Date 3rd October 2009
Final Scores
Québec Saints 0.1 2.5 4.6 6.7 (43)
Broadview Hawks 1.4 1.4 2.5 3.6 (24)
Goals: Saints: Cam Stark 2, Shane Blight 1, Shane Shearer 1,
Mick Lacy 1, James-Robert Theis 1.
Best Players: Cam Stark (BOG), Mick Lacy, Shane Blight Match Summary:
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| Ben Vawser spoils the Hawks Marty Walter |
The Saints earned their spot in the Grand Final with a 103 point annihilation over the Blues in the semi-finals. The Hawks making their way into the big dance with a nail biting last goal semi-final win over the Roos. After a controversial finals series one thing could now be agreed on. The two best OAFL Division 2 teams were playing off in the Grand Final.
The Saints would head into the Grand Final with a host of big names out of their best line-up. Anthony Williams, Fred Frost, Vincent Pottier, Ronan Shaughnessy, Declan Coyne, Carl Ferreri and Pat Considine all unavailable and to add further worries to the list star ruckman Matthew Wood had broken his hand in the semi-final win over the Blues and would take his place on the sidelines as head coach for the day.
The Saints would be kicking into a slight breeze in the first quarter but it made no difference as their all-star midfield took control from the first bounce. The Saints drove inside 50 multiple times but the Hawks defence was far superior to any that the Saints had encountered all year and although the Saints had all the play they had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. The veteran Hawks showed the young Saints how finals footy is played, making the most of their chances and scoring the first goal of the game. With their tails up the Hawks gained momentum in the latter stages of the first, only some desperate defending by the likes of PJ Devine keeping the Saints close. The siren sounding the end to a balanced first term and the Hawks holding a handy 9 point lead.
Matt Wood in control of the board a few moves were made and the play got underway in the second. The Saints came out on a mission. After a few narrow misses from Shearer and Stark Mick Lacy steered through the Saints first major and the Saints had drawn to within a single point. Cam Stark was starting to put his mark on the game and after kicking his second behind of the quarter he made amends on his next shot kicking truly and giving the Saints a 6 point lead. A behind later in the quarter to Ben Vawser gave Quebec a 7 point lead heading in to the half. The Hawks unable to register on the scoreboard in the term.
With the game delicately poised Shane Blight pressed the troops to dig deep. Keeping the Hawks at bay kicking into the wind could very well decide the game in the third. The Saints responded in an awesome fashion. Anderson was moved onto the dangerous Forbes Gemmell and Mick Lacy moved into the ruck. Lacy responded ruling the centre of the ground. Stark and Vawser continued to win the ball at ground level and it wasn’t long before Theis had slotted through a goal into the wind. The Hawks refused to go away, they kicked a major but the Saints responded once again, Blight putting through his first of the day and giving the Saints a 13 point lead at three quarter time.
15 minutes away from a premiership the three quarter time huddle was deafening as the leadership group demanded one last effort for the year. The Saints hit the last quarter running and after an arm wrestle in the opening minutes managed to slot through a goal thanks to a brilliant effort by Shane Shearer and the lead had slipped out to 19 points. The Saints were on the verge of Grand Final glory but it wasn’t certain yet. That was left to best on ground Cam Stark who ran around a defender a slotted through a goal and putting the final nail in the Hawks coffin. A late goal by the Hawks was small consolation as the final siren announced the Saints ultimate glory to the tune of a 19 point victory.
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