THERE will again be no September action for Port MacDonnell as the 2017 season ended for it at Tantanoola on Saturday when it succumbed to a sensational Mount Burr by a devastating margin of 73 points.
The Demons have played in seven out of the past eight major rounds but only snared the one flag in 2012 during this period.
Before a large crowd which paid $11,002 at the gate, the Mozzies advanced via a mostly one-sided contest to the Mid South East Football League (MSEFL) preliminary final on September 9.
They will meet the loser of this Saturday’s second semi-final at Robe between minor premiers Kalangadoo and Hatherleigh.
Due to the roster system which operates in the MSEFL, Mount Burr cannot take its turn to host the preliminary final and so the match will be played back at Tantanoola.
Nangwarry will definitely host the grand final on September 16.
Going on the form and grit displayed by Tom Renzi’s team on Saturday, it is very much in the running for premiership honours yet again.
Renzi last had his hands on the Wilf Sprengel Premiership Shield around 11 months ago and his team’s odds have shortened considerably in the past month.
It is a remarkable comeback for a team which sat second-to-bottom after Round 5.
On bare facts alone, the third-placed Mozzies had come into the do-or-die contest with the fourth-placed Demons as the warmest of favourites.
It had lowered the colours of the seasiders in both of their 2017 meetings and its 10 superior percentage points meant it had a more potent attack and tighter defence.
The reigning premiers were keen to perform for popular clubman Nick Morrison who played his 150th A Grade match.
The team also welcomed back co-captain Jake Dowdy who had missed the past two games with a shoulder injury.
It continued Mount Burr’s charmed run with injury which started back in the 2009 season with the team having the advantage of putting almost all of its first-choice players on the arena during the finals.
As well as Dowdy, there were fitness clouds hanging over a number of Mozzies earlier in the week including Tom Fennell, Will Whitty, Dylan Ridley, Zacc Watson and Tommy Hales.
However, the only Burr Boy to be sidelined was Fennell and now they all have a fortnight to further recover.
A number of other Mozzies including Morrison, Luke Thiele and Thomas Vanderhorst will need this time to recover from injuries sustained in this elimination final.
The revved up Demons showed early in the contest on Saturday they were keen to win.
They had the luck of winning the toss but not with the weather conditions.
Steady rain fell for much of the first term with the reigning premiers happy to push the ball to the southern boundary in front of a packed C.W. Haines Stand.
This negated the Port MacDonnell wind advantage which favoured the eastern end.
Both teams scored two majors in the opening stanza but the Demons had kicked three more behinds by quarter time.
Goals were also at a premium for much of the second term despite the absence of rain.
After 20 minutes of play, Mount Burr unleashed a devastating burst of play which changed the course of the match.
A goal to Ridley gave his team the lead for the first time in the final.
Others soon followed to his teenage teammates James Wallis and Henry Crawford and the Mozzies took a 13 point buffer into the long break.
The third term was all Mount Burr as they added 5.1 to a mere 1.1 to book its passage to the preliminary final.
The reigning premiers had plenty of run and options and with players on hand at the fall of the ball.
Co-captain Brodie Hennink snapped the goal-of-the-game from 40m out midway through this term to further lift his team.
The Mozzies did not relent in the last term to add a further 6.4 while conceding just one behind.
If Mail Medal votes had been awarded, the umpires would surely have given the maximum three to ex-Mozzie skipper Nathan Muhovics.
His form has been steady throughout 2017 but it was outstanding in the wet and windy conditions.
They suited his speedy style of play to perfection and his many possessions came at vital times in the match.
Classy rover Dale Bowering also had a good game for the victors and the eight-time premiership player celebrated his 38th birthday earlier in the week.
Ace Mount Burr forward Jack Gregory knows Tigerland well as this is where he played his underage and much of his senior football.
The 2017 MSEFL leading goalscorer was unable to repeat his round 18 feat of 17 which he achieved at Nangwarry.
However, his tally of five goals was a good effort in a major round major.
The conditions also suited his team mates like Hennink and James Wallis who have strong bodies and the nous to adapt to a slippery ball and oval.
The three stand-out players for Port MacDonnell were co-skipper Will Macdonald, reappointed coach Ben McGregor and Nick Driver.
Macdonald yet again showed why he has few peers as a ruckman across country South Australia with another big-hearted performance.
The seasiders were well beaten in attack and did not have a multiple goalscorer.
It is now mothballs time for Port MacDonnell while Mount Burr players certainly know their dream of a 2017 flag is much, much closer.
There were plenty of Hatherleigh and Kalangadoo players and officials looking on at Tigerland including Eagles mentor Jase Faulkner and Magpie coach Ben Mules.
They certainly don’t want to encounter a finals-hardened Mount Burr team at any stage in the coming weeks.
The Mozzies were given a further boost on Sunday when ruckman Henry Crauford won the Walker Medal at the Mail Medal count.
