Magpies shock Tigers to secure first GSFL grand final berth since 2012

Denmark-Walpole caused a major upset to secure their first grand final appearance since 2012, ending Railways season in today’s Great Southern Football League preliminary final at Tigerland. The Magpies led by only three points at the final change but they kicked three goals to one in the fourth quarter to seal a memorable 18-point triumph. Only eight days ago the Tigers thrashed the Magpies by 77 points in the final round of the regular season but that mattered for little when the ball was thrown up. The Magpies rolled the dice and brought back star big man Shayne Zanetti from an ankle injury while co-captain Alec Haskins shocked many by playing despite injuring his hamstring last week. Those two selection moves were crucial to the result and Zanetti played a big hand in the visitors getting a perfect start. With a fierce wind blowing across the ground, slightly favouring the North Road end, the visitors lost the toss and kicked against it towards town but their first quarter was outstanding. Zanetti proved he was fit to play with a strong mark and goal early in the first term and Ben Farquhar squeezed through the visitors second soon after. When Zanetti pounced on a defensive blunder and strolled in to boot his second, the Magpies had skipped out to a 14-point advantage. Dionne Woods conjured two clever goals in the second, which were separated by a major to Tigers midfielder Joel Want, but the Magpies had all the momentum at the long break after Luke Galantino’s goal after the half time siren stretched the margin to a game-high 29 points. The Tigers responded in the third term with four unanswered goals to get themselves back into the contest, slippery forward Cyrus Upson with two opportunistic snaps over his shoulder. With the margin three points the first clearance of the fourth came through Tigers ruckman Shane Braimbridge but they only managed a behind from Jayden Scott. That would be as close as the Tigers got as Jayden Woods firstly pushed the maring to eight points and then his second of the final stanza made sure the home side needed three goals to win. Former Tiger Coen Marwick put the nail in the coffin, sparkling jubilation for the Magpies as they claimed the preliminary final 9.8 (62) to 6.8 (44). Zanetti’s influence was big in the contest and his two first quarter goals set up the win while Jaden Guidi was outstanding in the conditions and Ash Smith was again rarely beaten. Jackson Whooley held Tiger Matt Palfrey goalless while Galantino did plenty of good things in the win. Upson was lively all day while captain Bodhi Stubber played well in defence and was well supported by tough wingman Dylan Schorer and Braimbridge but the Tigers, who finished second, were unable to turn around their poor start to the game.