The Wash-Up – BFL Finals Week 1

By Tom King
Updated: August 25, 2019

WINNERS

FRUGAL SEAGULLS ADVANCE TO SECOND SEMI-FINAL

Barwon Heads has kept Torquay its lowest score of the season as it advanced to a second meeting with Geelong Amateur in three weeks with a 35-point qualifying final victory at Portarlington Recreation Reserve. The Seagulls held the Tigers to just six goals, including keeping their coastal rivals goalless in the last quarter. “The last five or six weeks we’ve really been good in-and-around the contest and putting pressure on the ball carrier,” veteran Damien Horbury told K rock’s The Wash-Up. “So it makes it easier for the defenders to play one-on-one and not to have the likes of Paul McMahon have the ball come in pretty quick. He’s pretty dangerous when that happens, so I think our defensive structure around the footy to start with, and our defensive structure behind the footy is something we’ve worked on quite a bit in the second half of the year.” Horbury says Barwon Heads will be confident of advancing to consecutive grand finals after seeing off Ammos by 41 points in Round 18. “In the second half of the year, getting our structures right and getting a consistent blend of a team, and not having too many ins and outs, has worked in our favour,” he said. “We may get one or two players back, but having that confidence to know we played well against them on their home deck hopefully we can do the same again.”

DOUBT OVER DYSON

A shoulder injury has put a question mark over whether Anglesea star Dyson Bell-Warren will play again in 2019. Bell-Warren, who was the hero after the siren in the Roos win over Modewarre mid-season, missed Sunday’s elimination final win over the Warriors. Anglesea coach Paul Nigro hasn’t ruled out Bell-Warren playing again this year. “I’m not saying (he’ll play) this week, but his season’s not depending on how far we bat,” Nigro said. “I don’t have a definitive timeline, and I won’t until probably the middle of the week. But we certainly haven’t ruled him out for the rest of the year.” Nigro is also hoping to again see Ash Caldwell in 2019. He hasn’t played since Round 16

ERSKINE CLOSING IN ON TON

Jordan Erskine will have to wait until next Sunday to become the first Anglesea player in 32 years to bring up his ton. Entering Sunday’s elimination final clash with Modewarre on 94 goals, the former Grovedale spearhead kicked 4.4 against the Warriors to move to 98. Jim Kelly in 1987 was the last Roo to top the ton.

ON POINT

Anglesea: 38/40
Barwon Heads: 39/40
Modewarre: 39/40
Torquay: 40/40

THE INTERVIEW

LEADING GOAL KICKERS – FINALS WEEK 1

Player	Club	M	G
Jordan Erskine	Anglesea	19	98
Jarrod Garth	Drysdale	14	66
Mitch Day	Geelong Amateur	16	58
Mat Hebbard	Drysdale	18	49
Tom Worpel	Modewarre	18	45
Andrew Mead-Harding	Newcomb	18	40
Mitch Phelps	Barwon Heads	19	40
Callum Currie	Torquay	19	39
Jack Heathcote	Torquay	15	31
Mitch Herbison	Barwon Heads	17	31