THE Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers clawed their way to an eight-point victory against Calder United Lions in Saturday’s 16th round clash in Goldacres North Central senior footy.
It was a superb lead-up to the finals series as the Lions and Tigers met at Wycheproof.
Sea Lake Nandaly led 21-15 at quarter-time.
The Lions struck back to win term two, 22-18, and were within two points at the long break.
Calder United kicked off the second half with a goal by Jack Exell to take the lead.
The Tigers replied through John Summerhayes before Koby Hommelhoff was on target for the Lions.
Majors by Summerhayes and Josh Jenkins meant Sea Lake Nandaly led 58-49 in the 20th minute of the third term.
A Rick Allan goal for Calder United in the third minute of the last quarter made it 58-all.
After a series of behinds by both teams it was Summerhayes who was on target for the yellow and black to lead 66-60 in the 16th minute.
Sea Lake Nandaly scored another two behinds in the final minutes to complete a 68-60 result.
Josh Jenkins and John Summerhayes led the Tigers attack on three goals as Lachy McClelland kicked two.
Leading goalkickers for the Lions were Koby Hommelhoff and Jack Exell on three and two.
Sea Lake Nanday’s best were Trent Donnan, Ryan O’Sullivan, co-coach Bryce Delmenico, Max Cahoon, Kane Donnan and Adam Pattison.
The Tigers also have Billy McInnes as co-coach in their pursuit of a premiership hat-trick.
Calder United’s best were Daniel Watts, Zane Keighran, Boe Bish, Matt Wade, Darcy Munro and Matthew Trzeciak.
The Lions are jointly coached by Jordan Humphreys, playing, and Darryl Wilson, non-playing.
The league’s two other finalists in Boort and Birchip-Watchem marked big wins.
The Dale Cameron-coached Boort led 35-9 at half-time of its showdown with Charlton at Boort Park.
As the Magpies scored four goals in the third term Charlton added two majors.
Boort finished with plenty of run and added six goals in the last as it kept Charlton scoreless to complete a 100-23 result.
Kayne Rutley led the Magpies’ attack on six goals as Jhye Baddeley-Kelly kicked four.
There were no multiple goalkickers for Charlton.
Boort’s best were Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Kayne Rutley, Matt Austin, Ryan McGhie, Jhye Baddeley-Kelly and Lachlan Hall.
Bailey Hooper-Dixon, Ben Lanyon, Elliott Fitzpatrick, Jed and Rhys Thompson, and Bailey Kemp were best for the Mitch Collins-coached Navies.
Birchip-Watchem racked up 44 scoring shots in a 174-1 win against Donald at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval.
Gun forward Ben Edwards kicked eight goals, but the Bulls showed they are far from a one-man band.
Other multiple goalkickers for the unbeaten ladder-leaders were Jacob Christie, five; Marshall Rippon, three; Rhona Conboy, Tom Gibson and Hamish Hosking, two.
Best for the Ash Connick-coached Bulls were Jacob Christie, Marshall Rippon, Tom Gibson, Charlie Frank, Hamish Hosking and Sam Simmons.
Donald’s best were Harry Forrest, coach Daniel Pearce, Charlie Campbell, Brady Griffiths, Dyson Bell-Warren and Jett Adams.
The Wedderburn Redbacks marked their final match of the season by scoring a 201-point win against St Arnaud at Donaldson Park.
Wedderburn scored 10 goals in the opening term and then followed up with six and four in the next two terms.
It was a superb finish by the red and black as it kicked 12 goals in the last to complete a 218-17 result.
Mitch Jensen led the attack on eight goals as Hamish Lockhart booted five in a best-on-ground performance.
Other multiple goalkickers were Darcy Jackson, five; Noah Furlong and Jake Miller, three; Zach Pallpratt and Mackenzie Smith, two.
Best for the Tom Metherell-coached Wedderburn were Hamish Lockhart, Jackson McEwen, Mitch Jensen, Darcy Jackson, Mitch McEwen and Jake Miller.
Jay Kirwood, Harley Durward, Jake Male, Matthew Goode, Luke Jackson and Daniel Gifford were best for the Scott Driscoll-coached Saints.
Goldacres North Central senior footy ladder after 16 rounds:
Birchip-Watchem 347 per cent, 64 points; Calder United Lions 268, 48; Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 261, 48; Boort 150, 40; Wedderburn 162, 32; Charlton 27, 16; St Arnaud 32, 8; Donald 11, 0.
Schedule for Saturday’s first semi-finals at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval:
Uniting Church under-14s at 9.30am: Donald v Boort.
Charlton and District Community Bank under-17s at 11am: Boort v Calder United Lions.
Haeuslers reserves at 12.35pm: Birchip-Watchem v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
Goldacres seniors at 2.30pm: Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v Boort.
Leading goalkickers in the senior footy competition after 16 rounds:
124 Ben Edwards, Birchip-Watchem.
72 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Boort.
63 Jack Exell, Calder United Lions.
61 Mitch Jensen, Wedderburn.
55 Max Cahoon, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
39 Kayne Rutley, Boort.
34 Nicholas Rippon, Birchp-Watchem.
30 Jordan Humphreys, Calder United Lions.
27 Lachy McClelland, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
27 Adam Pattison, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
26 Rhona Conboy, Birchip-Watchem.
26 Mitch Farmer, Calder United Lions.
24 Tom Gibson, Birchip-Watchem.
23 Jye Mortlock, Wedderburn.
22 Joseph Reid, Birchip-Watchem.
20 Peter Barbopoulos, Boort.
20 Ethan Coleman, Boort.
20 Oscar Holt, Wedderburn.
20 Mitch McEwen, Wedderburn.
19 Thomas Cox, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
18 Max Hungerford, St Arnaud.
18 Steven Kennedy, Calder United Lions.
17 Bryce Delmenico, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
17 James Keeble, Boort.
17 Tyson McKenzie, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
16 Jacob Christie, Birchip-Watchem.
16 Darcy Jackson, Wedderburn.
16 Zane Keighran , Calder United Lions.
15 Carlos Egan, Boort.
15 Jarvis Keogh, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
15 Rylee Smith, Calder United Lions.
15 John Summerhayes, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
14 Trent Donnan, Sea Lake Nandaly.
14 Hamish Lockhart, Wedderburn.
14 Dale Pearce, Calder United Lions.