AFL Outer East: Cranbourne’s season is still building after elimination final win over Woori Yallock
Just a few week’s back Cranbourne’s injury-cruelled season seemed dead and buried. But the Eagles are just starting to take flight.
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Cranbourne’s late-season rally took another giant step forward when it beat Woori Yallock in the Premier Division elimination final at Doveton’s AJ Robinson Oval on Saturday.
Just a few weeks ago, the Eagles had slipped so far adrift of the top five they needed a shock upset of flag favourites Berwick and other results falling their way to extend their season into September.
But any sleepless nights from those tense few weeks are but a distant memory after Cranbourne saluted 6.11 (47) to 3.14 (32).
Eagles coach Steve O’Brien was beaming with pride. His side, already hamstrung by a hefty injury toll, had lost another player on Thursday night and two on the morning of the game but somehow found a way to win.
“It was a really gutsy effort,” he said. “We’ve still got a lot of injured soldiers. We were up against it a bit.
“We’ve still got six or seven out, not a lot of people realise that. At one stage this season we had 11 out. It's just testament to this group.
“They’ve got incredible character this group, they are such a resilient group and they’ve vowed to keep fighting. I don’t think there’s a club in the finals that would write us off.”
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Kirk Dickson and Thomas Marks kicked two apiece for Cranbourne with Jordan Bertrand and Bailey Buntine leading the way while Zach Monkhorst (two goals) and Hayden Smith did their best for Woori Yallock.
Meanwhile, Narre Warren will continue its great SEFNL rivalry with Berwick in next Saturday’s second semi-final after a thumping 13.5 (83) to 2.9 (21) win over Beaconsfield in the qualifying final at Berwick.
The Magpies booted five opening-quarter goals and had the Eagles’ measure from then on.
Mitchell Cox, Thomas Toner and Daniel Jackson kicked two each for Narre while Nathan Foote, Matthew Soroczynski and Tom Miller engineered the win. Sean Dwyer, Bradley Homfray and Jack Griffiths battled gamely for the Eagles.
Berwick and Narre Warren will contest the second semi at Pakenham while Cranbourne and Beaconsfield will meet in a first semi at Doveton.
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