NFL 2018: Hurstbridge steers clear of relegation from Division 1 with last-round win over Whittlesea
HURSTBRIDGE put a tumultuous Northern Football League season behind it and retained its place in Division 1 with a final-round victory over Whittlesea today.
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HURSTBRIDGE put a tumultuous Northern Football League season behind it and retained its place in Division 1 with a final-round victory over Whittlesea today.
Both sides entered the Round 18 match with 2-15 records, the Bridges having dropped their past 12 games after consecutive wins over Whittlesea and Heidelberg in rounds four and five.
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At risk of tumbling back to the second tier for the first time since their premiership victory in 2016, Hurstbridge claimed a 19.10 (124) to 15.8 (98) win and condemned the Eagles to Division 2 next year.
The Bridges had control for much of the contest, leading at every change, although their 28-point halftime advantage was trimmed to 19 points with a quarter to play.
In front of its home crowd, Hurstbridge answered the challenge in the last quarter to extend its Division 1 stay into a third season.
Whittlesea will be relegated after playing the past three seasons in Division 1 under its outgoing coach Jim Atkins.
Bundoora sounded a warning to Greensborough ahead of their elimination final next Sunday when it defeated a red-hot North Heidelberg by 11 points after trailing by 32 points at quarter-time.
Macleod tuned up for finals with a 65-point win over Northcote Park, while West Preston-Lakeside eased past Greensborough by 44 points.
Heidelberg rounded out its campaign with an 11-point victory against Montmorency, missing out on the top five by a game and per cent.
In Division 2, Thomastown scraped into finals on percentage despite a two-point loss to Diamond Creek.
The Creekers will be ruing a missed opportunity to claim fourth spot after leading by 39 points at halftime at Main Street Reserve.
Thomastown was still facing an early end to its season with it trailed by 23 points at three-quarter-time but went down 14.14 (98) to 13.18 (96) to finish 1.33 per cent ahead of the Creekers.
The Bears will face Banyule in a knockout semi-final, while Eltham takes on Lower Plenty next weekend for a grand final berth.
Watsonia produced its first win of the year against Fitzroy Stars, while Eltham downed Epping and Banyule clinched a confidence-boosting win on the eve of finals by 19 points against Lower Plenty.
In Division 3, St Mary’s is through to the grand final after it claimed an 8.14 (62) to 5.9 (39) victory over Panton Hill in the second semi-final.
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