IT isn’t only cricket finals Stratford knows how to win.
The Swans won through to the East Gippsland football grand final in the most dramatic circumstances.
If Anthony Hudson was commenting at Lucknow during Saturday’s second semi final as Stratford won 12.9 (81) to 12.8 (80) over Wy Yung, you just know he would have said “I see it, but I don’t believe it”.
Stratford is now just one win away from lifting the premiership cup.
The Swans weren’t the best team heading into last Saturday. They had finished four games behind Wy Yung on the ladder and lost to the Tigers on all three occasions during the season.
But there is a beautiful uncertainty about finals football, and as Stratford once again proved when it comes to finals – it isn’t the best side that wins, it is the best side on the day that does.
As the first quarter unfolded however, things appeared to be going as most neutral supporters expected.
A four goal wind saw Wy Yung take an advantage well beyond that by sending through eight majors in the first quarter.
It was an auspicious start given every time the Tigers went inside 50 they scored – they had 10 inside 50s for a return of 8.2 (50).
The Swans however did not panic, and came out after quarter time and went ‘now it’s our turn’.
Stratford kicked seven goals in a row during the second, and entered the half-time break ahead by one point.
Who would have thought the margin would be exactly the same at the final siren.
By the third term the wind had died down, and with Wy Yung throwing an extra behind the ball, scoring became less frequent.
The Swans added two straight goals to hold a four-point lead heading into the last.
Stratford playing-coach Jarryd Clohesy implored his troops for one last effort, and the men in red and white duly delivered – by the barest of margins.
Defence was at full capacity for both sides, who simply refused to yield. Wy Yung could only manage 1.1 (8), while the Swans only mustered up four measly behinds.
Those behinds were worth this weight in gold, as Stratford was able to hold on for dear life and secure what would have to be one of the greatest wins in the club’s history.
Haydn Erfurth was a clear best-on-ground, booting six goals, while Regan Tait, Nick French, Clohesy, Jack Bacon and William Webb also played well.
Best for Wy Yung were Jock Overend, Norman Betts, Dylan Somerville, Nick Ward, Brad Daniel and Daniel Perrin.
For Clohesy, he has now achieved the very rare feat of making a grand final in his first year of coaching, while the players have achieved a week’s rest in the lead-up to the decider.
“To knock them off and know you are going through to the grand final, it was definitely high elation,” Clohesy said.
“I brought all the boys in and said ‘how good does that feel? Let’s now concentrate on two weeks’ time – it feels good now but how good would the feeling be in two weeks’ time’.”
While the match didn’t start on a hugely positive note, Closhey said he was proud of the response.
“At the start of the game we just didn’t give them enough respect,” he said.
“They are a very good side that spread quite well with a very young, fast side. After quarter time we spoke about that and quelled that and used the wind to our advantage to get back into the game, from there we just had to stop their outside run.
“I just told them to stick to the structures and explain that it is just a very minor detail as to why they were beating us, you take the four-goal wind out of it and suddenly it is a two goal-game.”
As for the nail-biting last quarter, Clohesy said his three quarter time message revolved around nothing more than effort.
“(Just to) not leave anything in the tank. Do everything you can in the next 25 minutes and you’ll get a week break,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say I felt we had it won but I felt the boys were in good shape for the whole last quarter. I thought we were in a good head space, when they were coming back there was no dropping of the heads.”
Clohesy confirmed Stratford will train this week.
THERE was a similarly pulsating finish in the first semi-final.
Lindenow ended Lucknow’s season, winning 10.10 (70) to 10.8 (68).
The Cats and Magpies played out a classic at Stratford to determine who plays Wy Yung for a place in the grand final this weekend.
Lindenow lives to fight another day. Lucknow does as well – but in six months’ time.
Best for the winners was Stephen Henshaw, Trav Lawson, Lachlan Dumaresq, Will Blackley, Kevin Bongers and Rohan Blandford.
Darren Allen kicked four goals for Lindenow, and received good support from Joel McNamara, Tom Southen, Jesse Glassborow, Stephen Bertino and Dion Grace.
