Pembroke Old Scholars have done everything right to win the minor premiership. But Mitcham and Hope Valley are hoping to dent their premiership plans
By Liam Wormald

Pembroke OS V Hope Valley 

Pembroke OS have gone through the home-and-away season undefeated, after they beat Hope Valley by 23-points at Haslam Oval. As the minor premiers the Kings will enjoy a week-off before they face either Mitcham or Hope Valley in the second semi-final. The top of the table clash remained very tight throughout the game, with the Demons leading by seven-points at quarter time before the Kings fort back to lead by 13-points at half-time. In the third quarter the Demons closed to within four-points of the lead heading into the final quarter, before the Kings gained full control in the last term, with the Demons unable to score. King’s star Alex Forster showcased his goalkicking prowess with five goals, while Jack Green kicked two goals. Matthew Min led the way for the Demons with four majors, while Shaun Hunt booted two. In his third game for the season King’s Tom Forster had no trouble finding the footy, with support from Jaiden Pengelly. The Demon’s Lucas Harney and Jamie Dowling showed they’re ready for finals football. 

Gepps Cross v Mitcham

Mitcham have continued their winning streak, after they defeated Gepps Cross by 15-points at Duncan Fraser Reserve. Heading into the qualifying-final against Hope Valley, the Hawks will be full of confidence as they haven’t lost since round two. The Rams made the Hawks rue their misses in the first term, as they went into the first break with an eight-point lead. In the second term, the Hawks struggled to rectify their goalkicking issue, with the Rams holding a slender one-point lead at the major break. When play resumed in the second half, the Rams stretched their lead out to 27-points at the final break, before the Hawks found some fluency in the last quarter to finish off the game strong, with a eight goal term. Damon Petersen and Alexander Gillet played key-roles in the Hawks win, with Peterson kicking three and Gillet bagging two. Jeff Ladd finished off his impressive season, with a respectable four goals, while Callum Camp kicked two for the Rams. Oliver Pride and Samuel Clark showed they’re going to be important in the Hawks finals campaign, while Joshua Matthews and Tyson Polkinghorne tried their best to finish the Ram’s season off with a positive showing. 

Morphettville Park v SMOSH West Lakes

Morphettville Park have consolidated a finals position, following their 13-point defeat over SMOSH West Lakes at Kellet Reserve. The win sees the Roos hit finals in solid form, with their elimination final against Walkerville set to be an intriguing encounter. In the first half both teams had periods of momentum, with the Roos leading by 17-points at half-time, despite kicking inaccurately. The winner of the match was set to be determined by whichever team could make the most of their scoring chances, with the Roo’s seven-point lead at three quarter time setting-up an interesting last term. Fortunately for the Roos they were able to kick a winning score to secure a finals position. Matthew Duldig continued his strong goalkicking form, with three majors, along with Jacksen Trezise for the Roos, while Cohen Mattner kicked four goals and Matthew Gates kicked two for the sixth placed Lions. Dane Thompson and Trezise showcased their various strengths for the Roos, while Alex Hughes and Daniel Lees never gave up in their last game of the season.  

Woodville South v Kilburn

Woodville South showed encouraging signs for the 2021 season, when they defeated Kilburn by 38-points at Ledger Oval. After disappointing seasons both teams will be eager to have strong pre-seasons in the hope of pushing for finals next season. The game commenced with the Cats making the early running, before the Chic’s gained momentum in the second term, to head into half-time with a 16-point lead. In the third term the Cats were able to stem the Chic’s scoring rate, with their strong defence seeing them lead at the final break by 17-points. In the final quarter the Cats were able to consolidate their second victory of the season and give their supporters reason to celebrate. Young-gun Jason Westley showed why he is an emerging talent, with four goals, while James Bailey played a solid game with three goals for the Cats. Rhys O’Keeffe kicked three goals and Darren Francis booted two for the spirited Chic’s team. For the second week in a row Simon Tyler showcased his dynamic skills, while Patrick Binnion was prolific for the Cats. Jai Lauder showed he’s going to be crucial to the Chic’s future, along with Nick Pearce. 

Pulteney v Walkerville 

Walkerville will head into finals off the back of a comprehensive 98-point victory over Pulteney at Morgan Oval. After being defeated by the Roo’s in round eight, the Panthers will be desperate to reverse the result in the elimination final this weekend. The Navy Blues inability to score heavily was evident early, with the Panthers holding them to one-point in the first term. Despite an improved effort in the second term from the Navy Blues, the Panthers maintained their dominance, with a 29-point lead at the major break. In the second half the Panthers executed their attacking game-style to great effect, as they scored 14 goals in the half, while limiting the Navy Blues to two goals. Bradley Griffiths and Tyler Wagner posed a challenge for the Navy Blues, with both kicking five majors, while Joshua Giddings concluded his strong season with an impressive three goals for the Navy Blues. Panther’s Conor Lloyd-Fox showed his versatility, as he found plenty of the ball to go along with his three majors, while Ryan Axon won his position. Jayden Fischer set the standard for effort for the Navy Blues, while Alex Forbes demonstrated the depth of his potential. 

Finals Previews:

Mitcham v Hope Valley (Qualifying-final)

The qualifying-final is set to be a thriller, with Mitcham facing Hope Valley at Thomas Farms Oval. In round two the Hawks were able to claim a 12-point win over the attacking Demons, with the Demons desperate to even the ledger. Currently on an eight-game winning streak the Hawks will be eager to continue their ripping form and show their finals opponents they can challenge for the flag. After registering high scores throughout the season, the Demons will be confident they can kick a winning score, with star goalkicker Matthew Min set to have a major influence on the result. There is expected to be minimal separating these teams throughout this game, but the standard at which the Hawks are currently playing should see them set-up a meeting with Pembroke OS in the second semi-final. Mitcham by 18 points.

Walkerville v Morphettville Park (Elimination Final)

Walkerville will host Morphettville Park in the elimination final this weekend at Walkerville Recreation Ground. Both teams have had very similar seasons, with their inconsistent form making them very unpredictable. The Panthers will be hoping to have a full-strength team this weekend, with injuries throughout the season making it difficult for them to get any fluency in their line-up. As they’ve already beaten the Panthers once this season, the Roo’s will be confident if they play at their full potential, they can get the win. The even-spread of contributors throughout the season should see Walkerville keep their season alive, but it’s set to be a challenging afternoon against the Roo’s. Walkerville by 20 points.

 
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