NORTH Gambier took the easy route to the Western Border football grand final with a comfortable victory over East Gambier at Malseed Park on Saturday.
But while the Tigers were comfortable 32-point victors in the end, the Bulldogs challenged at every opportunity, never allowing North to relax throughout the game.
Even after a solid first half that saw the Tigers lead by 33 points at the long break, the Bulldogs rallied and took the game up to the reigning premiers in the third quarter to almost run over the top.
The Tigers were down two rotations early, with injuries to Declan Carmody and Leigh Symons, but were able to overcome that and run the game out.
It was a result North coach Winis Imbi was clearly pleased with.
“Obviously to get into a grand final is a fantastic opportunity,” he said.
“We are pleased we were able to absorb East’s pressure and get a score on the board that was able to win the game.”
On an almost perfect day for football, with little breeze and no rain, the game began with the intent of both sides on display.
The Tigers pushed forward early, with a big clash between Nathan Forrest and Carmody the result.
With his eyes on the ball, Carmody took the brunt of the hit, being assisted from the ground and would take no further part in the contest.
However, a free kick was awarded to the Tigers on the goal line for the first major score of the game.
The Bulldogs pushed up the ground after the centre bounce, but the Tigers hit back, running the ball along the wing into the hands of Nick Moretti, who claimed his first of five goals for the day.
With the Tigers up and about early, the Bulldogs needed something special to focus on and when Kev Thomson pushed Tim McInerney off the bouncing ball, snapping forward, the resulting bounce saw just that, with the first goal for East.
Mark Kieselbach was already in a tough battle in the ruck with Brett Kennedy, but when he found clean possession and measured a pass to co-coach Matt Scanlon, a set shot resulted in another Bulldogs goal and an even scoreline.
Nick McInerney had an early effect on the contest, but his forward thrusts were going unrewarded, with the Tigers unable to capitalise on the inside-50 runs, with the likes of Jesse Fry and Jayden Eldridge holding strong for East.
The Bulldogs continued to push up the ground, where Brad Close claimed a spectacular grab to keep the Tigers on track.
Thomson was soon back in on the action, stepping around his defender and finding Mark Rumbelow on the lead.
The latter played on and banged one through for a six-point lead to East.
North soon regained the lead after a run of play from Sam Stafford and Dylan Munn, finished off by Jake Schultz.
Moretti then stepped up with a couple of quick goals and suddenly the momentum was with the Tigers, who held a 13-point advantage at the first break.
A tough contest ensued in the second term, but the Tigers began to find the middle and stretch the margin.
Moretti added to his impressive day, while Close pounced on a loose ball for another major.
The Bulldogs were now struggling to find the big sticks, with plenty of chances yielding minor scores.
Scanlon eventually broke the drought, running into an open goal, but there was still plenty to do.
North capitalised on a 50-metre penalty with an easy set shot and with 27 minutes gone a further goal threatened to break the game open.
When Close kicked a major after the half-time siren had sounded, the Tigers were up by 33 and looked to have the game in hand.
However, within the opening minutes after the break Thomson added to his growing bag, with Fry kicking across goals to find Scanlon and another goal for the Bulldogs.
With margin was back to 21 points, but Moretti was not done, snapping a gaol, with the fortuitous bounce favouring the Tigers.
Thomson replied soon after with an impressive run along the boundary, while Scanlon added a further major, after coast-to-coast play from Matt Willson, Eldridge and Kane Ransom found the coach in space up forward.
When Scanlon banged on another, the margin was back to 13 and the game was on in earnest.
However, a slight lapse in the East defensive zone saw Stafford with another to his name, but soon after Matt Dempsey claimed a courageous mark, played on and found Rumbelow, who slotted home the goal to keep in touch.
With 24 minutes gone in the quarter the margin was just 12 points, but a late goal to Matt McInerney stretched that to 18.
Not to be outdone, Thomson was soon back in on the act, kicking a goal with 27 minutes played, with the margin 13 points at the last break.
The final stanza was set for a showdown, with both sides streaming forward through the likes of Fry and Matt McInerney.
Behinds were the only early rewards, but when Sam Stafford intercepted an East kick and chipped in to Brad Stafford, the resulting goal was timely.
The Tigers were manning up in the back line, with the Bulldogs struggling to penetrate with any effect.
However, Matt McCallum stood tall, playing on after a free kick to bang home a much-needed goal.
Unfortunately that was the only major the Bulldogs could conjure up for the term, with the Tigers adding four for the quarter to run out comfortable victors.
For North Moretti finished with five goals, while Close added four and for East Scanlon kicked five and Thomson four.
Imbi said East attacked hard for the whole day, with his side able to put a score on the board when the opportunity arose.
“I think any team has to make their run when they can and to East’s credit they certainly put on a score in the first quarter,” he said.
“I thought their second quarter was good as well.
“You have to be able to counter that and our boys were good.
“The way they went about their business was fantastic.”
Imbi said in the end it was the little things throughout the game that made the difference at the final siren.
“There are a lot of moments within a game,” he said
“Players have to make decisions at both ends of the ground and I thought the boys really applied themselves to what we were trying to do.
“East run the ball well, so we have to defend and we had to attack.
“Our boys stayed composed, but had real urgency about what they were trying to do on the field.
“I have to praise coaches with the way they managed the list with two rotations down, which was fantastic.
“I also have to give credit to a good opposition.”
