MITIAMO used Bears Lagoon-Serpentine to signal an ominous warning to its three remaining Loddon Valley league premiership contenders on Sunday.
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For the second year in a row the Superoos defeated Bears Lagoon-Serpentine in the elimination final and did so in dominant fashion by 79 points at Newbridge.
The Superoos crushed the Bears 17.15 (117) to 6.2 (38) to advance to next Sunday’s first semi-final against Pyramid Hill at Maiden Gully.
“We put a good four quarters together today, which was really pleasing,” Mitiamo coach Andy Grant said.
“Any time you win a final it takes a big performance and I thought we played a consistent brand of football that we have been building towards all year.
“It’s good to be able to produce it at this time of the year.”
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Mid-season recruit Ryan Wellington showed how vital an acquisition he has been to Mitiamo in attack by outscoring the Bears off his own boot with seven goals.
“He was super for us today… he could have kicked 12 had he taken all his opportunities,” Grant said.
The Superoos’ dominance of the first half was reflected more in their 18 scoring shots to three rather than their 45-point advantage in which they led 8.10 to 2.1.
“We had plenty of forward entries, but didn’t fully capitalise on them,” Grant said.
“We were well on top at half-time and just needed to make sure we put together two more good quarters, which we did.”
As well as Wellington, others in the best for the Superoos included veteran midfielder Aaron McKean, Luke Lougoon and Max Simpson.
Ben Bacon (knee) didn’t play after quarter-time for the Superoos, who also had Toby Cocks (corkie) sidelined by half-time.
Having fought their way into the finals from a 0-4 start to the season, Bears coach Greg Gadsden said it was a bitterly disappointing performance in which to end 2018.
“We were absolutely belted today… we were never in it at all and they were just far too good for us,” Gadsden said.
“It’s the worst game we’ve played in the three years I’ve been coaching.
“Their midfield got on top of us early, the delivery into their forward line was sensational and their contested footy was much better than ours.
“They thoroughly deserved the win because they played a lot better as the scoreline shows.”
Zac Stone in defence, Shaun Bowles and ruckman Nathan Twigg were best for the Bears, who had Cody Gunn and Ben McKinley kick two goals each.
The Bears’ reserves and under-18 sides also bowed out in elimination finals on Sunday, but the fact all three teams were in the finals shows how far the club has come given none of its football sides won a game between them only two seasons ago.
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