Stratford made a huge statement last Sunday in their East Gippsland Football Netball League reserves elimination final, comfortably defeating Wy Yung by 76 points at the Bairnsdale City Oval.
With Chris Webb on fire up forward kicking seven goals, the Swans piled on 10 goals to two in the first half, to put the match well out of the reach of Wy Yung who after a slow start to the season did a miraculous job to make the finals.
Webb got plenty of support in the forward 50 from Cohen Wade, who kicked three, while Ben Dekkers and key forward Thomas Schacht both contributed two each.
Craig Froud kicked four goals for the Tigers and Ben Powell slotted two.
Webb was joined among the best players by Blade Johnson, Dekkers, Blake Cuttriss, Wade and Noah Bennett.
The Swans will go into this week’s preliminary final in peak form hoping to eliminate minor premier Lucknow who were put to the sword by a rampant Boisdale Briagolong on Saturday.
Best players for the Tigers were Froud, Andrew Thomson, Jim Healey, Lloyd Powell, William Maynard and Billy Trinder.
Froud, Thomson and Healey are among a group of players, that also includes Marcus Savage and Jai Nicholls, who are hopeful of a senior call up over the next few weeks.
FINAL SCORES
Stratford 3.4 10.7 13.8 18.10 (118)
Wy Yung 0.2 2.2 4.4 6.6 (42)
GOALS – Stratford: C. Webb 7; C. Wade 3; B. Dekkers, T. Schacht 2; J. Bennett, M. Bond, M. Manning, A. Pritchett. Wy Yung: C. Froud 4; B. Powell 2.
BEST – Stratford: C. Webb, B. Johnson, B. Dekkers, B. Cuttriss, C. Wade, N. Bennett. Wy Yung: C. Froud, A. Thomson, J. Healey, L. Powell, W. Maynard, B. Trinder.
OSR THROUGH
Despite being challenged strongly in the third term by Boisdale Briagolong, Orbost Snowy Rovers kicked five goals to two in the second half to book a preliminary final berth against arch rival Lakes Entrance in the thirds.
With league best and fairest winner Brayden Fenner pivotal at the clearances and playing a kick behind play, the Blues set the win up with an exceptional team effort in the third term kicking four goals to one before holding off the determined Bombers in the final term.
Angus Joiner and the miraculous Kruze Farley kicked three goals, feasting on the good work of midfielders Bobby Bills and Jacob Farley.
Toby Herbert, Tyson Bills and Rex Macalister was also impressive for the Blues.
Nards Temaru kicked two goals for the Bombers, without ever really imposing himself on the game, while the better players were led by league best and fairest runner up, Pat Lee, who was well supported by Ashley Ryan, Taelan Miller, Kade Mahoney, Tyson House and Matthew Austin.
FINAL SCORES
Orbost Snowy 3.3 5.4 9.8 10.13 (73)
Bois Briag 1.2 3.4 4.4 5.5 (35)
GOALS – Orbost Snowy: K. Farley, A. Joiner 3; T. Bills, B. Fenner, F. Kleinitz, T. Macalister. Bois Briag: N. Temaru 2; M. Austin, L. Kennedy, T. Miller.
BEST – Orbost Snowy: T. Herbert, T. Bills, R. Macalister, J. Farley, B. Bills, B. Fenner. Bois Briag: P. Lee, A. Ryan, T. Miller, K. Mahoney, T. House, M. Austin.
