Blues remain undefeated

Blues remain undefeated

By Pat Kerin

 

Joel Pearson- one of the Blues best against Yass last Saturday

A good finish for the home and away season for the Coota Blues by winning both matches at Joe O’Connor Park in Yass.

 

Played in freezing cold and windy conditions- the women started the day’s proceeding by winning their first match since round two by defeating Eastlake by 16 pts.  3-8-24 to 1-2-8.

 

Meanwhile, the men played toughest match of the season against the Yass Roos.

 

In a see sawing low scoring affair where the lead changed a few of times late in the match, the Blues prevailed by just five pts. booting a goal and a pt. in the last two minutes. Final score   7-9-51 to Yass 6-10-46. 

The final quarter was a torrid affair with the Blues booting 1-6 and the Roos 1-4.

In a tense final five minutes, the match was up four grabs The Roos goaled with four minutes left the match, Tom Brody then goaled for the Blues with two minutes left, then Aaron Basham had a long distance shot on the siren, which resulted in a pt., which gave the Blues an exciting five pts. win,

 

A good tough match leading into the finals is just what the Blues needed.

 

The win by the Blues sees them undefeated in the home and away season [15] matches

The Blues really missed on-baller Dylan McDermott who always gives the Blues plenty of drive out of the centre. McDermott was rested with a couple of niggles. McDermott should be ready to go for Saturday ‘major semi-final.     

Blues Captain Phil Bird who played his 100^th consecutive match was one of the Blues best, while dominate performances came from coach Luke Webb, Joel Pearson and ruckman Sam Baldock.

 

Best  Phil Bird, Sam Baldock, Luke Webb, Joel Pearson,  Aaron Basham and  Zac Oliver

 

Goals: Sandy Maskell Knight 2, Luke Webb, Zac Oliver, Tom Brody, James Collingridge and Joel Pearson.  

In the other two final round matches played on Saturday, like the Blues/ Yass match, the weather conditions ensured low scoring matches. Belconnen just snuck home defeating Murrumbateman by eight pts 8-6-54 to the Eagles 6-10-46. While Southern Cats proved too strong for Goulburn at Snowy Oval by 17 pts. 9-9-63 to the Swans 7-45-46.

Final ladder: Cootamundra 60, Southern Cats 40, Belconnen 32, Goulburn 24, Murrumbateman 12 [69.70] and Yass 12 [65.05].

 

Next Saturday the Blues host the Southern Cats in the major semi-final. A win in Saturday’s match will see the Blues shot straight into the grand final on Saturday 31 August in Queanbeyan.

Blues women score an exciting win

The Blues women who finished their third season in AFL Canberra in fine style by defeating Eastlake by 16 pts.

In only their third win of the season, the girls proved too strong for the fourth placed Eastlake side booting 3-8-26 to 1-2-8.

Playing with minimum number of 14 players, the girls booted goals in the first, second and fourth quarters, while opponents only goal came in the first quarter.   

At the conclusion of the match, Coach Michaela Perceval thanked the players for their effort in a difficult season where numbers were low for most of the season.

Best: Sienna Bloor, Alyssa Armstrong, Michela Perceval, Sally Ormond, Regan Smith and Brittany Colbertaido. 

Goals: Emily Poulton, Sienna Bloor and Alyssa Armstrong.

As seen by the final ladder, the Riverina Lions and Queanbeyan are miles ahead of Belconnen and Eastlake and should play off for silverware in the grand final.

Final ladder: Riverina Lions 56, Queanbeyan 52, Belconnen 24, Eastlake 20, Tuggeranong 12 [21.43], and Cootamundra 12 – [20.0]