History made as Dragons go back-to-back-to-back

 

 

Six months’ worth of football all came down to this, the Grand Final between the Sandringham Dragons and the Greater Western Victoria Rebels for all the marbles.

 

It was a doubleheader at IKON Park with the Girls final starting in the morning, and the Boys kicking off at 1:15 PM.

 

A tale of two different stories in terms of grand final exposure, with this being Sandringham’s third straight appearance, having won back-to-back flags in 2022 and 2023. While it was GWV’s first big dance in twenty-seven years.

 

Sandringham’s journey to the decider started with a big win over the Western Jets in the wildcard, another over the Calder Cannons in the quarter finals before easily accounting for the Dandenong Stingrays last week in the preliminary finals.

 

For the Rebels, they were able to put on three consecutive underdog wins after finishing 11th on the ladder. Starting with a tough victory over the Tasmanian Devils on the road, upsetting the top-of-the-table Geelong Falcons, before running down the Oakleigh Chargers in the other preliminary final.

 

The last meeting between these two sides came in 2022, with Sandringham claiming victory.

 

Both teams were missing some key personnel, with Sandringham losing versatile tall Luke Trainor a couple of weeks ago due to concussion, while hybrid athlete Taj Hotton would no doubt be out there on Saturday had he not unfortunately injured his ACL in May. The biggest omission of the game was perhaps on the Rebels side, with Sam Lalor being sidelined during the finals series.

 

It was an overcast day with a slight breeze every now and again, and some rays of sunshine. Sandringham were kicking towards the legends stand in the first term, with GWV kicking towards the western side.

 

No surprises in the opening bounce, with Brodie Findlay handling the ruck duties. While Levi Ashcroft, Murphy Reid, and Sam Marshall lined up as the followers.

 

Harry Oliver and Adrian Cole held the Dragons’ defence up while GWV owned the initial territory. However, it was Ashcroft who got the scoring going, getting on the end of a loose ball inside forward fifty.

 

Cole was exceptional, matched up on powerful forward Jonty Faull, keeping him goalless.

 

Making his presence known right away, Marshall broke open for a clean clearance and found Harry Armstrong on the lead. Before receiving the ball right back and slotting a set shot from an angle.

 

Reid then got in on the action by goaling after taking advantage from a free kick.

 

A quick three-goal lead opened up for the reigning premiers.

 

Findlay was his physical self in stoppages while Nathaniel Sulzberger was aggressive without the ball and was often spreading from contests with speed.

 

Armstrong kicked Sandringham’s fourth goal from a scramble play, and the alarm bells were starting to ring for the Rebels.

 

Marshall continued his dominance and added his second shortly after, finishing on his non-preferred left foot. He had nine touches in the first.

 

Xavier Bamert unfortunately injured his shoulder in a big collision.

 

St Kilda NGA member Lenny Hofmann was fantastic, intercepting and rebounding behind play.

 

The pressure was high from the Dragons, restricting their opponents to no space with the ball and being relentless when chasing.

 

Another advantage goal from the maroon and blue, this time to small forward Jack Surkitt, who snapped truly from close range.

 

Aaron Taylor was courageous like usual, putting his body on the line.

 

It was one-way traffic in the first term, a dominant quarter from the Dragons, they led by thirty-seven points at the first change.

 

More of the same in the second, with Zach Travers finishing on the run after Armstrong laid a strong holding-the-ball tackle near goal.

 

Surkitt kicked his second after being left wide open inside forward-fifty, which brought up the half ton to the Dragons just five minutes into the quarter.

 

The sixteen-year-old was prominent across all four quarters.

 

Mobile forward Bailey McKenzie was also lively up the ground.

 

GWV missed two different shots at goal before Sandringham went up the other end from a kick-in where Sam Buck converted.

 

That made it nine goals to zero.

 

Ollie Hannaford finally broke the drought in the sixteenth-minute, who was among the best afield for the Rebels.

 

24 disposals, nine tackles and a major for the dynamic midfielder.

 

They then made it two on the trot just to stem the flow and get the game back on somewhat even terms.

 

Oliver continued to showcase his toughness.

 

After a relatively quiet start to the term, Ashcroft found some space in the pocket before finishing from a set shot.

 

Sulzberger made it two in quick succession from the next clearance on the cusp of quarter’s end.

 

A healthy 11.3 (69) to 2.2 (14) advantage in favour of Sandringham was the halftime score.

 

And despite the margin being so large, the inside-50’s was to some degree, close. The Dragons led 23-17 in that category.

 

In terms of leading disposal getters, it was Marshall (14), Ashcroft (12), McKenzie (9), Oliver (8), Sulzberger (8), and Dalton (7).

 

Some bad news to open the second half, with Reid going down injured and being ruled out for the rest of the game.

 

GWV drew first blood of the third term.

 

Luke Kennedy found Buck out the back who sneaked home his second to hit back.

 

Kennedy brought the heat in the middle, laying nine tackles.

 

While Mitch Kirkwood-Scott was superb behind the play, recording ten marks including a couple of intercepts from his 21 disposals. And helped set up many scores.

 

Sandringham’s thirteenth major came through Ashcroft who bagged his third of the afternoon from the boundary.

 

The Rebels responded right away for their fourth.

 

Dalton found Armstrong on the lead who joined the party for his second of four.

 

It was a vital 18 disposals from Dalton.

 

Two late goals managed by GWV nearing the end of the term gave them something to go into the last quarter with.

 

But it was still a fifty-point lead for the Dragons.

 

With nothing to lose, the Rebels threw everything they had at it, and won the fourth quarter four goals to two, however, it was always going to be a bridge too far. With the Dragons holding on to complete the premiership three-peat.

 

A goal in the second minute to GWV before Armstrong guided home his third shortly after.

 

Vice-captain Sam Linder was solid across the backline while Oliver Green battled hard all day.

 

The Rebels kicked three of the last four goals of the match, with the lone Sandringham major being Armstrong’s fourth from a set shot.

 

Both Jack Ough (21 disposals, seven marks) and Rhys Unwin (19 disposals, one goal) tried hard for Greater Western Victoria.

 

16.7 (103) to 10.6 (66) was the final score in the end.

 

Sam Marshall took home the best-on-ground honours after a stunning all-around performance. 28 disposals, seven inside-50’s, five marks, and two majors.

 

Marshall is tied with the Brisbane Academy, having been from Queensland.

 

The win to the Dragons gives them a record-equalling sixth CTL premiership, joining the Calder Cannons, and putting themselves into junior football immortality.

 

All players, in particular, the Sandringham players will now look towards both the National Draft Combine, and the National Draft in November. With many of them expected to be selected on the night.

 

GOALS: Armstrong 4, Ashcroft 3, Buck, Marshall, Surkitt 2, Sulzberger, Reid, Travers

BEST: Marshall, Ashcroft, Armstrong, Kirkwood-Scott, Hofmann, Surkitt