Senior Grand Finals Preview
Rising Stars Men, Sat 27 AUG, 9:00am
Belconnen Magpies v Ainslie Tricolours
Previous Meetings:
Round 2: Belconnen Magpies 14.17.101 def Ainslie Tricolours 6.3.39
Round 8: Ainslie Tricolours 8.2.50 def Belconnen Magpies 3.4.22
Round 12: Belconnen Magpies 7.7.49 def Ainslie Tricolours 6.6.42
The 2nd placed Belconnen Magpies will take on the 4th placed Ainslie Tricolours in what will be their fourth meeting of the 2022 season.
Belconnen will take confidence from their strong season form and winning record against the Tricolours throughout the season. Finishing the regular season just one win behind the top spot meant Belconnen had earned the right to play for a Grand Final spot against the 1st placed Queanbeyan Tigers in the first week round of finals where they came out 16-point victors punching their ticket to the big dance.
Ainslie booked their place in the Grand Final after two thrilling encounters in both their finals games so far, beating Marist by 3 points and then Queanbeyan by 4 points. Down at every quarter break bar the final siren in the second round of finals last week, it’s clear this Ainslie team has fight and will be ready for the challenge against Belconnen.
Second Grade Men, Sat 27 AUG, 11:30am
Ainslie Tricolours v Belconnen Magpies
Previous Meetings:
Round 2: Ainslie Tricolours 16.12.108 def Belconnen Magpies 5.7.37
Round 7: Ainslie Tricolours 17.4.106 def Belconnen Magpies 5.9.39
Round 11: Belconnen Magpies 5.12.42 def Ainslie Tricolours 5.8.38
Finals Round 1: Ainslie Tricolours 6.5.41 def Belconnen Magpies 5.4.34
A 2020 Grand Final rematch, the 1st placed Ainslie Tricolours and 2nd Belconnen Magpies were the two clear best teams all seasons in the Second Grade Men’s and will meet for the fifth time in 2022 in the Grand Final.
Losing just one game all season, a win over Belconnen in the first round of finals saw Ainslie continue their dominance, sealing them a place in the Grand Final this Saturday. Lead by the 2022 Second Grade Men’s Coach of the Year Nathan Cawley and the 2022 Second Grade Men’s Best and Fairest Mackenzie Carman, the Ainslie Tricolours will be confident in their ability against the Magpies after three victories over their foes throughout the season.
The reigning Second Grade Men’s premiers from 2020, the Belconnen Magpies will be looking to make it two premierships in a row against Ainslie this Saturday. Although two heavy defeats against their rivals earlier in the season, the Magpies brought back the margins in their two latest meetings announcing themselves as genuine premiership contenders as the only team to defeat the Tricolours this season.
First Grade Men, Sat 27 AUG, 2:00pm
Queanbeyan Tigers v Belconnen Magpies
Previous Meetings:
Round 3: Queanbeyan Tigers 16.13.109 def Belconnen Magpies 7.6.48
Round 8: Queanbeyan Tigers 13.10.88 def Belconnen Magpies 10.6.66
Round 12: Belconnen Magpies 12.9.81 def Queanbeyan Tigers 11.11.77
Finals Round 1: Queanbeyan Tigers 11.6.72 def Belconnen Magpies 8.6.54
The 1st placed Queanbeyan Tigers and 2nd placed Belconnen Magpies will meet for the fifth time in 2022.
Sealing their Grand Final spot with a win over Belconnen just two weeks ago, the Queanbeyan Tigers are refreshed and ready to go after a week off. After just one loss all season, it is fair to say that the Tigers have been the most dominant team in the First Grade Men’s competition in 2022 and are now just one more win away from back-to-back flags, with only Belconnen standing in their path. Queanbeyan will come into this clash confident after a few very strong performances and a narrow loss against the Magpies already this season.
Losing to the Tigers in the first round of finals, the Belconnen Magpies had to fight for their Grand Final place against the Ainslie Tricolours last week where they came out 11-point victors. Lead by the 2022 First Grade Men’s Coach of the Year James Bennett and 2022 First Grade Men’s Mulrooney Medallist Luke Wharton, the Magpies know what it takes to beat the top team of the competition as the only side to take down the Tigers this year and will look to do so again on the big stage.
First Grade Women, Sat 27 AUG, 5:00pm
Ainslie Tricolours v Queanbeyan Tigers
Previous Meetings:
Round 5: Ainslie Tricolours 6.9.45 def Queanbeyan Tigers 2.2.14
Round 9: Ainslie Tricolours 6.7.43 def Queanbeyan Tigers 3.4.22
Round 15: Ainslie Tricolours 5.6.36 def Queanbeyan Tigers 4.2.26
The 1st placed Ainslie Tricolours and 3rd placed Queanbeyan Tigers, two different seasons and two different paths to the Grand Final, yet both the same chance of glory this Saturday.
The Ainslie Tricolours secured their Grand Final ticket with a win over the 2nd placed Belconnen Magpies in round one of the finals two weeks ago by a 27-point margin. Still undefeated in 2022 after 16 games including their first final, Ainslie will come into this game confident as the clear dominant team throughout the season. Ainslie won’t take the Tigers lightly as each of their previous encounters the Tigers have improved each meeting shortening their previous losing margins.
Coming in as the underdogs, the Queanbeyan Tigers will look to continue their remarkable finals form so far after beating the Eastlake Demons by 65 points and then the Belconnen Magpies by 23 points to seal their spot in the Grand Final. Although three losses to Ainslie throughout the season don’t count them out, Queanbeyan have shown their fight over their last couple finals games and will be up for any challenge thrown at them this Saturday.
Written by: Robbie Stewart
Photo by: Daniel Webster
