Epping have claimed their first senior men’s finals win since 2017 after defeating Old Eltham Collegians by 12 points in the Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 elimination final at Lalor Reserve.
With the margin locked at single digits for most of the afternoon, a blitz of three unanswered goals to start the fourth term surged the Blues beyond reach, on their way to clinching an 11.18 (84) to 11.6 (72) victory.
While the Turtles would kick four of the last five goals of the match, Epping stood tall and saw out tense closing moments to book a date with Mernda in next Sunday’s first semi-final clash.
In a match that closely resembled an arm-wrestle, the Blues were able to capitalise on clean transition football through the centre of the ground to create twelve more scoring shots than the Turtles.
Of Epping’s eight unique goalscorers, the damaging duo of Daniel Rakhlin and Adrian Alfonsi both finished multiples to their name.
Liam Waldron starred on the wing, while Harley Gleeson and Dallyce Taylor’s intercept marking in defence continually frustrated their opposition.
Turtles’ leaders Timothy Ellis and Liam Rushton-McCoach featured heavily again, but it was Epping’s ball movement that persistently caused headaches.
The Blues relied on this transition football in the opening half, but it was Old Eltham Collegians who started the better of the two teams.
Adrian Alfonsi kicked the opener, but Matthew Sleeman’s men commanded the possession and clearances as Ben Rowe, Ben Cox and Kieran Malone all hit the scoreboard.
The 10-point quarter time margin was immediately extended by back-to-back goals from Kieran Malone, and with the Blues registering just the one goal from eight scoring shots, the game balanced precariously.
Two set shot goals for Corey Middleton and Daniel Rakhlin in time on proved to be just what Epping needed to cure their goal kicking hoodoo.
At the beginning of the second half, it took just five-minutes for Brad Hollow’s men to wrestle back the game to level-pegging.
In the absence of Sean Leerson, who was a late out, Blues ruck Michael Gillard showed his pedigree against a rotating trio of Matthew Keys, Bryce Fleming and Thomas Cleary.
Now winning the clearance battle, Epping looked the cleaner of the two sides as the game raised its pressure.
Benjamin Gill slotted his side’s first of the quarter after a costly kick-in mishap, but Adrian Alfonsi answered back minutes late to snatch the lead again.
The game then rose to the intensity expected of an elimination final as Sebastian Latina snapped a magnificent goal, as shrugging off the tackle of a defender, Latina weaved around superbly to drill home a tough finish deep in the forward pocket.
But the delirium of Epping was short lived after Ben Cox goaled from the following centre bounce, returning the margin to under a goal.
Yet it was Blues skipper Leigh Judd’s major that brought the loudest cheer of the afternoon.
Marking momentarily before the three-quarter time siren on the outskirts of the 50-metre arc, Judd steadied and composedly slotted a pivotal captain’s goal, sending his team’s margin to eight-points.
Riding the wave of momentum, Epping charged out the gates of the final term.
It began with 17-year-old Emerson Olivio, who received a rapturous celebration after his drop punt sailed over a pack on the goal-line.
Now firmly eyeing another finals encounter, Daniel Raklin’s two clinical finishes sent the Epping bench into rejoice, as the lead ballooned out to 28-points.
Having just half a quarter to revive their season, the Old Eltham Collegians sparked an onslaught of attacking play, with Matthew Keys, Ben Cox and Paul Vidinopoulous all reducing the margin.
But the damage had already been done, as Lucas Aquilina’s goal in time-on proved to be the dagger in the Turtles’ season.
