Defending premiers Brock Burrum Saints have earned first place into the 2019 Hume Football League grand final with a slogging 16-point win over Osborne at Walbundrie on Saturday.
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The Saints will play in their fifth grand final in the last seven years. They have won all four other encounters and will start red-hot favourites to make it five.
Led by powerhouse ruckman Matt Seiter, it was Brock Burrum that best handled Saturday's blustery conditions, with wind gusts of up to 50km/h.
Seiter, who should feature prominently in tonight's Azzi Medal count at Henty repeated his best on ground effort in last year's grand final win over Jindera.
Very little separated the sides throughout Saturday's clash, with Brock Burrum remarkably leading by the same margin of 16 points at quarter-time, three-quarter-time and full-time.
Both sides scored 1.4 in a tense final quarter, with a Connor Galvin goal for Osborne at the three-minute mark of the final term the last goal kicked.
The game's biggest margin was 22 points after Ron Boulton goaled in the first minute of the last quarter.
Galvin was one of Osborne's best with four goals, while for Brock Burrum Kade Stevens, Adam I'Anson and Ron Boulton all kicked two goals.
The Saints' Nick Sedgwick and Tiger Isaac McDonnell had another enthralling one on one clash, with both being named among their teams best.
Saints defenders Jeremy Luff and Jarrod Koschitzke were outstanding throughout, with Wilson Mack and Tyson Neander adding great support.
Big men Duncan McMaster and Michael Driscoll stood out for Osborne, with Will Ryan and young gun Sam Stenning were wonderful contributors.
Osborne's star forward George Alexander did not take his place in the side, with reports of a stomach injury hampering him.
Culcairn has progressed to this week's Hume Football League preliminary final with a strong 26-point win over Holbrook at Urana Road Oval in Lavington.
The Lions stormed home in the final quarter to boot six goals to one after Holbrook had held an eight-point lead at the final change.
In a game of many highlights, Culcairn's Adam Prior finally managed to kick his century of goals after starting the day on 99.
Prior booted his 100th major at the 22-second minute mark of the first quarter.
He was well held by Brock Knights and finished with only one more goal.
Best on ground Dane Hallinan booted three goals for the day, with his final major coming after he took a mark of the year contender in the goal square.
Played in front of a packed house at Urana Road, the game had great atmosphere and plenty of highlights in a cracking game of football.
The game only blew out in the final 10 minutes, with the Brookers unable to contain the rampant Lions' withering finish led by Hallinan.
Throughout the first three and a half quarters the margin either way was under two goals with neither team dominating for long periods.
The Lions' superb Kiewa Sandy Creek connection including the Simmonds brothers Caleb and Zac, the Hallinan boys and Jye Shields were outstanding.
Tim Haines stood tall in defence, while Denis Peddemont with three goals and Max Grintell (two) were dangerous up forward with Jon Robbins.
For Holbrook, skipper Josh Jones was excellent, particularly in a dominant first half. Defenders Luke Carman and Sam Harris were also standouts.
Andrew Dess started well and finished with three goals. Andrew Dear bagged two. Isaac Lampe and Nick Cottrell were good throughout.
Holbrook should have led by more at three-quarter-time, with eight more scoring shots a poor result for its inside-50 dominance.
It was sweet revenge for Culcairn, after the Brookers had knocked it out of last year's finals series. They will take on Osborne this Saturday at Walbundrie.
In what was a good day for the Lions, their reserve grade side upset the highly fancied Crows who were topped up with plenty of senior players.
FIXTURE
Saturday, September 14
Preliminary Finals at Walbundrie
Seniors: Culcairn vs Osborne, 2.15pm
Reserves: Culcairn vs Osborne, 12.30pm
U17s: Holbrook vs Brock Burrum, 11am
U14s: Brock Burrum v Culcairn, 9.45am