A ten-goal second term helped Old Paradians produce an emphatic 61-point Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 preliminary final win over Mernda at Lalor Reserve, to advance their first NFNL Grand Final.
The final scoreline of 17.12 (114) to 7.11 (53) saw the Raiders kick their highest score against a top five side in 2024 and concede their second lowest score against a finals team, earning them the right to face the Fitzroy Stars in next week’s decider.
Remarkably, there was a goalless first term, with the Demons leading 0.5 to 0.2 at the opening break. Unfortunately for Robert Fletcher’s men, they had wasted their time with a strong wind advantage at that juncture and managed three behinds late in the quarter when goals were desperately needed.
While that score line put the Raiders in the box seat to capitalise with the breeze in the second term, Mernda surprised many originally by kicking one into the wind courtesy of Matthew Bawden.
But Old Paradians would completely flip the game on its head, and produce six goals in an eight minute span to suddenly lead by 29 points halfway through the quarter.
The goal blitz came on the back of some terrific ruckwork from Sam Gilmore as well as some slick ball use by his teammates both in the midfield and up forward and forwards.
Needing to stay in touch, the Demons had to either score again into the breeze or shut down the game but could do neither as Old Paradians kicked another four goals for the term, some of those goals coming due to poor discipline from Mernda.
Lewis Franz, who was helping out in the ruck and providing a target inside 50, had a purple patch when he kicked three during a terrific second term. His bread and butter would be set shots from contested marks, but he also slotted one from the boundary under pressure at the 11-minute mark of the term.
The half time score showed the stark contrast between the teams. Old Paradians had kicked ten majors when having the wind at their backs, whereas Mernda could only manage behinds.
With a 57-point lead at the main break, the Demons needed a miracle to work their way back into the game.
Mernda half-back Kai Turner moved forward in the third quarter and booted the first goal with a great set shot from outside 50. But thoughts of a great comeback were snuffed out when Michael Boundy kicked two into the wind for Ben Turner’s men in the middle of the term. At that stage the lead had ballooned out to 63 points.
The Demons then lifted and finished off the quarter strongly. Lachlan Taylor would find the big sticks first before back-to-back outstanding goals from Jayden Bell and Joshua Mazzarella sparked some life into the Mernda side.
Having wiped 21 points off the lead late in the term to be 42 points down at the last change, Mernda coach Robert Fletcher urged his players to take the game on.
But despite the Demons kicking the opening major of the final term, Blair Healy produced a steadier for Old Paradians and the Raiders ran away with the game, kicking five of the last six goals.
“We’re pumped to get to a Grand Final. I’m really proud of how today unfolded and we can’t wait to have another crack at the Stars,” Old Paradians coach Ben Turner said.
Turner named his best as Blair Healy, who played at the southern end of the ground most of the day. He defended into the wind and played mostly forward with the wind and nailed two goals.
Tom Cooper was another to impress, but there were at least half a dozen others who would fit in the same category.
Turner gave a tick to goal-kicker Franz as well as Noah Whittle in the midfield. Numerous midfielders for the winners impressed, with Marcus Nolan, Kyle O’Sullivan and Joel Tolli getting plenty of clean ball.
Jack Nicolo played one of his best games in defence and took numerous intercept marks, while Anthony Cafari was a livewire and booted three goals in the final.
As far as the Demons are concerned, it was a disappointing day. Apart from the good patch either side of three quarter time, they were completely outplayed in every aspect of the contest.
Although having few winners, Fletcher liked the work of Jake Bennett as an inside midfielder, with Chris Roussos winning plaudits across half forward as well as Dayne Kellett, who held up well in defence.
Defenders Kyle Yankos and Jesse Guelfo impressed for Mernda, Jayden Bell continued his great end to the season, while Kai Turner did well in defence and looked dangerous in his short stint up forward.
