Sport
31 August, 2024
'Part of our identity'; Rats' pressure too much for Stawell | WFNL finals
Tom Mills led from the front with seven goals at Davis Park.
WFNL Football
Nhill
Seven goals from Ararat co-coach Tom Mills have led his side to a 14.14 (98) - 6.6 (42) win against the Stawell Warriors in the WFNL first qualifying final on Saturday, August 31.
The Rats will now play minor premiers the Southern Mallee Thunder with a grand final spot on the line
Fellow co-coach Tom Williamson was pleased with his side's overall performance at a wind-blown Davis Park.
"It was nice and trying conditions all day... It was the team that was going to adjust to the conditions was going to come out on top, and that's what we did today," Williamson said.
"It wasn't going to be a day where you were just going to get a perfect lead-up. It was one of the days where you'd get on the secondary ball around the contest that was going hit the scoreboard the best."
Ararat's pressure around the contest was also an element that stood out to Williamson.
"That's part of our identity [as the Rats] is that we want to put pressure on the opposition, and I was really happy with how we did that today," he said.
Williamson also credited the performance of Mills.
"He's an absolute freak, and he just keeps getting better and better," he said of Mills.
He hasn't had any continuity leading into this final series, but he's come back and had two unbelievable performances. He's going to be a handful for anyone that tries to match up with him.
Williamson also credited the work of Ben Taylor, Corey Taylor, Sonny Kettle and Matt Spalding.
The Rats completed a successful counterattack for the first major of the afternoon.
Mills centred the football to Sonny Kettle, who converted the set shot.
Cody Driscoll replied with Stawell's first after 12 minutes.
Mills and Williamson kicked the remaining goals of the term as Ararat led by 16 points at the first change.
Marlon Motlop kicked on the run from a stoppage to add the first goal of the second term after eight minutes.
The Rats did the damage on the counter in the remainder of the term with goals from Kettle and Mills as they led by 23 points at the long break.
After repeat forward 50 entries, Ben Taylor kicked the Rats first three minutes into the second half.
The Warriors moved the football quickly as James Sclanders kicked on the run; the margin was 32 points.
The Rats dominated the remainder of the term with six goals to two and led by 51 points.
Josh Fowkes converted a long set shot for the first goal of the final term nine minutes in.
Adam Haslett and Mills' seventh just before full-time rounded out a 56-point win.
Ben Taylor and Sonny Kettle finished atop the Rats' best.
Cody Driscoll was Stawell's only multiple-goal kicker.
Zac Marrow and Sam Williams featured in the best.
Ararat has held off the Horsham Saints 2.3 (15) - 1.6 (12) to progress to the second qualifying final against Horsham in the under-14s.
Billy Jenkins kicked the Rats' two goals.
The Horsham Saints recorded a dominant 15.13 (103) - 3.3 (21) under-17s victory against Ararat.
Jaxon Crooks booted five goals as the Saints set up a second qualifying final against Horsham.
A late goal from Horsham has secured a come-from-behind 5.11 (41) - 5.5 (35) win against Stawell in the reserves.
In his 100th senior match, Hayden Kemp kicked three goals as the Demons will now play the Horsham Saints.