Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sandhurst secured its first minor premiership in 15 years on Saturday when it defeated Kyneton by 33 points at the QEO.
A stunning nine-goal burst from the Tigers in the third quarter threatened to derail the Dragons’ minor premiership hopes.
However, the Dragons regrouped and responded with a seven-goal final term of their own to win 17.14 (116) to 12.11 (83).
33 of the past 36 minor premiers in the BFNL have gone on to play in the grand final, but Sandhurst coach Wayne Primmer wasn’t looking any further than the second semi-final in a fortnight.
“I don’t want to know any of those stats, anything can change,’’ Primmer said.
“(Minor premiers) doesn’t guarantee you anything. It’s another new season now. The previous competition was 10 teams, now it’s down to five.
“The week off helps, but it doesn’t guarantee us anything.”
Sandhurst led by 35 points at the main break before the Tiers piled on nine goals to two in the third to grab an unlikely 11-point lead at the last change.
“It was probably a five-goal wind and they got a bit of a run on and we couldn’t stop them,’’ Primmer said of the third quarter.
“Our problem was we couldn’t get our hands on the ball in the middle of the ground.
“Unless you get your hands on the footy it’s very hard to change things.
“I think we only went inside 50 five times in the third quarter and Kyneton went in about 15 times.
“Kyneton played a great brand of footy and we found it hard to stop them.”
The Dragons responded strongly in the final quarter, while the Tigers ran out of legs with Ben Weightman and Jarrod Witnish both off the ground injured.
“We’ve been in this position three times in the past five weeks. We have the belief we can do it… our fitness is good,’’ Primmer said.
“We’ve ran over the top of a number of sides. I’m happy with that.”
A pleasing sign for the Dragons was the work inside forward 50 of star trio Kristan Height, Matt Thornton and Lachlan Ross. They kicked 11 goals between them and showed they’ll play a major role in September.
The Tigers entered the game needing to win or avoid a belting to cement a finals berth for the second-straight year.
Their brilliant third quarter ensured they’ll play finals and, despite injury concerns around Weightman and Witnish, they should enter next Sunday’s elimination final against Eaglehawk with confidence.
Jonno Nash, Hugh Schiavello, Harrison McKenna and ruckman Nick Higginson were Kyneton’s best against the Dragons.