Sport
10 August, 2024
Defensive Demons put Roos to the test but come up short | HDFNL round 17
Harrow Balmoral beat Laharum in round 17 of the HDFNL.
The Harrow Balmoral Southern Roos emerged from round 17 of the HDFNL as the victors, despite the Laharum Demons giving the unbeaten and ladder leading side one of its tougher challenges of the last two seasons.
For most of the contest, Laharum was within one goal of the lead, and at half time the two sides were inseparable on the scoreboard.
A strong fourth quarter delivered the win to Harrow Balmoral, 9.10 (64) - 7.8 (50).
Laharum's footballers proved themselves a threat to the league's top teams in this finals series, while the Southern Roos showed the side is ready for the pressure of a tight and tense clash.
"They match up really well against us, last time [we played them] they took it up to us as well," said Harrow Balmoral's senior football coach Jai Thompson.
But, Thompson said he is happy to see his side get the challenge Laharum brought ahead of the season's finals.
"To be able to fight, win momentum back, to have our backs against the wall, to come back and grind a win out. They're the ones that you want."
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Thompson credited the pressure around the football that Laharum was able to create.
"They've got some really good on-ballers, some fantastic talent, and if they win the ball out of the stoppage and get the ball forward quickly, they're hard to stop," he said.
While he also noted the Demons' strong defence.
"They play a really good, defensive brand of footy, and they can really lock us down," Thompson said.
"They make it so hard to score, they've got the second-best points against in the league, so they obviously do really well to lock teams down. That's their strength."
Thompson said it was getting numbers around the ball that kept his side going and gave it the edge late in the contest.
"Once we did that and found a bit of space on the switch, that's what really got us the win in the end," he said.
In the fourth quarter, Harrow Balmoral held a slim lead of only two or three goals, but found ways to control the game by mounting many consecutive stoppages.
"When we're trying to hold onto a lead, that's exactly what we want to do," Thompson said.
While scoring was put at a premium at Harrow Recreation Reserve for Laharum and Harrow Balmoral's showdown, the same cannot be said across the rest of the HDFNL on Saturday, August 10.
Stawell's Swifts kicked 24 goals against Edenhope Apsley to beat the Saints 24.14 (158) - 6.6. (42).
While Baggies front man Paul Summers showed he wasn't just content with 100 goals, needing seven to reach the season milestone in round 17, he kicked 12 to take his total to 105.
The Swifts' Cameron Wickham also had a day to remember, kicking six goals.
Not only were the Swifts footballers raking in bags, but Taylors Lake's Justin Beugelaar (8) and Pimpinio's Nick Groves (7) celebrated impressive hauls as the sides met at Dock Lake Recreation Reserve.
It was Taylors Lake who shocked the finals-bound Tigers, after kicking six goals in the second quarter, and locking the Tigers out late in the game, the Lakers won 17.10 (112) - 13.18 (96).
Both Brock Orval (7) and Dawson Cross (6) got in on the fun for Noradjuha Quantong as the Bombers beat Rupanyup 21.13 (139) - 11.6 (72).
And, Kalkee's Ben Lawson kicked six to help his side beat Kaniva Leeor United 19.10 (124) - 10.7 (67).