The Courier |
GORDON clinched a double chance in finals with a gutsy 16-point win over Buninyong on Saturday.
The Eagles' triumph saw them finish the year in second place on the Central Highlands Football League ladder and condemned opponents Buninyong to fifth.
Gordon now prepares for a qualifying final against Hepburn next Sunday.
A brilliant first-half performance saw the Eagles establish a 50-point lead at the main break, before the Bombers turned in their customary fightback to draw within six points in the final term. But the Eagles steadied with the last two majors of the match to inflict Buninyong's first defeat at home since 2011.
A knee injury to Buninyong onballer Sam Turner - who was carried off the ground in the last term - is one of the major concerns for the Bombers heading into the finals series.
Waubra lost its round 17 clash with Daylesford by 19 points, but clung to a top four spot by the skin of its teeth. The Roos finished on the same points as Buninyong but held fourth thanks to a superior percentage.
The Roos will take on minor premiers Bungaree - which beat Beaufort by 91 points - in the other qualifying final next Saturday.
Springbank and Learmonth warmed up for their elimination final encounter with respective wins over Rokewood-Corindhap and Skipton, while Buninyong will lock horns with Daylesford in the other knockout final next weekend.
Other games saw Ballan secure ninth spot on the ladder with a 56-point victory against Carngham-Linton, Creswick thump rivals Newlyn by 108 points back at Hammon Park, Hepburn smack Dunnstown by 82 points and Clunes get home over Smythesdale by 164 points.
FINAL LADDER
Bungaree 60, 279.10
Gordon 60, 180.87
Hepburn 56, 218.19
Waubra 54, 199.20
Buninyong 54, 167.57
Springbank 44, 165.34
Learmonth 44, 150.20
Daylesford 44, 125.19
Ballan 32, 134.61
Clunes 32, 91.18
Creswick 28, 106.16
Beaufort 28, 94.26
Carngham-Linton 24, 84.42
Newlyn 20, 69.37
Skipton 16, 66.42
Rokewood-Corindhap 8, 59.84
Dunnstown 8, 59.15
Smythesdale 0, 2.28
WEEK 1 FINALS
SATURDAY
QUALIFYING FINAL 1: Bungaree v Waubra at Learmonth
ELIMINATION FINAL 1: Buninyong v Daylesford at Waubra
SUNDAY
QUALIFYING FINAL 2: Gordon v Hepburn at Dunnstown
ELIMINATION FINAL 2: Springbank v Learmonth at Buninyong