Bombers and Borough turn premiership race on its head

Tasmania’s dream debut VFL season came to a shuddering halt in the face of the Essendon freight train that extended its winning streak to eight to surge into a preliminary final showdown with the Box Hill Hawks.

And it was also a straight-sets exit for second-placed Werribee as the Bombers’ fellow elimination final winner Port Melbourne continued its impressive form to book a trip to the Cattery.

Here’s what happened as the semi-finals turned the VFL premiership race on its head.

RED HOT BOMBERS ROLL PAST DEVILS FAIRYTALE

Essendon recorded its eighth consecutive victory to move within one win of a first VFA/VFL Grand Final berth, recording a comfortable 27-point semi-final victory over Tasmania at a packed North Hobart Oval on Saturday.

The Bombers did win four VFA premierships in a row in the 1890s, but they were before finals were enacted, meaning this preliminary final berth will join 2015, 2018 and 2019 as the furthest they have ventured in a finals series to date.

And tickets for the clash at Box Hill City Oval sold out within minutes on Tuesday as Bomber fans take full advantage of the chance to see some success.

In Hobart, Essendon fielded 18 AFL-listed players, many still bidding for 2027 contracts and looking to impressive new coach Mark McVeigh, and they were never seriously challenged after splitting the opening two goals as Jade Gresham continued his brilliant late-season touch in attack.

The eked out an 11-point lead at the first change and extended that to 22 entering time-on of the second term before the Devils hit back through Jack Callinan and Lachy Hay to cut the margin to eight at the main change and get the home crowd up and about.

But Liam McMahon and Gresham struck straight after the break to restore the advantage, and when defender Tyler Sellers snuck forward to add another it always looked like it would be a bridge too far for Jeromey Webberley’s ground-breaking squad and the visitors eased away in the last term.

Gresham booted four goals to take his season tally to 29 in 11 outings and 17 in the past five and fellow out-of-contract forwards McMahon (three) and Matt Guelfi (2.2, 12 tackles) also impressed, capping off the continued midfield dominance of Elijah Tsatas (32 disposals, six clearances) and Will Setterfield (24, six clearances, nine tackles), but it was Zak Johnson who was best afield with 32 touches at 94 per cent, 11 marks and nine rebounds coming out of defence, with support coming from mid-season recruit Deacon Kalpakis (eight marks).

Young Devil Bailey Boag was inspired by the chance to play a home final in front of a packed house, putting up stunning numbers including 40 disposals, seven clearances, seven marks and nine tackles to decimate his previous career-best of 30 from the qualifying final loss to Geelong.

But he couldn’t find as much support, with Cam Owen (17, 33 hitouts, 11 clearances, six entries, five tackles) easily winning the ruck battle against Vigo Visentini, captain Robbie Fox (23, seven marks) and experienced backman Nick Williams (19, five marks, six tackles) being the best of the support acts.

Tasmania would be disappointed at a straight-sets exit, but to make the top four and play a home final in its first season when it didn’t even have a team 12 months ago is the story of the season and the best possible way to sell the fledgling to potential recruits – both VFL and AFL – over the next 12 months.

BOROUGH FINDS ANOTHER GEAR FINALS RETURN

Like Essendon, Port Melbourne is playing its first finals series since 2019, and like Essendon, it wasn’t prepared to fall at the second hurdle, overpowering an injury-hit Werribee by 16 points at Avalon Airport Oval to move within sight of a first Grand Final berth since its 2017 premiership.

The Tigers were missing a host of stars including ruckman Ajang Kuol mun and key defender Ryan Eyers, but that is taking nothing away from the Borough, who used a similar gameplan to the one that took down Sydney the week before.

They piled on the pressure in the midfield, forcing Werribee’s prime movers into errors, while the backline consisting of lockdown man James Van Es and interceptors Matt Gahan, Michael Rudd and Ned Hawkins restricted Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal favourite Brady Wright and in-form small forward Anthony Depasquale to just one goal each.

Port Melbourne kicked the first three goals to take control, and although Werribee was never fully out of reach, the Tigers only once seriously looked like challenging – when Harry Maguire (two) and Will Elliott hit the target in the space of five last-quarter minutes, but Max Rider shut the uprising down just as quickly.

Gahan was best afield for the second straight week with 26 disposals at 88 per cent, seven marks and nine rebounds, with inside-mids Ben Hobbs (24, eight clearances) and Josh Green (21, seven clearances) working overtime to extract the footy, while Connor Downie (18, three goals) provided great drive on the outside and Kaine Baldwin did his job with three goals.

Werribee’s star-studded midfield of Jack Riding (27, 11 clearances, 12 entries, eight tackles), Dom Brew (19, 10 clearances, 13 tackles) and Charlie Lazzaro (20, six marks, 10 tackles) worked themselves to a standstill, Jaelen Pavlidis (21, seven marks) and Louis Pinnuck (21, eight rebounds) did well off half-back and Maguire (five goals) and Elliott (2.4) fought hard in attack and were rewarded with five last-quarter goals between them, but a strong season for the Tigers ended in straight sets.

The Borough’s seventh win in nine weeks sends them to GMHBA Stadium and a Sunday showdown with premiership favourite Geelong for a spot in the Grand Final.

MRP NEWS

Essendon captain Xavier O’Neill is free to play in the preliminary final against Box Hill Hawks at Box Hill City Oval after accepting a $150 fine for rough conduct against Tasmania’s Harry Elmer in the last quarter of the Bombers’ semi-final win at North Hobart Oval.

Tasmania captain Robbie Fox also accepted a $150 fine (down from a week) for rough conduct on Liam McMahon in the last quarter.

Devil Zach Adams accepted a reprimand (down from a $150 fine) for instigating the second-quarter melee between the teams.

And Port Melbourne’s Roy George accepted a reprimand (down from a $150 fine) for careless umpire contact in the win over Werribee.

@JontyTheCaller