St Pauls Old Scholars make a statement as they demolish Blackfriars OS but now they take on Hectorville. Trinity Old Scholars were too good for Marion but Blackfriars are a different story
By Lachlan Jones

QUALIFYING FINAL
2 Blackfriars 10.13 (73) def by 3 St Pauls 16.11 (107)

St Pauls made a statement in the qualifying final on the weekend, leading at all changes en route to a dominant 34-point win against the home side Blackfriars. Thomas Schlicker (6 goals) had his way with the Blackfriars’ defense, as St Pauls booked a ticket with Hectorville with a chance at a Grand Final on the line. They broke out the gates early, kicking five goals to lead by 18 points at quarter time, before splitting three goals with the home side as Blackfriars embarked on a comeback. However, it was not to be as the visitors put them away in the third, piling on five more goals to lead by six goals at the final change, out of reach for any miraculous comebacks to occur. Anthony Marotti had his way with Blackfriars, claiming best afield honours. Blackfriars luckily get a double chance as they finished second and will play Trinity next week in a win-or-go-home semi-final.

ELIMINATION FINAL
4 Trinity 15.9 (99) def 5 Marion 12.9 (81)

Trinity sent Marion home in the first week of finals on the weekend, taking care of business at home in the 18-point win. After bursting out to a 42-15 lead at quarter time, Marion looked dead and buried, but a valiant second quarter fightback drew the game level at 52 apiece at the main change. The two sides went back and forth in the third, with Trinity leading by just six with a quarter to play before they held on for the three-goal win over the visitors. Ryan Clarke booted five goals for the victors, while James Forwood collected the five votes as Trinity’s best player. Nathan Rohrlach (5 goals) and Ryan Wade (4) carried the scoring load for the losing side, who have been eliminated from the finals series and will lick their wounds before 2021. The fourth-placed Trinity had the luxury of hosting a final and made the most of it, and they will live to fight another day when they take on Blackfriars, fresh off a loss, next week.

FINALS WEEK 2 PREVIEW
FIRST-SEMI FINAL
2 Blackfriars V 4 Trinity
ST DOMINIC’S OVAL, Saturday 12 September, 2:15PM

Both sides come into this clash with different stories after last week. Blackfriars, who finished second, crashed and burned in their qualifying final clash with St Pauls, and will be coming into this clash full of vengeance and looking to avenge last week’s dismal performance. Trinity, however, are riding high after a gutsy elimination final win against Marion and are in great form after rounding out the regular season on a high also. It is a tough task for Trinity to visit Blackfriars, but it is not an unheard-of task. The fifth placed Fitzroy won the div 6 premiership last year after a fairytale finals run, so nothing is impossible. In this cut-throat semi-final, with the loser going home, who will come out on top. I think Blackfriars Old Scholars will live to play another week by 13-24 points

SECOND-SEMI FINAL
1 Hectorville V 3 St Pauls
THEBARTON OVAL; Saturday 12 September, 2:15PM

In a potential grand final preview, the Hounds host St Pauls in a double-chance semi-final, with the winner advancing straight through to the finale. Hectorville enjoyed a week off, after placing first warranted them a much-needed rest, while St Pauls had to do it the hard way, visiting Blackfriars and dominating them in an upset win. In the final round of the regular season, the exact same matchup took place at Thebarton Oval, but it was St Pauls narrowly winning on the road to hand the Hounds their only loss of 2020 so far. It will be interesting to see how the sequel pans out, with a warm September day and perfect conditions setting up a potential cracking game of footy. Who will earn a place in the 2020 division 6 grand final?

 
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