Winner plays on: Finals Week 1 recap

Dubbo Junior AFL Under-12s are through to the Grand FInal after defeating Bathurst Giants on Sunday. PHOTO: Dubbo Junior AFL FaceBook

Following 12 rounds of Home & Away football, and last weekend’s Preliminary Finals, the AFL Central West Junior competition reaches its crescendo with Grand Final Day. George Park #2 will be the stage, with Bathurst Bushrangers performing hosting duties.

Preliminary Final day showcased some outstanding footy from the second vs third placed sides. Whilst the highest ranked side took home victory in all four grades, the winners will go into the weekend full of confidence against teams who’ve had a week off.

Additionally, the Tier 2 competition launched its extended finals series with Elimination and Qualifying finals between teams one to four. Parkes Panthers are through to the Grand Final, whilst for the Dubbo Demons, their season came to a close at the hands of the Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels. 

Under-12s: Dubbo Junior AFL 6.7-43 def Bathurst Giants 3.2-20

A slow start for both teams in the best of the bad conditions had the two sides go into the first break goalless. Across the next two quarters, Dubbo took control, winning the ball through the middle, and holding field position for a majority for this period. James Wonderley and Thomas Ashby were strong up forward, booting the team’s six goals.

A 41-point 3/4-time lead to Dubbo meant the game was all but over. There was plenty of spirit from the Giants, who pushed the game all the way. However whilst an early three goals breathed life back into the match, the heavy conditions put an end to the comeback.

Goalkickers:

Dubbo Junior AFL – Thomas Ashby (4), James Wonderley (2). Bathurst Giants – Hugh Anderson, Vin Pearce, Connor Hobby (1)

Under-14s: Bathurst Giants 11.10-76 def Dubbo Junior AFL 3.0-18

Fresh off watching their clubmates secure a Grand FInal place, the Dubbo Under-14s stormed out of the gate. The visitors booted three goals to two to lead at the opening break, and had all the momentum. From that point on however, it was all Bathurst Giants. Dubbo threatened at stages, but led by Riley Goodsell, the Giants continued to get first use of the footy, and turned that into forward pressure. A three goal to nil term, gave Bathurst a three goal edge into the main break, leading 34-18. 

The Giants continued to press forward as on-field conditions deteriorated, and whilst the goals were hard to come by, another two in the third gave them an unassailable lead. 49-18 heading into the last, Dubbo weren’t able to add to the scoreboard again the last, with the Giants defence holding firm. With the game all but over, Bathurst booted four final quarter goals, sealing an emphatic 58-point win. 

The victory holds the Giants in good stead heading into their matchup with the Orange Tigers. Nine different goalscorers and plenty of scoreboard impact from the midfield should give the side plenty of confidence. 

Goalkickers:

Bathurst Giants – Jack Mackie, Cooper Stephen (2), Jessi Ball, Riley Clayton, Connor Hobby, Riley Goodsell, Callum Munns, Samuel Ring, Flynn Wolfe (1). Dubbo Junior AFL – Jake Sherwood (2), Charlie Mayall (1)

Youth Girls: Orange Tigers 5.5-35 def Bathurst Giants 3.2-20

Conditions continued to worsen as the day’s third game hit the field. The sun shone, but underfoot, the field was breaking up, becoming increasingly difficult to move the football forward. After their Round 12 defeat to the Bushrangers, Orange were out to show that they deserved the Grand Final position that they lost last week, whilst the Giants were aiming to overcome the side they’d only toppled at George Park in 2022. 

The conditions led to an understandably low scoring affair early, with the ball moving back and forth between the arcs, and any field position was crucial. At the first break, eight-points separated the sides via a Claire Gibson major, the hosts keeping Bathurst scoreless. Throughout the second term, the contest opened up slightly on the scoreboard, the Giants Ashleigh Ball and Jemmia Luck booting goals, narrowing the margin to just two-points. 

Neither side were able to trouble the scores too often during the third term, with Holly Lynch kicking the only goal. The Tigers added three behinds to the board, and had threatened to break away with the match. Nine-points separated the sides, with one-quarter remaining, it really was a case of next goal could win. That goal, and the next went to the Tigers through Lynch and Harriett Sinclair, sealing the victory with five minutes remaining. 

The Tigers win yet again on home turf, their only loss on Waratah’s coming against this weekend’s Grand Final opponents, Bathurst Bushrangers. 

Orange Tigers – Holly Lynch (2), Claire Gibson, Sienna Hunter, Harriett Sinclair (1). Bathurst Giants – Ashleigh Ball, Jemmia Luck, Paige Cooke (1)

Under-17s: Bathurst Giants 6.2-38 def Dubbo Demons 5.0-30

The Match of the Round didn’t disappoint, Dubbo brimming with confidence having shared one win apiece against the Giants across their past two meetings, came out flying. The footy was hot early, with bodies flying in to pressure the ball-carrier. Jake Egan presented strong, and opened the scoring for Dubbo with a long-range goal to get the visitors rolling. Isaac Buttsworth, Lachlan Munns and Cameron Blackman traded first-quarter goals as the game found a rhythm, with the fancied Giants heading into the break just one-point to the good. 

James Armour and Harley Spice got their first goals of the game, outside of these highlights, the game went back and forth. Tackle pressure continued to remain high, and tension across the ground was evident. Dubbo continued to find a way to goal Armour booting goal number two in the third quarter, and with it, Dubbo were in front. 

READ: Tier 2 take centre stage

Step up Archer Ryan, the fast-footed flyer found space and made Dubbo pay, kicking a beautiful goal on the run to give the side back the advantage. Such a goal could have sparked the Giants to kick on, but Dubbo forced the ball forward, and found Egan 25m out on a slight angle. In front of the crowd, he made no mistake giving his side back the ascendancy. In doing so, however, he also gave away a free kick in the centre of the field, and from that clearance, the Giants goaled again. 

A final consolation goal to the Giants sealed the game, but they were made to work for it. For the Giants, they now face Orange Tigers in the Grand Final, the two sides having had several quality contests in recent Grand Finals. 

Bathurst Giants – Archer Ryan (2), Isaac Buttsworth, Lachlan Munns, Harley Spice, Jenson Brown (1). Dubbo Junior AFL – Jake Egan, James Armour (2), Cameron Blackman (1)