MT Eliza won its first final in four seasons when it mauled Chelsea by 77 points in the MPNFL elimination final on Saturday.
The Seagulls, who were so good against Karingal the previous week, kicked just one goal in each half of its match at Pines to get smashed by one of the best defensive units in the business.
Make no mistake, this was the shot in the arm that Mt Eliza needed. At last, the finals monkey is off its back.
The Mounties get a second shot at Seaford this Sunday after Frankston YCW Stonecats did the job on the Tigers on Sunday in the second semi to progress through to the grand final.
Mt Eliza simply had to win on Saturday and threw caution to the wind from the first bounce, finishing the opening quarter with a match-winning lead. At the first change, Mt Eliza led 5.7 to no score. In essence, the game was done and dusted at that point.
The Redlegs' Grant Masterson and Dave Willett were virtually unsighted the previous week when their team was trounced by Seaford, but on Saturday kicked three and two goals respectively to have a big influence on the contest.
Mark Pendlebury and Luke Peel were two other outstanding players for the Redlegs all season who didn't fire a shot against Seaford, but last weekend they brought their own footy to the ground. The Seagulls just couldn't get their hands on the ball.
Ben Langenberg and Jackson Powell worked hard for the Seagulls and coach Steve Harrison tried his best to lead the way, but it really was to no avail.
It was a comprehensive beating – 28 scoring shots to just six in 100 minutes of football.
With the likes of Scott Lockwood kicking a couple of majors on Saturday, Rob D'Orazio sneaking down for a goal, Ben Landry and Timmy Strickland (two goals) all up and about, the Redlegs can head back to the hoodoo ground at Frankston Park with some renewed confidence.
On Sunday, things were tight between the Stonecats and Tigers in the opening half, just one point separating them. However, the Stonecats booted 8.6 to 2.4 in the second half to win 12.17(89) to 7.8(50).
However, with 10 minutes to go before half-time, you could sense that the Stonecats were gaining the ascendancy, peppering the goals without reward. They booted 2.10 to 2.1 for the quarter. At half-time, the heavens opened and the expectation was for a slog in the second hour.
YCW stepped up to the plate, relished the monsoonal conditions and kicked a match-winning 6.6 to 1.1 in the third quarter.
The Stonecats' midfielders ran riot, Craig Nankervis and Stevie Roberts dominating and the backline rebounding everything through Ben Hackett, Byron Barry and 'Bundy' Barry.
Ash Eames was pleased to be back at Frankston Park and marked everything that came near him.
Seaford just couldn't get the ball past half-forward in the second half, despite the outstanding work of Ben Cadd and Stephen Jones through the middle.
Kane Taylor continued to own Frankston Park across half-back but couldn't contain the avalanche of forward entries and Mitchell Finn was outstanding.
Email a friend