NEAFL Eastern Conference: Preliminary Final

Queanbeyan v Eastlake

2:00pm, Manuka Oval – Saturday 8th September

The preliminary final match-up that no-one predicted going into the semis, Eastlake and Queanbeyan are set to clash for a spot in the Grand Final at Manuka Oval.

The Demons got out of jail courtesy of an Aaron Bruce behind after the siren to hand them victory despite trailing Ainslie for the majority of the match. Queanbeyan on the other hand were comprehensively beaten by the Sydney Swans after sticking with the AFL-affiliate for the first half, only to get blown away in the second.

The two sides met twice throughout the home and away season, with the Tigers taking both matches. They first met in round 4 when both teams were undefeated, which Queanbeyan won by 26 points and again got the better of the Demons in round 14, this time to the tune of 43 points. The third match up is by far the most important game of the year for both sides though, with the stakes never higher considering there’s a Grand Final spot on the line.

Finals will be a different proposition though, with the Eastlake squad filled with finals experience, while Queanbeyan may have some battle scars from their heavy loss to the Swans and could be hampered by a lack of September action in recent years.

Queanbeyan’s goal-scoring machine James Kavanagh was conspicuously quiet in the Tigers loss to the Swans, which would be a worry for Coach Kade Klemke, but if we’ve learnt anything about Kavanagh throughout the year it is his incredible resiliency. Most notably, when he had a quiet spell towards the middle of the season, then sensationally caught fire, kicking 26 goals in five matches, including three consecutive weeks of six goal hauls. If Kavanagh gets going, it could spell the end of Eastlake’s run.

At the same end of the ground, but this time for the opposition, NAB Rising Star nominee Nick Perry may be the man who goes to Kavanagh in the hopes of stopping one of the Eastern Conference’s most prolific goal kicker of season 2012. Perry has been a mainstay in the Demons’ best players almost every week and is without a doubt one of the premier defenders in the NEAFL competition. If Eastlake can subdue ‘Kav’ then the Demons dream finals run may extend itself to the Grand Final.

If this finals series has underlined anything about the Eastern Conference this year, it’s that we should almost always expect the unexpected. The preview last week predicted Queanbeyan to go straight through to the Grand Final and Eastlake to be going straight home. With results never quite going to plan in the NEAFL it just makes for much more interesting viewing!

Eastlake’s stunning victory last week will put the wind in their sails heading to Manuka Oval on Saturday, but a Queanbeyan outfit stung from their finals defeat last week should be shocked into gear and should get the job done against the Demons.

QUEANBEYAN BY 24 POINTS