BEYOND THE BOUNDARY – SEPTEMBER 9
Queenscliff coach Heath Jamieson has rejected suggestions that last week’s second semi-final loss has dented his team’s confidence levels.
The Coutas, who finished with the minor premiership for the first time since winning their last flag in 2013, were made to pay for second-quarter inaccuracy as they suffered a 31-point defeat against Torquay.
They’ll now face Geelong Amateur in Saturday’s preliminary final at Grinter Reserve to earn another crack at the Tigers in the decider.
“After the game, you’re highly disappointed that you didn’t get the result,” Jamieson said.
“But then when you get to reflect and watch the game again, I think it was probably a pretty good game of footy.
“I think at three-quarter time, although they were up by four goals, scores are probably level with the breeze that we had.
“And then Torquay played a fantastic last quarter.
“Our reflections are that Mother Nature played a little part, and our inability to probably get the ball to the good side of the ground in the last quarter didn’t help our cause in chasing the game.
“When we watched back, you know, we weren’t overly concerned.”
Jamieson believes a similar effort against Ammos, which Queenscliff defeated twice during the home-and-away season, will have it joining its reserve grade team on grand final day.
“I think our form’s still pretty good,” he said.
“I think all the key indicators in finals- tackles, contested ball, ground balls- we were, if not level with Torquay, better than Torquay.
“There’s a lot of areas in the game that are still really sound.
“We didn’t get the result, but we look forward to turning that around on Saturday and hopefully joining the 12 o’clockers.”
Queenscliff has pulled a selection shock, naming former captain Jake Hedley for his first senior appearance since Round 1, as the replacement for Jayden McHenry.
Hedley, who announced his retirement at the end of the 2024 season, featured in the Coutas’ hat-trick of flags between 2011-13 among his 231 matches.
He won the league’s reserves goalkicking award with 61 majors from 15 games, adding a further two goals in last week’s second semi-final win over Modewarre.
Geelong Amateur has lost former St Kilda and Carlton player Hugh Goddard to a hamstring injury, replaced by youngster Fidel Seignor.
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