EFL 2018: Glen Waverley Hawks left to rue Division 4 grand final defeat
GLEN Waverley Hawks were again left heartbroken on grand final day after Whitehorse Pioneers recorded a stunning come-from-behind win, despite being held goalless in the first half.
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IT was the one that got away.
Despite being held goalless for the first half and not kicking a major until halfway through the third term, Whitehorse Pioneers stunned Glen Waverley Hawks to win the Division 4 premiership on Saturday.
PIONEERS RECORD COME-FROM-BEHIND GRAND FINAL WIN
FALCONS CONFIDENT OF CAUSING GRAND FINAL UPSET
BURNERS BLITZ THE SHARKS TO SET UP PRELIM REPLAY
It was the third time this decade the Hawks have finished runner-up after an extra-time defeat in 2011 and 137-point belting the following season.
Glen Waverley controlled the majority of the contest but let its chance of securing its first Eastern Football League premiership slip through its grasp in the final quarter.
Glen Waverley coach Ryan Flack said the 16-point defeat was “immensely disappointing”.
“I think it’s always one that we’ll feel like was winnable that slipped away,” Flack said. “I have that feeling at the moment and I’m not sure that will go away anytime soon.”
Glen Waverley led for the first three-and-a-half quarters, but costly misses in the final 30 minutes allowed Whitehorse a chance at an unlikely victory.
EAGLES IN THIRD STRAIGHT DECIDER
FARMER HOPEFUL OF GETTING UP FOR GRAND FINAL
After kicking just four behinds in the first half and 1.10 to the 26-minute mark of the third term, the Pioneers kicked the final five goals of the game to win its first flag in 11 years.
Matthew Mariani put the Pioneers in front for the first time at the 15-minute mark of the last quarter.
Two goals in quick succession from Frank Bibby/Blue Ribbon medallist Damian Bertacco and Alex Kumurdian then sealed a stunning comeback mission.
Skill execution, intense pressure from Glen Waverley and the small confines of Walker Park made for an ugly contest.
Despite its first-half dominance, the Hawks managed just 3.3 at halftime to lead by 17 points at the long break.
Whitehorse, perhaps advantaged by the week’s rest after a two-point semi-final win, then finished full of running to record a 6.12 (48) to 4.8 (32) victory.
“I think Whitehorse, to their credit, made the most of its opportunities when it had control of the game and we probably didn’t,” Flack said.
“In fairness, they would have almost been thinking they’d kicked themselves out of it in the third quarter.
“It was one of those games where it was very tight and you needed a little bit of luck one way or the other and it just didn’t happen for us.”
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