The Horsham Saints got over the line against Stawell at Murtoa to end the Warriors’ senior football season on Sunday.
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The Saints came out strongest before icing the game at the start of the final quarter to win 10.14 (74) to 5.9 (39).
Horsham Saints coach Luke Fisher was pleased with his side’s performance.
“It meant nothing having five wins going into finals but it was important we carried that momentum,” he said.
“I think we did that, the boys were up and about.”
It was the Saints who settled into the game and got a hand on the difficult conditions first.
The side overwhelmingly won the territory battle during the first quarter as the Warriors struggled to get inside 50.
It was two goals to zero in the first quarter but it was how the Saints managed to get them which typified the contest that was to come.
Both goals were the result of scrambled football in conditions which were never going to be good for the key forwards.
At quarter-time the Saints had a 2.4 (16) to 0.1 (1) advantage.
Nicholas Caris got the first of the quarter for the Saints before Sam Jasper added his second, then third.
The Saints had five goals before BJ Birch got his side’s first.
A crucial goal by Stawell coach Tom Eckel on the tick of half-time gave the Warriors hope at the main break.
There was 19 points in it at half time and the margin was again beyond 20 points after Jasper spotted up Mitch Martin who confidently converted from directly in front.
Birch added another for Stawell before Caris was back in the action to maintain a healthy Saints lead.
The game had gone up a notch during the third quarter and there was just 16 points in it at the final break after the Warriors added another.
For Stawell to win the side needed the first of the final quarter but after a five minute stalemate it was Caris bagging the all important goal for the Saints.
“It’s pleasing that it was those young boys that really stood up,” Fisher said.
“It can sometimes be an excuse when you’ve got so many young guys but not ours.
“It was no surprise that Caris stood up, we know how talented he is and he is not the only one.”
Quick goals to Kieran Priestly and than another to Jasper put the margin out beyond 30 points.
With the writing seemingly on the wall each team ran through the motions for the final 15 minutes of the game before the Saints secured the 35-point win.
