Sport
5 September, 2025
Eagles and Hawks battle for Grand Final berth
The Ararat Eagles and Tatyoon play each other tomorrow at the Mininera Recreation Reserve for a place in the grand final against Lismore/Derrinallum next week.
WRITTEN BY ADRIAN PIETERS
Last Saturday at Willaura in the qualifying final, the Lismore Derrinallum Demons completely outplayed a sluggish Ararat Eagles after quarter time to advance to the Mininera League Grand Final, winning by eighty-six points.
Not that the margin makes a lot of difference in a final, they should have won by more when they kicked two goals and ten behinds to nil in the last quarter, when they dominated play all over the ground.
On Sunday, down at Lismore, the Tatyoon hawks continued their excellent second half of the year form when they kicked four goals to one in the last quarter to defeat Penshurst by twenty points.
Considering the atrocious weather of the previous twenty-four hours, the Willaura oval was in reasonable condition, other than being a bit soft underfoot. The Eagles kicked to the Ararat end in the first quarter, which was favoured by the wind. They had most of the play with the ball on the hospital side of the ground, but only managed two goals for the quarter.
Jake Peters kicked one from out on the half-forward flank, then Jack Taurau kicked a massive bomb from sixty metres out from the edge of the centre square. This was the only Eagles highlight for the day.
With limited forward entries, the Demons managed to kick three goals. Jack Parker ran into an open goal after a teammate laid a brilliant tackle on the half-back flank, and Austin Humphrey and Lachie Constable goaled from marks.
Against the wind, the Demons had their nose in front at the first break.
The second quarter saw the Demons kick four goals, including three to prolific full forward Lachie Constable. The Eagles' forward line was completely overshadowed by the Demons' defence led by best-on-ground, strong-marking Dale Marquand at full back. They could not get any system going, and they failed to kick another goal for the rest of the game.
In the third quarter, the Demons opened the game up even more with their pace and long kicking to players running into position. This was shown when twice within five minutes after the Eagles had kicked behinds, they ran the ball from fullback through the centre to have a player run into an open goal without an Eagle touching the footy. At the last break, the game was well and truly over.
The last quarter saw the Demons continue with their excellent ball use and kicking to position, but they wasted many opportunities in front of goal. They are a tall, strong, marking and hard-running side with a good game plan, with all their players doing their job. On the other hand, the Eagles looked uncharacteristically slow and constantly turned the ball over.
The battle in the ruck did not disappoint, with Jack Taurau being by far the Eagles' best player and tall Demon Henry Walsh taking many strong marks and setting up play.
Austin Humphrey at centre half forward was another focal point for the Demons, and their onballers Max and Noah McIntosh and talented Blake Scott all had good games.
Taurau was the only Eagle to play four quarters, with Aaron Watts, Jake Peters and
Chevy Elliott playing well in some periods of the game.
The best thing the Eagles players should do is to put last week’s result behind them and focus on the job tomorrow. I am sure their coaches, Mitch Laundy and Tom Taurau, would have worked on their game plan during the week at training, which seemed to be lacking against the Demons.
The two teams have met twice this year, with the Eagles winning on both occasions.
The most recent was in Round 14 when they won by eleven points at Tatyoon. This has been the Hawks' only loss since Round 8.
On that day Josh Bibby nearly led the Hawks to victory when he kicked seven goals.
Last week Hawks full forward Josh Lee kicked six goals, whilst full back Angus Johnston held Penshurst’s Josh Rentsch to only one.
Once again, we have a great duel in the ruck between similar styles of players, Jack Taurau and Josh Brown. The Hawks can also use the taller James Shanhun. On baller Cam Anderson played well last week, whilst the Eagles Ben Robertson and
Tom Cousins will bounce back after quiet games.
The Eagles may have the advantage with many players who can rotate on the ball.
It was a surprise to see Hawks Brad Horsham play last week, and he is a goal kicker along with Andrew Challis. Both Josh Bibby and Lachie McGrath are match winners and will have to be closely watched by the Eagles' defence.
The Eagles will need to get more out of their forwards, who had a day to forget last week. They have had a good spread of goal kickers all year, and looking at the early weather forecast, the conditions should suit them with plenty of run and open spaces on the big Mininera Oval.
In what should be a high-standard game, the result could go either way. The winner will then go into the grand final next week at Mortlake and have the daunting task of facing the inform, powerful Lismore Derrinallum Demons outfit.