East Geelong will feature in its third consecutive second semi-final under Ned Aulsebrook after beating Werribee Centrals for the second time in as many weeks in the GDFNL qualifying final.
The Eagles were too good for the Centurions after quarter time at St Albans Reserve, posting a 16.12 (108) to 10.6 (66) victory to book a meeting with minor premier Winchelsea in Saturday’s second semi-final.
However, the win wasn’t without drama for East.
Captain John McIntyre suffered a hamstring injury during the second quarter, while the club awaits AFL Barwon’s Match Review Panel’s findings on a report laid against assistant coach Jeremy Ollis for rough conduct.
Aulsebrook says the Eagles need to win one more match to give McIntyre a chance of playing again this year.
“We’re hopeful that it’s your standard 21 days and we stay alive long enough and bring him back in for a grand final,” he said.
However, with Jake McLean a chance to return to take on the Blues after suffering a hamstring injury in the Round 18 win at Galvin Park, Aulsebrook is holding out hope McIntyre could be available if East finds itself in a preliminary final.
“He’s going in to see um an osteo or physio tomorrow to get a better idea of what it looks like,” Aulsebrook said.
“He’s never done a significant one before, so we’re not really sure.
“But we were in the same boat last week with Jake McLean, and he’s back running at nearly 100 per cent.
“His was a little bit more neural than muscular, and hopefully John’s the same.
Ollis received a yellow card and was reported for rough conduct on Centurion Kai Gomes Pattiyage during the third quarter.
Despite not playing out the match, Centrals say Gomes Pattiyage has been cleared of concussion.
“In real time, I thought they were both just going for the marking contest, and unfortunately the opposition player was coming back the other way,” Aulsebrook said.
“And that was sort of the general feel around the ground, I think. I even poked my head into the commentary box and… ‘Grubby’ (radio commentator Richard Cations) was also of the belief that it probably was only a free kick.”
Aulsebrook was full of praise for the performance of Darcy Martin, labelling it his best game for the club since arriving from St Joseph’s.
“He hasn’t played a senior final before, but he looked right at home,” Aulsebrook said.
“He had so many moments where he just needed to beat his opponent and then he came back with interest. He was exceptional.
“He played with that hard edge that you need, and everyone grew another couple of inches watching him go about it.
“Whenever (Josh) McDonald went forward, he went to McDonald,
“But McDonald played a fair bit of time up in the wing, and he ended up spending a bit of time on (Cam) Saliba.
“Whoever he found himself on, he just made their day really, really hard.
“And he provided a bit of dash off halfback that we probably thought we might be lacking with Jake McLean out.”
Andrew Steele kicked four goals for East, while Zac Smith was among five Eagles to finish with two majors in his first senior appearance since midseason.
Centrals coach Rhyce Prismall was left to lament too much being left to too few.
It clearly shows we can’t win a game of footy with six to eight players (contributing),” he said.
“Unfortunately, we just had too many passengers.
“The message is going to be, ‘If we’re going to win a final, we’ve got to do it as a team of 22. You’ve got to come together and get over it and be positive’.
“There is that part that we earned a double chance, and now we’re going to do it the hard way and, to be fair, we probably play a little bit better when we’re a bit hungry and desperate.
“Hopefully it changes our attitude a little bit.”
Further compounding the Centurions’ woes was a hamstring injury suffered by Blake Taylor in the first quarter.
He won’t play in next Sunday’s first semi-final, with Prismall hopeful he will be right if Centrals progress to a preliminary final.
Prismall says the club will also be conservative with Gomes Pattiyage.
Werribee Centrals will face the winner of today’s elimination final between the Belmont Lions and North Geelong in next week’s first semi-final.
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