Qualifying Final: Kingsmeadow and the March to the Big Dance

Finals weekend baby, seven games of glorious AFL footy with the Qualifying and Elimination Finals.

Having left early to get to Kings Meadow, the stunning home of the Reading Kangaroos, a tree-lined oasis on the banks of the Thames, I was able to make a quick pit stop to Tesco for a “natural” break. The sights and sounds from cubicle 1 will never leave me.

After a few minute to compose myself it was off to Kings Meadow for four games - basically seeing the London Swans and Wandsworth Demons up sticks and head off to Reading, throwing in the North London Lions for good measure

First up it was the Men''s Socials, and a hugely entertaining game between the Swans and Demons. The Dees struck first against the Minor Premiers when James Noske marked and converted left footed from wide on the right, but the Swans were soon back level with Tyson Wyett's hooked effort just making it over the line despite the best efforts of the Dees defence. The Dees responded positively and a ball into the Swans 50 was marked and converted by Damian Holland to put the Dees ahead.

The Swans though ended the quarter strongly and after Ian Ash had found Wyett his hook effort fired the Swans ahead and it was a lead they were never to relinquish. When Ryan Leaver added another goal from bang in front the Swans took a six point advantage into the first break 3.1.19 to 2.1.13 ahead.

The Dees came out positively in the second quarter and had the Swans on the back foot in the early stages, but midway through the quarter a ball into the Dees goal square caused confusion and Zach Hancock poked home, and when a low drilled ball by Prav Malaw picked out Hancock his shot and goal on the turn for his second in the quarter put daylight between the sides, and the Swans went in 5.2.32 to 2.5.17 ahead.

The Dees reduced the arrears to nine points with a long range Braden Zaal strike before the goal that knocked the stuffing out of them. Marking the ball deep in his own 50, Samuel van der Kley was marched forward 50 following a Demons comment to the umpire; another comment saw another 50, and another comment took him to just inside the Demons 50 - it wasn't done and yet another comment had him marched from one goal square to the other and a simple conversion. When a monster strike from Wyett cleared everyone and went it the game was nearly up for the Demons. The icing on the cake in the quarter saw the Swans win a ruck inside the square, and the ever alert Nic Dazeley swooped in to convert left footed and we went into the final quarter with the Swans 8.2.50 to 3.6.24 ahead.

Noske picked out Steve Lydell to bring the deficit back to 20 points, but another Van der Kley goal for the Swans extended the lead, Dominic Orday poked home from close range for the Dees after good work by Rowhen McBride, but the final say went to the Swans and a finish from Callum Jepp which led to a honking celebration, and a place in the Grand Final after a 10.5.65 to 5.7.37 win.

For the Dees its Preliminary Final action, against the Ealing Emus.

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Game 2 saw the Women's Conference clash between the North London Lions and the Demons, and it was the Lions who were in total control from the get go.

The Lions were out of the blocks quickly and had the Demons pinned back in their own defensive third for much of the opening minutes of the game but the Dees were defending gamely and limiting the Lions to just a few behinds, but you got the feeling it was only a matter of time before the dam burst and the goals started to flow. Midway through the quarter it happened, and Steph Daws fired home a set shot, and with Daws and Zali Brunner having more of a say on the game the Lions quickly notched another this time Brunner intercepting a Demons clearance and firing home on the turn and the Lions led 2.4.16 to 0.0.0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Lions continued to dominate with Rosie Kahl and the elusive Lucy Banks exerting more influence, and Kahl found Sam Cawley who scored, and Banks was in on the act herself, pouncing on a loose ball at a ruck and firing home with a low shot. Brunner struck again, and although the Dees were on the scoresheet with a behind, the big break came with the Lions 5.5.35 to 0.1.1 ahead.

Did the Lions ease up, not a bit of it, this was a statement of intent for the finals series and they went for the jugular in the third quarter, Banks launched a ball forward to Millie McIllree who scored the first of a couple in quick succesion, the next came after a ruck win by Kerryn Musson and McIllree popped it in from close range. Musson then took a great mark under intense pressure to convert from the set shot, and scoring was complete right on the siren, with Daws firing forward and Sam Cawley converting to take us into the third quarter break with the Lions 9.7.61 to 0.1.1 up

Credit to the Demons who never threw in the towel but on the day were just outgunned by a powerful Lions side. Daws struck again early in the quarter. Linda Nixon found Cawley who in turn found Brunner who scored from close range, and again although the Dees picked up a behind two more goals finished the scoring. Meg Cauduro firing home from just outside the goal square, and McIllree shimmying passed a couple of defenders to round things off.

The Lions through to the Grand Final on the back of a 13.10.88 to 0.2.2 win.

For the Demons, it is a Preliminary Final against the South East London Giants.

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Game 3 and you could have been forgiven for expecting a similar encounter. The Swans have been rampant this year, averaging just over 100 points per game, whilst only conceding around 30. However, the Dees have gone the closest to them, and they were to give the Swans one hell of a scare.

Shut down Reed Jepson, Fergus Lappin and Josh Kemp and you have a chance, well the first two were restricted to one goal and Kemp didn't play. Unfortunately for the Demons they neglected young Brit Thomas Buffin, who fired an impressive six goals. So how did it all pan out?

The Swans started brightly, Fergus Lappin was marched to goalline and converted a simple chance to put the minor premiers ahead and it looked as if it was business as usual. The Dees though were up for the challenge and a superb first quarter saw them take a lead into the first break. First up the excellent Nick Mayne marked wide left and a sweet left footed strike bought them back into it, and then Alex Blunt was marched forward and converted, as both sides were guilty of infringements. Finally Mayne's set shot dropped short, but Liam Dove reacted quickly to hook home, and we went into the first quarter break with the Dees 3.3.21 to 1.4.10 ahead.

As expected the Swans came back strong, Zac Di Giuseppe was marched forward to bring them back into the game, and only a stunning Ed Smith mark as the Swans turned up the heat prevented them from taking the lead. They did hit the front shortly after as Lappin found Michael Batten who was marched forward to put the Swans ahead, and Buffin got his first of the game - a great challenge ended with, once again, the Swans being marched forward. The Dees kept their hopes alive when Benjamin Livy struck on the siren and the sides went into at the big break with the Swans 4.8.32 to 4.4.28.

The third quarter saw the sides trade goals with Buffin converting a set shot for the Swans, and Ben McAuliffe responding from out wide for the Dees. Buffin converted on the run for the Swans and Mayne struck for the Dees as neither side gave an inch. The Swans edge further ahead when Fabe Barrett found Lappin and his goalbound effort fell short only for Buffin to score, and the Dees were agonisingly close to maintaining the status quo, when a Mayne set shot from wide right was touched just before crossing the line and we went into the final period with all to play for, and the Swans 7.8.50 to 6.7.43 ahead

Once again the Swans struck the first blow, with Marcus Gardner winning the ruck, Jake Peachey fired across the face of goal and Buffin scored. Like a dog with a bone the Demons though were refusing to let go, and McAuliffe fired home to keep them within touching distance. The game was on a knife edge, but the next to goals killed the Demons hopes. Great work down the line by Lappin saw him find Peachey and his crossfield effort was marked and scored by Buffin and almost immediately Jepson spoiled the play, gathered and scored and finally the Swans had breathing space. Monte White found Dove, who notched his second for the Demons but as time ran out Jepson found Gardner who sealed the deal.

The Swans were pushed like never before this season but progressed to the Grand Final 11.10.76 to 8.9.57

The Demons need to pick themselves up for next weeks Preliminary Final against the Wimbledon Hawks and if that's anything like last seasons Prelim we are in for a cracker this weekend.

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For the final game, the minor Premiers eased themselves into the Grand Final with a comfortable win over the Swans, the bulk of the damage being done in a blistering first quarter. Both sides had some big players missing, Saffy Lewis-Collymore for the Dees, Tara Barrett and Saskia Taylor-Doyle for the Swans, but it was the Dees who coped better.

Early on Nina Kendall hooked the ball forward, and the outstanding Adele Arnuo swoop to gather and score, and they continued to dominate the early stages and after Liz Gordon fired forward Arnup gathered and had quickly scored a double. The Swans responded positively and a long range strike from Jaimee Wittervan pulled them back into the game.

The hope was shortlived though, Molly O'Sullivan won possession and knocked the ball back to Lol Viska, and almost immediately fantastic link up between O'Sullivan and Arnup saw the latter score her third of the day. A stunner from Jaimee Wittervan, reminiscent of her goal at Wimbledon, saw her pick up the ball inside her own half, swerve passed a couple of players, bounce a few times before firing home. Scoring was completed late in the quarter. Fantastic work by Alex Whyte saw possession won and the ball into Arnup who scored, and the sides went into the first break with the Demons 5.2.32 to 2.0.12 ahead

The scoring slowed as the game moved forward. The Demons had the most of the early pressure but were unable to make it count, but midway through the half a ball out wide right was gathered and fired into the area and gathered by Arnup who set it back to Whyte who scored. Late in the half a stunning mark by Arnup, under severe pressure from three defenders, saw her score again and the Dees led 7.2.44 to 2.0.12 at the big break.

Tiahn Ollerenshaw took a mark central and crashed home to get the Swans on the board in the third quarter, but the goalscoring was completed shortly after with Lol Viska hooking home to send Demons 8.5.53 to 3.0.18 ahead going into the last quarter.

There was a chilled atmosphere to the final quarter, the game was done and both sides seemed content to play it out, avoid injuries and move on to next week. The Dees progress to the Grand Final courtesy of an 8.7.55 to 3.0.18 win.

For the Swans its a Preliminary Final against the West London Wildcats, Taylor-Doyle and Barratt should be back, so it is set up for a cracker.

Check out our Elimination Final in due course

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