjamin Jobling, Ansaldi, Pendergast, and the athletic Crosby.
The Demons were best served by Moresi, Sandy, Cameron, Robbie, Hack, and Harvey.
