WRFL 2018: Yarraville-Seddon stamps Division 2 grand final ticket with semi-final win

YARRAVILLE-SEDDON has earned the chance to turn an excellent season into a memorable season after securing a spot in the WRFL Division 2 decider.

YARRAVILLE-SEDDON has earned the chance to turn an excellent season into a memorable season.

So dominant all year on their way to the minor premiership, the undefeated Eagles withstood a determined Point Cook in Saturday’s semi-final to advance to their third consecutive Western Region Football League Division 2 decider.

Leonardo Larizza was one of Yarraville-Seddon’s best on Saturday. Picture: Mark Dadswell

After painful defeats on the final day of the campaign in the past two years, Yarraville-Seddon will enter the grand final as a red-hot favourite regardless of the opponent.

For one of the few times in 2018 the Eagles were on the back foot after the Bulldogs started with three unanswered goals to take a 19-point advantage into quarter-time.

Yarraville-Seddon slowly worked its way back into the match at Williamstown’s Burbank Oval to grab a five-point lead at halftime before extending that to nine points at the final change.

Vinnie Turcinovich’s team then took control as the threat of having to take the long road to the season finale loomed large.

The Eagles had 10 scores to one in the last quarter to record a 28-point victory, 10.14 (74) to 6.10 (46), and shot at redemption.

“Conditions probably suited them more than they suited us,” Turcinovich said.

“We always talk about your first quarter having to be your best, and I think they (Point Cook) jumped out of the blocks with a bit more intensity, and we had to match it and we didn’t.

“A couple of things went their way and we didn’t take our half chances.

“They tried a couple of different things. As a coaching group, it sort of caught us on the hop a bit.

“We just had to adjust. It took a little bit, but when we haven’t been in that situation before and we get challenged like that, we just had to find a way, and we did.”

Yarraville-Seddon has been the dominant team in Division 2 all season. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Leonardo Larizza shone in defence for the winners, along with Connor Smillie and Matthew Wright, while Matt Eason-Jones starred in the middle.

The Eagles emerged unscathed, with Lachlan Huell set to return for the grand final, which will give his side more “dash and run”.

“It was a pretty physical game, but these boys are pretty resilient,” Turcinovich said.

“They keep running and getting hit and jumping back up. Being a young side, that’s what’s going to happen.”

Yarraville-Seddon has expressed its desire to be promoted to Division 1 should it win the premiership.