By Josh Ward.
Finals have arrived for Division 3, with a mouthwatering qualifying final and an intriguing elimination final set to take place in the first week of finals at Jubilee Park.
Division Three Qualifying Final: Surrey Park v Knox
Two of the in form teams of Division 3 in the Panthers and the Falcons are set to go head-to-head for the third time this year on Saturday.
Surrey Park’s rise under James Kenworthy continued in the regular season, finishing second in their first season in Division 3.
They haven’t lost since going down to minor premiers Donvale and Knox in back-to-back weeks during a period where unavailability and injuries hit them hard.
Key to their form has been the injection of ex-Doncaster midfielders Jack Mahon and Kane Henden.
Over the past three weeks Henden has averaged 35 disposals, 17.3 contested possessions and 9.3 score involvements whilst Mahon’s been averaging 29.8 disposals, 16.8 contested possessions and 8.4 score involvements in his first five games at Surrey Park.
They’ll both once again have to play a key role, alongside the likes of Chris Tsatas, Jake Summers and the Panthers young core, if they are to knock off a red hot Knox outfit.
Steve Buckle’s charges have now won seven on the trot, claiming the scalp of Donvale, alongside Surrey Park, during that run.
The addition of ex-Vermont midfielder James Fisher alongside Jordan Love has helped lift Knox into the top three.
Since joining mid-season Fisher has averaged 25.8 disposals, 13 contested possessions and 7.2 score involvements. Love has also averaged 21.3 disposals, 10.8 contested possessions and 6.8 score involvements whenever he’s pulled on the Knox jumper.
This year marks Knox’s first finals series since 2017 when they won the Division 2 premiership. For the Panthers it’s a fourth consecutive finals appearance, boasting four wins from their last two finals appearance
Not much could separate the two during the regular season. Whilst Surrey won the first one by 22 points in Round 3 at Knox Gardens Reserve, Knox then knocked them off nine rounds late by four points at Surrey Park Reserve.
It’s set to be a cracking contest between the two as both look to build momentum heading into a potential meeting with the benchmark of Division 3 the following week.
Tip: Surrey Park by 5 points
Division Three Elimination Final: Coldstream v Oakleigh District
The Division Three elimination final sees Coldstream pitted against an Oakleigh District side looking to add another finals win to their name.
For the majority of the season Jarrod Bayliss’ side were the third-best side of Division 3. However a form slump, along with some key personnel missing, in recent weeks have seen them slip into fourth.
Despite this it hasn’t stopped co-captains Darcy Fristch and Darcy Carrigan from producing their best footy.
The last month has seen Carrigan average 33.3 disposals, 17.3 contested possessions, 9.5 clearances per game. Fristch has also kicked 24 goals in his last four games, including kicking a bag of 11 last weekend against Silvan.
They’ll go in as favourites against an Oakleigh District side who last weekend locked in their second consecutive finals appearance.
The Oaks form has fluctuated throughout the season. This also hasn’t stopped coach Blake Pearson and Connor Cochrane from producing.
Former Chandler Medalist Pearson has averaged 25.1 disposals, 7.1 score involvements and 4.2 goal involvements per game this season. Cochrane’s last weeks have seen him average 24 disposals, nine marks and three contested marks per game.
The Oaks went 1-1 in their two finals last year against Silvan and Ferntree Gully. Coldstream’s recent finals history hasn’t been all too great having not won a final since 2005.
They’ll be confident of ending that drought this weekend having defeated the Oaks by 14 and 60 points respectively in their two regular season matches.
With both coming into this game off big wins and high scores, this game could be a closer one than previously thought.
Tip: Coldstream by 20 points
