North Ballarat Set Up Double Chance After Win Over Redan And Finals System Quirk
The weekend's results have pushed North Ballarat closer to the senior final for the first time in eight years. Learn the club's financial strategy.
North Ballarat may reach the grand final for the first time in eight years because of a peculiarity in the Ballarat League finals format.
In addition, Brendan McCartney, coach of the Roosters, is positive that his squad has what it takes to win the title of best team in Ballarat this year.
North Ballarat defeated Redan by 17 points in the elimination final on Sunday, marking their first appearance in the playoffs since 2015.
Young forward Jamie Quick scored five goals to help the Roosters come back from a halftime deficit and beat the Lions.
McCartney admitted that the first half showed promise but that the team was unable to convert its opportunities into goals.
That's because of how hard they (Redan) worked. They were making it difficult for us to get inside the forward 50 by taking shots from long range.
All of our third-quarter goals were scored from between 15 and 20 meters away.
North Ballarat avoided elimination thanks to the victory, and now has two shot at the finals.
Ballarat's finals format is unlike any other, with the top two teams facing off in the first week and the bottom two teams facing off in the second week.
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In the second week, the winner of 1st and 2nd plays the winner of the elimination finals with the highest standing to determine who advances to the championship game.
After East Point (6th) upset Sebastopol (3rd) by 18 points in the other final, North Ballarat (4th) qualified for the double chance.
Melton will compete against East Point in an elimination semi-final this week after losing to Darley.
The Roosters play Darley this week; the winner of Melton and East Point awaits them the next week if they fall to the Devils.
The team will play for the championship if they win.
McCartney acknowledged that the system worked to his team's advantage, but said it wasn't a priority before they took the field because the Roosters already knew they'd win regardless.
"You never worry about something like that as a coach when you've done it as long as I have," he remarked.
We played a strong team, and Redan is a very skilled football squad.
Our sole concentration was on that.
McCartney is eager to seize this chance now that it has arisen.
Juniors Jamie Quick, Jack Riding, and Riley Polkinghorne, along with others, have helped the squad improve over the previous several years, putting them in a position to compete for the championship.
Most of the players utilised in the semi-final elimination game had previously played as juniors for the Roosters.
McCartney is confident in his team's abilities despite their 1-3 record against Melton and Darley.
To paraphrase, "We've been building for a couple of years, with a young group of players with some maturity sprinkled through," he remarked.
We have been honing a style of football play that can hold up in the playoffs.
As the games of a championship series go on, the stakes and competition level rise.
"There are two things you need to do, create that sort of game, and when that game is happening around you, you need players that flourish and thrive, and that's what we think we've been doing."
McCartney claimed he had faith in his club despite Darley having one of the league's top performers in Brett Bewley.
Bewley has been one of the better players and scored two goals against Melton last week, cementing his status as a frontrunner for a second consecutive Henderson medal.
McCartney stated, "Teams have been trying to tag him, and no one has been able to do so."
If you look back far enough, you'll see that it was probably pointless.
Since I've been coaching, we've got an 85-15 record.
"10-15 the other team, and the rest is all about your players."
On Saturday at 2:15 p.m., the team will face Darley at Darley Oval.