MPFNL 2023: Mornington struck by ACL and hamstring injuries in semi-final loss to Somerville

Mornington’s finals campaign took a hit with key players injured while Somerville roared into its first senior grand final in eight years.

Somerville captain Luke Burton collars a Mornington opponent on Saturday. Picture: Al Dillon

Somerville is poised to snap a 37-year premiership drought after storming home to beat Mornington in Saturday’s Mornington Peninsula league Division 2 second semi-final at Rye.

The Eagles haven’t won a senior flag since 1986, when former St Kilda champion Gary “Cat’’ Colling was coach of a side that featured former Australian cricketer Shaun Graf.

On Saturday, Somey kicked seven of the last eight goals to overpower Mornington 10.16 (76) to 7.14 (56).

Somerville forward Lachlan Sharp put the Eagles in front midway through the final quarter before ex-AFL Kangaroo Tom Murphy extended the margin with a long goal and young Ben Kaddatz kicked one from the goal square.

First-year Somerville coach Chris Gamble has got his side into a grand final. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Wholehearted Somey defender Kane McKenzie was named best-on-the-ground, while young wingman Jesse Walker-Swain was also outstanding.

It was Somerville’s second win over Mornington this season and the Eagles will have a week off before contesting their first grand final since 2015.

Minor premiers Mornington’s hopes of going straight through to the grand final struck a double blow early when captain Adrian Speedy did his hamstring in the first five minutes and minutes later teenage defender Brody Collins suffered a suspected ACL injury.

Mornington led by nine points at half-time and three points at the last change, but the loss of two players took its toll late in the game.

“It just killed us a bit with our rotations,’’ Bulldogs football director Leigh McQuillen said.

“Losing a defender and a mid pretty early hurt us, with rotations especially, we had to rely on our mids to stay out there.’’

McQuillen said Collins was “probably done’’ for the season, while Speedy would try to get up or Mornington’s do-or-die preliminary final next weekend.

“We’ll find out during the week, we don’t know how bad it is,’’ he said of Speedy’s hammy.

McQuillen said it was disappointing to lose but gave credit to Somerville.

“It’s disappointing to be honest because we set ourselves for it and credit to Somey, I reckon, they came out and played a pretty good brand of footy, they need to be applauded for the way they played,’’ he said.

“Hopefully we’ll bounce back and we can have a third try at them.’’