Two Blues Finals Bound Again
Seniors:
Prahran Assumption completed a Lazarus like comeback to clinch a finals berth for a third successive year in the final round of VAFA Division 1 on Saturday.
After a round 16 defeat by Williamstown CYMS , the Two Blues seemed dead and buried as a finalist.
The unlikely scenario was fifth placed Prahran Assumption needed to win its last two games and rely on fourth placed Whitefriars to lose both its clashes.
The dream became reality after the Two Blues completed their role with wins over Ormond and then Old Geelong last Saturday while Whitefriars succumbed to top two teams Williamstown CYMS and Hampton Rovers.
So for the first time since round 10 Prahran Assumption is back in the top four and will now have a re-match with Ormond in the first semi-final on Sunday at Trevor Barker Oval, Sandringham.
The Two Blues enter the finals playing their best football for the season.
Certainly last Saturday’s resounding 56 point win over Old Geelong at Como Park was an impressive follow up to the season defining win over Ormond the previous week.
From the moment a John Robbins kick-out from the first score of the game by Old Geelong went the
length of the ground before Pete Cristoforo ambled into an open goal the Two Blues were never headed.
The only anxious moment came late in the second quarter when Robbins was red carded and sent from the field meaning the Two Blues had to play 15 minutes with just 17 men.
The Two Blues lifted their contested ball and pressure rating and held its half-time lead of 21 points before Robbins returned.
An Adam Sleight mark and goal on the three-quarter time siren gave the Two Blues a handy 25 point lead.
Even so there was little sign of the rout that was to follow as the Two Blues rattled on six unanswered goals as the Old Geelong resistance folded.
Liam Hunt continued his outstanding season in defence, Daniel Anglin, Matt Wall and Paul Donahoo were effective as ever at stoppages while Ryan Pascoe and Nathan Costin turned in their best games for the season.
The downside for the Two Blues were the Robbins report and a first quarter serious knee injury to forward Tim Maya.
PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 2-5 7-6 11-10 18-14 (122)
OLD GEELONG 0-3 4-5 7-9 9-12 (66)
Goals: Cristoforo 4, Robbins 3, Wall, Sleight, Pascoe 3, Musster, Davey, Harris, Hogarth, Dean.
Best. Pascoe, Anglin, Hunt, Wall, Musster, Vuli, R Costin.
Reserves:
The season is over for the Reserves who bowed out with a competitive effort against finalist Old Geelong.
The Two Blues stuck to their task all day and outscored Old Geelong in the last quarter with defender Neville Haynes booting a memorable long goal in his final game.
Seven wins was a creditable return as injuries severely tested the club’s depth later in the season.
PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 0-3 4-5 5-7 8-10 (58)
OLD GEELONG 5-4 8-6 11-9 12-13 (85)