Dusties dust off Demons in finals win

by Nicholas Duck
A topsy turvy belter of an elimination final has seen Warragul Industrials safely through following a hard-fought 14-point win against Koo wee rup on Sunday.
A packed Inverloch Recreation Reserve bore witness to two teams trading blows and the lead throughout their entertaining battle, making for a game that proved hard to predict.
As the day wore on though, Koo wee rup were made to rue bringing in some underdone bodies, the Dusties running the game out stronger and kicking the final two goals to prevail 13.12 (90) to 11.10 (70).
Co-skipper Michael Debenham stood tall for the sealer, collecting the ball at ground level, scrambling back to his feet, evading a tackle and curling through one of the goals of the day to send his side into a home semi final against Phillip Island.
The win also helps to atone for the Dusties' elimination final last year where they were sent packing in a thumping loss to Cora Lynn.
When the going got tough the Dusties' midfield stars got going, as Boadie Motton and Kuiy Jiath had plenty of say in the result not just by winning the ball, but by using it effectively and intelligently.
Matt Herbert never stopped running all day from the backline and even snuck forward for two goals while young ruck Damian Leslie again did his part with coach Bob McCallum still out of the side.
Debenham's efforts weren't just limited to his last quarter heroics, the skipper booting three majors and having more than his share of important moments.
Forward Lachlan Bambridge (three goals) rounded out Warragul Industrials' best, again contributing in the air and on the ground.
Things were always going to be a challenge for the Demons in their first final since 2019 after both their captains were forced to pass fitness tests to play. Nathan Voss spent most of the day up forward and still managed three goals despite a dodgy hamstring and Ishak Bashir bashed and crashed in the midfield, but neither looked like they were at full capacity.
When it comes to Koo wee rup the Voss family reigns supreme, however, and it was Nathan's brother Matt getting it done at both ends of the ground, racking up intercepts down back and kicking three majors up forward to be his team's top performer.
Lachlan Linder-Saunders and Josh Bateman both did what they could around the contest alongside Bashir, who refused to give an inch even when underdone.
Ethan McDonald and Corey Battams (two goals) were the other Demons who always looked dangerous.
Nathan Voss put any doubts he would be able to contribute to bed early, earning a free and wheeling around for the day's first before his opposition skipper responded, Debenham benefitting from a 50-metre penalty to get the Dusties on the board.
The back-and-forth tone had been set early as Matt Voss booted two for the term, paying tribute to NRL player Jai Arrow when he celebrated his first.
A late free to Taj Stanley gave the Demons the ascendancy heading into the quarter time break.
Dusties youngster Ky Bannister reached into his bag of tricks, flying for a mark and collecting his own crumb to retake the lead in the second term.
The goals dried up thereafter though, both teams finding one more before heading into the sheds.
With a breeze at their backs in the infamous premiership quarter, the Demons threatened to break clear partway through the third when three consecutive goals handed them a game-high 10-point lead.
The Dusties needed a response and got one – albeit not emphatically – after Tom Cornwall floated through one of the ugliest set shots you'll see, proving the old adage of 'it doesn't matter how you get them.'
Further goals to their midfield maestros, Jiath and Motton, gave the Dusties a handy nine-point lead at three quarter time.
Hayden Baker put in the defensive effort of the day minutes into the last, charging down Thomas Rudeforth in the Demons' goal square and saving a certain goal.
The Dusties capitalised on his efforts too, going end to end and letting Bambridge snap his third in a classic two-goal turnaround.
Just when it seemed they might be in the clear, Warragul Industrials were made to sweat when Corey Battams and Matt Voss went back-to-back, the Demons now just a point down and boasting the momentum.
A beautiful chain of possessions saw Herbert run in a hammer blow of a response, however, and when Debenham weaved his magic minutes later, it was clear the Dusties had done enough to save their season and end Koo wee rup's in the process.
Speaking post-game McCallum praised his side for sticking to their plans even as the momentum swung.
"It sort of went the way we planned for it I guess. We knew it was going to be close early on and we knew if we stuck to what we wanted to do we'd eventually break them," he said.
"Pre-game we spoke about moments, that there'd be plenty of good moments and plenty of bad moments. What pleased me most is we focused on what came next, whether we'd done something right or wrong beforehand."
McCallum is now expected to return this Sunday as Warragul Industrials take on Phillip Island at Western Park.
The Dusties went 2-0 against the Bulldogs this year and will be looking forward to another addition to their already impressive rivalry.