Omeo Benambra bounced back from last week’s defeat at the hands of premiership favourite, Swan Reach, easily accounting for Bruthen in round 14 of the Omeo District Football Netball League at the Omeo Recreation Reserve.
The victory confirmed the Alpine Ranges’ hold on second place on the ladder and a qualifying final appointment with Swan Reach at the Bruthen Recreation Reserve on August 23.
The fourth-placed Bulldogs’ finals participation is yet to be confirmed, with Buchan a chance to steal their spot if they can overcome Swifts Creek at the Swifts Creek Recreation Reserve, and Bruthen are unable to bank the four points against Swan Reach at home.
If the Cavemen get their best side on the park, which obviously doesn’t happen every week, victory isn’t out of the question.
Will Matthews was a welcome inclusion for the Bulldogs, but with no Nigel Pearce, Nat Griffiths, Chris Hood, Caleb Marsh, Richard Harrison, Jan Cabaybay
and Matt Arnold, it was always going to be a tough ask to beat the focused Alpine Ranges at the top of the mountain.
In a relatively even first term, both sides had their chances, but it was the home side that capitalised, kicking four goals to one, opening up a handy 15-point advantage as the coaches praised their sides for the effort.
The Bulldogs were certainly more proactive than seven days early when they were humbled by the Cavemen but they lack the fit and in-form personnel that the other contenders seem to have at their disposal heading into a finals campaign.
Omeo Benambra did most of the attacking in the second term, with the Bruthen forwards starved of opportunities as Ranges’ ruckman Campbell Ahsam asserted his authority on the contest, with Aiden Hayward, Jacob Tomkins and Travis Balmer all prominent.
Mitchell Clague, who is having a great second half of the season for the Bulldogs, worked tirelessly in defence as did Rhys Kennedy and the unheralded Lachlan Horne, whose endeavour can never be questioned.
The defenders did a great job to keep the Alpine Ranges to just two goals in the second term, the Bulldogs unable to add even a minor score, the lead out to 31 points by half time.
The third term was a real arm wrestle, with the Bulldogs not shirking the issue, with both sides struggling to convert, the Bulldogs in particular rueing chances that could have narrowed the lead to mount a possible challenge in the final term.
The home side’s 1.5 compared to the Bruthen’s 1.4 saw the lead out to 32 points, with a quarter to play.
With plenty to play for in the final term, Omeo locked away the double chance with a four-goal-to-two final term, with the ageless David Paech finishing with three goals and Luke Castagna and Cameron Gardiner two each.
Best players for the Ranges were Brandon Betts, Ahsam, Hayward, Darcy Fenning-Chester, Tomkins and Balmer.
Clague led the way for the Bulldogs, getting solid support from Horne, Daniel Hasler, Jeremy Nunn, Raymond Giddings and Kennedy.
The Alpine Ranges will get to enjoy a couple of easy Saturdays before their appointment with Swan Reach, taking on the winless Swampies at Lindenow South this week, before enjoying a week’s rest on elimination final weekend.
It will be a tough ask for Bruthen again this week, taking on arch enemy Swan Reach, with plenty to play for against a tough and relentless opponent.
There’s plenty of feeling between the sides at present and with the stakes high especially for the Bulldogs, this rendition of the local derby could be another cracker, though it’s doubtful the Bulldog line-up of recent weeks has the talent to beat a side that contains Daniel Hayes, Alex Saunders and Darren Allen.
