Elsternwick bury their finals demons

After bowing out in straight sets last year, Elsternwick went into the preliminary final on Sunday with a point to prove, looking to bury their finals demons. And they did just that, annihilating the competition, the Canterbury Cobras, by a convincing 48 points.

Box Hill City Oval was the backdrop for the Division 3 Men’s preliminary final and would be the fourth encounter between these two sides for the season. Elsternwick the superior of the two on every occasion, but the Cobras were not to be underestimated heading into the prelim, as they were determined to improve on their semi-final finish from the season prior.

Both sides hitting the scoreboard right out of the gates to make an early impact. From a combined eight first-quarter goals, it was the Wicks who held a 10-point margin. The clocked ticked down and the goals kept coming; the Wicks extending their lead at every break with the Cobras unable to halt the onslaught.

Sharpshooters, Spencer Hankin and Jamie Mount each kicked a bag (4) for the Wicks to give them a comfortable lead throughout which saw them sail through to the Grand Final. Rhodri Jones-Pritchard had his best game for the year and in timely fashion, earning his first best on ground.

At the opposite end, whilst there were no dual goal kickers, seven of the Cobras hit the scoreboard with a single major. After a strong backend of the season in the seniors, Geordie Daff finished the year best on for his side in the all-important preliminary final.

The Canterbury Cobras have strung together a valiant performance throughout 2023 and remain strong contenders in the Division 3 Men’s competition.

The season is not done just yet for Elsternwick as they are off to the big dance. The Grand Final is shaping up to be a doozy as rivals Hawthorn and Elsternwick do battle for that illustrious Premiership Cup.

The Wicks and the Hawks have a combined 4 out of the top 5 leading goal kickers for the competition in their teams. The stage is set for a high scoring match where the best on show will have their final opportunity in front of the big sticks to get their side over the line for one last time in 2023.

It is typically a close encounter when these two sides face off and we would expect nothing less this Saturday at Box Hill City Oval for the Grand Final.

Will Elsternwick be able to finish off the perfect season or will Hawthorn be able to continue their recent line of form to overcome the minor premiers?