Tigers fight to stay in the hunt

Semi final 1

Springbank v Skipton

A STRAIGHT sets exit could await the Tigers as the competition’s dark horse in Skipton lurks in the first semi-final in the Central Highlands Football League.

The Emus should be high on confidence after their thumping 81-point finals win over Waubra last Saturday showcased they are not to be messed with.

Bailey McKimmie was the star of the show with six goals but to add a sour note to proceedings he left the field in the dying moments with what seems to be a season ending knee injury.

Springbank led all afternoon against flag favourites Gordon and held a slender one-point lead at the final break, but couldn’t stop Adam Toohey in the last term with the Eagle spearhead breaking their hearts with a match winning five goal performance.

The last time these two sides met in the home and away season it was back in round 15 where the Tigers won a nail bitter by four points with accurate goal kicking again their saviour.

With deadeye dick Stephen Staunton and Todd Finco combing for nine at the weekend the modus operandi should be simple here for outgoing coaches, Sam Willian and Andrew Pitson, stop the dangerous Tiger duo and you will go a long way in winning this one.

Prediction: Skipton in a flip of the coin.

Semi final 2

Dunnstown v Learmonth

Upsets have shaped this do or die clash with the much more fancied Towners now having to do it the hard way and win the premiership.

A young side in age and in big finals experience, Dunnstown were no match for arguably the best team since the turn of the millennium in Hepburn last Sunday, being taught a lesson on how to get it done approaching September.

The Lakies were given not much hope taking a red hot in-form Buninyong but five goals to spearhead Damon Folkes and some awful goal kicking from the Bombers saw Learmonth advance.

The last time these two sides met was also back in round 15 where Dunnstown smashed the Lakies by ten goals with Kain Dickson kicking a handful from the midfield.

Class across the board should be enough to see the Towners across the line in this one but with nothing to lose for Nick Willox’s men who have already exceeded expectations this season, could lightning strike twice in the finals series?

Prediction: Dunnstown by 18 points.