Willunga and Goolwa-Port Elliot played fast free-flowing football under perfect blue skies to cap off their seasons with enthusiastic football. The ball remained on the move and in the open for much of the day. The men-in-white made consistent, decisive decisions and contributed to the flow of the game which had great significance for the Willunga team. Mitch Portlock was in the coach’s box for the last time after 6 seasons which included one premiership and three other grand final appearances. And club stalwarts and former captains Brad Haskett and Braden Altus were playing their 300th and 200th games respectively.
Opposing ruckmen, Grigg and Bass had a great dual all day and it was only when the high-leaping Mills had a run in the centre that the Demons’ onballers had a clear advantage. Fry was strong in defence for the visitors but the effervescent Beath snapped the first goal of the day. Willunga slammed on the next six majors through Sherry (2), Draper, Hoffman, McDonald and Beath again. When the Magpies went forward they moved the ball patiently with short kicks to space and hit targets which cut through the Willunga defence. Nissen, Fry, and Gane moved the ball to where Bates snapped a major off-hands, then Carnelly and Bates combined to allow Iwao to convert and bring the margin back to 5 goals at the first break.
Willunga continued to run-and-carry at every opportunity with a 7 to 1 goal second quarter. Hoffman and Miegel continued their dominance on the bottom wing, Tregenza won many a hard ball in the centre-square and used it well, the long kicking McDonald set up opportunities for his key forwards (Draper and Sherry), and Beath continued to duck and weave and win the hard ball. Defender McDonald kicked a long goal. Hutchens broke lines with his customary dash and Sherry and Draper converted their opportunities. Donaldson defended well for the Pies. Gane found himself goal-side for the visitors and dribbled home a left-foot six-pointer to give the Magpie supports something to beep about. Willunga led by 11 goals at the halfway point of the game.
The Demons went further ahead in the third quarter, encouraged by Portlock to enjoy the last 60 minutes of the season. It was the visitors who struck first, however, when Carnelly won a centre-square clearance and kicked long to where Donaldson drifted across the front of the pack, marked strongly and converted in the opening minute the quarter. They had five other promising opportunities which either fell short and were spoiled across the line, or drifted wide. Hams, Colwell and Tregenza put the ball to Draper’s advantage and he marked twice and kicked accurately. The Willunga defender, Daniells, kicked two for the quarter to triple his goal scoring for the season. Hoeck, McDonald, Sherry and Beath all kicked truly to give the Demons an 18-goal lead at three-quarter time.
Portlock asked his team for one last effort – kick 8 majors to reach the 30-goal tally. They did better than that – they kicked 10. Altus and McDonald both split the middle in the first two minutes then the Magpies ran and carried the ball through Iwao, Fry, Bates and Fergusson to put the ball into McKinley’s hands: he goaled. Thereafter, it was all Willunga. Hoeck almost took the screamer-of-the day but failed to bring it to earth then Draper did take the mark of the day. He held his position with strength, thrust one hand aloft like the statue of Liberty, cupped the ball in his palm, went back and goaled. Brown was given a run forward and twice converted. Beath kicked a couple more, Draper put through his seventh, Hams his first then, after passing off a couple of opportunities, the 300-gamer Haskett took a mark and kicked his first for the day. The game ended on a high with both teams contributing to an exciting brand of footy. It was a credit to Goolwa-Port Elliot that, despite their winless season, they played with such high spirits, always played a team brand of football, and celebrated small successes at every opportunity.
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