Great Southern grabs Colts title
The Great Southern Football League stole back the Great Southern Colts Carnival title in dramatic fashion from the Peel Cavaliers by two points in the final minutes in Kulin on Sunday.
The GSFL, Peel and Upper Great Southern all entered the final game on Sunday afternoon with just one loss each and with a chance to claim the title.
The GSFL, managed by the Great Southern Storm, went into the final round of matches with a much larger percentage after sizeable wins over Eastern Districts, Esperance and Goldfields on Saturday as well as a big win over Ongerup on Sunday morning.
This year was the first the carnival winner was decided by games won and percentage rather than a grand final, but Peel and the GSFL's final round match was effectively winner takes all.
The GSFL started in the worst possible fashion as their opponents kicked the four opening goals of the game.
The bigger bodies of the Peel side helped control the ball in the opening stages while Peel's captain Josh Commisso sat loose in defence to cut off the GSFL's limited opportunities.
The GSFL kicked into life midway through the half as Riley Quilty ran and carried down the wing to kick an impressive major from the boundary.
Quilty then snatched a clearance leading to an Arana O'Byrne goal before the nippy midfielder doubled his goal tally in quick succession.
An impressive soccer-goal from Ethan Burton then had the GSFL within touching distance approaching half-time. A quick goal to Isaac Devitt-Boyd, O'Byrne's third and Quilty's second shortly after the resumption had the GSFL in control and 11 points ahead.
Peel would not go away, however, as small-forward Brad Bromley kicked three crucial goals around Quilty's third major to bring the margin to just three points.
Bromley had the chance to win the game in the dying stages from a set shot but he sprayed it wide as the GSFL shut down the game in the final moments to hold on.
GSFL coach James McRae said he was proud that his charges responded to being challenged on several occasions.
"Even though our boys were a lot slighter in stature they dug in and got the chocolates," he said.
"It is always good to win a carnival … I was really impressed how the boys jelled together and hopefully they can take that to Landmark in the coming weeks."
McRae praised the work of midfielders Quilty, James Farmer, Sam McPhee, Corey Rogers and Declan Mountford.
