SWFL: Boomers into first grand final

The Eaton Boomers put one hand on their first ever league flag after a clinical 60-point second semi-final victory over South Bunbury on Sunday.

The game at Hands Oval started with sunshine and ended in drizzle, but the Boomers dominance remained constant in the 12.15 (87) to 4.3 (27) win.

Eaton’s triumph means they have qualified for their first grand final since 1992 and will have a week off while Souths take on the Collie Eagles in a preliminary final.

The Boomers’ engine room dominated the contest with Souths often turning the ball over across half-back or in the centre of the ground.

Ironically, Guy Piggott kicked the opening goal of the game for the Tigers after intercepting a wayward defensive pass from Will Oelsnik.

But the Boomers booted the next four majors to take a 19-point advantage into the first change.

Skipper Matt Giacci had plenty of touches for the Tigers, but Eaton’s Gino Catalano, Jye Cormack and Josh Bowe were also major ball-winners.

South Bunbury began the second term under siege, but the defensive work of Damon Bull, Matt Wilkinson and Adam Harper kept the Tigers in it.

Eventually, the floodgates opened.

Jacob Ferrier found a way through the traffic to snap two clever goals.

When he kicked his third, from a downfield free kick and Lily booted a set shot, from another free, the margin was out to 45 points and Souths were on the ropes.

Chris Atthowe and Michael Battaglia led by example, as the Boomers’ work-rate and slick ball movement began to show on the scoreboard.

There was some brief respitefor Souths when Ryan Smith ran into an open goal but it was not enough to stop the surging Eaton tide, which took the Boomers into the half-time break in complete control.

The ruck duel between Souths’ Wes Lammie and Eaton’s combination of Brendan Page and Josh Branchi was intriguing.

Lammie toiled well and used his size to outpoint the lanky Branchi particularly in the early stages but as the game went on the Boomers began to wrest the upper hand at the stoppages too.

The Tigers looked better when they slowed play down, and took the game on.

With the aid of the breeze they showed glimpses after half-time.

Lammie, who began the third term in attack, presented well while Dylan Harper began to find the ball.

Damon Bull never stopped trying in the midfield and was the Tigers’ best, but Eaton was too quick and too slick in the wet.

On the scoreboard, Sunday’s result was significantly closer than the 111-point thumping two weeks earlier.

It was still however, a comfortable victory for Eaton.

Scoreboard

2ND SEMI-FINAL

Eaton Boomers 4.1 8.8 11.10 12.15 87 def South Bunbury 1.0 2.1 2.2 4.3 27

Goals:

EATON BOOMERS – J. Ferrier 3, R. Lily, G. Catalano 2, Jace Cormack, M. Battaglia, M.Buchanan, C. Miller, L. Kelly.

SOUTH BUNBURY – G. Piggott, B. Field, R. Smith, C. Andrew.

Best:

EATON BOOMERS – Jye Cormack, J. Bowe, G. Catalano, B. Page, J. Ferrier, C. Miller.

SOUTH BUNBURY – D. Bull, M. Giacci, W. Lammie, L. Kohlmann, K. Cadman, J. Tindall.