Football
9 September, 2024
Bombers grind out tough win to reach the grand final
Noradjuha Quantong will face Harrow Balmoral in the 2024 Horsham District Football Netball League grand final at North Park in Stawell next Saturday, following a tough 15-point win over Swifts at Natimuk Showgrounds on Saturday.
Kicking with the aid of the breeze in the first quarter, the Swifts got on top early through Paul Summers, kicking six goals to one to lead by 31 points at quarter-time.
After a stern word from coach Damian Cameron at quarter-time, the Bombers came out firing in the second quarter, with Dylan Shelley bagging their second goal early to bring the margin back to 25 points.
Brock Orval kicked one not long after, and when Kerr hit the scoreboard with two goals in quick succession, the margin was just four points.
With the momentum on their side, James Gregg kicked his first to put the Bombers in front for the first time of the day, and when Judah Hobbs kicked his first and Dylan Shelley another, suddenly, the Bombers held a 14-point lead at half-time.
With the breeze in the third, the Swifts got back into the game, kicking four goals, but two crucial goals to the Bombers that quarter saw them lead by a narrow four points.
Swifts coach Brett Hargreaves' message at three-quarter time was simple. He said there was no tomorrow, and they needed to show fight and run it out. They needed to want it.
His troops responded to that message and kept it tight early in the quarter, with the scores level at one stage.
The Bombers started to grind the game out and get on top around the ground. Jason Kerr had a few shots but was unable to convert until James Gregg put them in front by six points with a great goal.
Dylan Shelley then kicked his fourth goal of the game a few minutes later, and the Bombers were the superior team, running out 12.14.86 to 10.11.71 winners.
Riley Dunlop was one of the best on the ground alongside Dylan Shelley for the Bombers, and James Gregg, James Hallett, Jayden Besford, and Brandon Ellis were also among their best.
Paul Summers kicked seven goals for the Swifts, ending his season with 124 goals. Chris Freeman, Scott Carey, Jesse Galea-Portelli, Jack Cann, Brett Hargreaves, and Andrew Cameron were among the best for the Swifts.
Bombers coach Damian Cameron and his team were emotional after the game.
"It's emotional as if we weren't going through, but it's the reality of our hard work paying off the last three years, and now we get a crack at the grand final," Cameron said.
Cameron said he was disappointed at quarter-time and was thrilled with how the boys responded in the second quarter.
"At quarter-time, I was upset. It wasn't so much the breeze; we weren't winning clearances or contested ball, and we left space in front of Summers where he could take marks and kick goals, and our work rate wasn't at the standard it was meant to be, and I was disappointed."
"I was rapt with how the team responded. It was easy to point the finger at quarter-time and put the chin in the dirt, but they did the opposite and responded and won the contested footy, and we owned the territory battle and kicked goals."
"In the third quarter, we could kick goals against the breeze and stem their goals, which helped set up the match and was huge for us."
"I would have thought we could have pulled away in the end, but the Swifts battled hard and made a game of it, which is a credit to them, and it's a great feeling to get the win and go into the grand final next week."
Cameron said Dylan Shelley was huge.
"He was great, and that's the benefit of having a player that is versatile, so depending on how the game is setting up, he can play forward, play back, or through the midfield, and we put him in all three areas today, and as a good player does, he did a good job in all those areas," Cameron said.
"I thought it was the third quarter where he went into the middle, laid tackles, got important clearances, and helped us stem the flow."
The only bad news to come from the game was a shoulder injury to Wade Francis, making him doubtful for the grand final.
For the Swifts, the loss is their fourth final loss in a row. They will go into next year more motivated than ever to not only win the finals but also make the grand final and challenge for the premiership.