Minor premiers Augusta-Margaret River book SWFL grand final berth after holding off late Bunbury charge

Augusta-Margaret River have held off a remarkable late fightback from Bunbury to move through to their first grand final in a decade. The Hawks led the pulsating second semifinal from almost start to finish to win 13.6 (84) to 12.5 (77). Gloucester Park reached fever pitch when Sam Lewis put the locals 25 points ahead with just over eight minutes to play. They were then forced to withstand a five-minute Bulldogs rampage, in which they kicked three quick goals to cut the margin to just over a goal. WATCH THE FULL OF AMR V BUNBURY HERE The comeback was inspired by ruckman Tyson Wood, who kicked two of the three late goals for a side which, having lost Travis Justins during the week and Patrick Farrant during the game, desperately needed a commanding forward presence. The Hawks jumped the Dogs from the start, kicking three of the game’s first four goals, including a huge effort from 2021 Hayward medallist Simon Moore, who made a crucial smother and got boot to ball through heavy traffic, kicking a goal from the pocket. They kicked four more goals in the second term, pushing out to a 26-point half-time lead. Cody Rodgers provided the imposing aerial presence for the Hawks that the Bulldogs lacked. When Farrant left the ground before three quarter time, the Dogs were blasting forward towards smalls Dylan Heasman and Jethro Barraclough with no success, and the footy was coming back at their defence at pace. It wasn’t until Wood was sent forward and Cullen Boyd occupied the ruck that they looked like taking a mark inside 50. More SWFL: From 25 points down after the Lewis goal, Wood inspired the late charge, taking three marks inside 50 in just minutes, but Hawks coach Matt Jamieson said there was no panic in his camp. “I don’t think it was close enough for us to panic or anything, I think those goals came off the back of us just not sealing the game,” he said. “We had a couple of opportunities where we had a couple of shots on goal and had chances to put it away but didn’t and then we just didn’t execute a couple of times. “We will revisit that and talk through the vision.” The Bulldogs now face Busselton in Sunday’s preliminary final, while the Hawks have another week off before the premiership decider in a fortnight’s time. The Hawks will enter the grand final without key defensive post Jack McMahon, whose 100th game was brought to an abrupt and painful end with a broken jaw in the third quarter. “He’s not good, he had to go for surgery straight away — Jack won’t play the grand final,” Jamieson said. It is the club’s first grand final appearance since they defeated South Bunbury to win the premiership in 2011.