By Nick Creely
OUTER EAST FOOTBALL
PREMIER DIVISION REVIEW – SEMI FINAL
The Berwick Football Club is shooting for a fourth premiership in five years after booking itself a ticket to the big dance on the weekend.
In pristine conditions at Pakenham’s Toomuc Reserve, the Wickers juggernaut just rolled on its merry way to beat Narre Warren and secure a fifth grand final appearance in a row, 14.9 (93) to 7.16 (58)
After their finals audition only a fortnight ago where the Wickers got off to a fast start, this time it was the Pies who drew first blood through big man Jake Richardson.
Despite Brad Scalzo and Trent Cody’s continuous ball winning ability on show in the early stages, the Pies were unable to apply the pressure on the Wickers where it counts, the scoreboard.
With Madi Andrews finding the footy with ease and Lucas Jellyman-Turner in probably the cleanest footy boots seen in 2019 starting to take control, the Pies missed opportunities early in the match and it threatened to haunt Narre’s chances of a second finals win in as many weeks.
As the quarter time siren sounded faintly, the Wickers were yet to add a major to the scoreboard with Narre holding most of the possession. Expected to respond, the Wickers bit back and surged with momentum.
While Berwick are notorious for over running sides who have threatened them in the past, Narre Warren loomed hungry and extended their margin again at the main break with both sides adding four majors in an entertaining term.
Though leading by two straight kicks at the main break, the Pies had seven more shots on goal and were instructed by coach Matt Shinners to clean up their ball movement over every interval.
Being tested once more, the Wickers needed their stars to lift – enter Harry Money.
Money was yet to send one through the big sticks to the half, but it didn’t take long for the superstar forward to change the game.
In almost a blink of an eye, Money added his majors and changed the context of the game with his powerful overhead marking ability and goal sense, leaving everyone in the crowd shaking their head in disbelief as he proves yet again he isn’t finished showing his bag of tricks.
If the Money show wasn’t enough, an unusually quiet Travis Tuck then climbed into the cloudless sky to bring down a strong contested mark and go back to kick his first major of the afternoon.
With the six goal to one premiership term, the Wickers demonstrated when they are on song they are 22 herculean figures.
Turning the tables on the match in a half-hour of football had the Wickers shift from trailing by two straight kicks at the half, to leading by three straight kicks at the final interval.
Once Berwick added the first of the last, the task seemed too great for the valiant Magpies.
Despite falling short of the mark, the Magpies could very well have blown the Wickers out of the water early if they had of kicked straight.
The Magpies will now face Beaconsfield in the preliminary final at Healesville on Saturday in attempt to face the Wickers again on the big dance on AFL grand final eve.
The Eagles shook off a possible straight sets exit when they beat Cranbourne but will have to put some heavy work into Narre Warren superstar Trent Cody who was inspirational against the Wickers.
Cody finished with two majors and a plethora of possessions as he was pulling the cart for Narre Warren.
