Football
9 September, 2024
Rats through to third consecutive grand final
Ararat is one step closer to defending its 2023 premiership, thanks to a six-goal final quarter surge. On Saturday, the Rats defeated the Southern Mallee Thunder by 34 points at Anzac Park, Warracknabeal in the Wimmera Football Netball League's second semi-final for a grand final berth.
Both teams were at full strength, with Brad Lowe and Rupert Sangster back for the Thunder and ruckman Cody Lindsay for the Rats.
The game was tight early, with both teams locked in an arm wrestle. The Rats took a one-goal lead into quarter-time.
A four-goal to two second quarter saw the Thunder reverse that lead into a one-goal deficit at the main break.
Both teams kicked four goals in the fourth quarter, with the Thunder leading by four points at the final break.
The Rats, however, were too strong in the last, piling on six goals to zero to win 17.10.112 to 12.6.78.
Tom Williamson was back to his brilliant best, kicking six goals for Ararat, with Sonny Kettle and Izaiyah Turner kicking three and two, respectively.
Kettle was best on the ground, with Matthew Spalding, Jack Ganley, Corey Taylor, Ethan Summers, and Alex Van Opstal among its best.
Liam Nelson led the way for the Thunder on the scoreboard with three goals, with Thomas Clarke and Bradley Lowe kicking two apiece.
Ararat co-coach Tom Mills was pleased they played better in the last quarter to storm away with the win.
"It's a great feeling to get to another grand final, and it's what you play for," Mills said.
"They were playing better than us most of the game, and we then started to get the game on our terms and moved the ball a bit better - the way we wanted to.
"The connection was better, the pressure picked, and the game followed."
"The message a three-quarter time was to have belief that we could run out the game as we weren't playing our best, and we managed to do that."
Sam White was brilliant down back for the Thunder, with Simon Clugston, Billy Lloyd, Kai Sheers, Kieran Delahunty, and Lou White among their best.
The Southern Mallee Thunder will face Stawell at Murtoa Recreation Reserve on Sunday in next week's preliminary final. The winner will play Ararat at Dimboola Recreation Reserve the following Saturday.