CaseyCardinia preliminary final

By Brad Kingsbury
A HUGE gamble by Narre Warren selectors in omitting popular senior team captain Luke Christopher paid off when his teammates rallied to down Pakenham by 32 points on Sunday.
The preliminary final victory earned the ’Pies a grandfinal berth against Doveton this Saturday.
The Magpies axed Christopher and youngster James Bradshaw from the second semifinal side that went down to grandfinal opponent Doveton.
However officials underestimated the fallout from teammates upset by the move and coach Paul Hamilton was forced to explain at a team meeting on Friday night that the decision was based on form and the balance of the side.
The Magpies managed to harness the energy and turn it into a positive, with Christopher’s teammates winning him the chance to lead the side in this Saturday’s grand final after he dominated in the club’s losing reserves team on the weekend.
Hamilton justified the selectors’ decision, but acknowledged that it had been a hard week.
He said the passion shown by his players for their teammate was a good sign.
“I knew there would be a reaction, but not to the extent that it was,” he said.
“We found some passion and the players really wanted to win.
“One of the main reasons was for Luke and just to let it be known that they were playing for their mates.
“These blokes’ unity has always been a positive, but on Thursday night (after selection) it was a negative.
“It wasn’t until I explained the reasons behind it and the situation (on Friday) that they, not necessarily agreed, but accepted it.”
The windy and the greasy and at times wet conditions at the Edwin Flack Reserve favoured the Magpies who kicked against a strong crossbreeze, but opened well with two goals to fullforward Lee Clark in the first 12 minutes.
Pakenham attacked later in the term, but was unable to score a goal in the first quarter, trailing at the first break by 13 points.
Justin Sutherland marked Clark, while experienced Lion Travis Murphy went to Brett Evans. At the other end Steven Kidd and Brendan Kimber took on key Pakenham forwards Glen Wouters and Simon Ponter.
The day’s most significant tag was Shane Brewster’s effort to blanket gun Lion Lincoln Withers.
Narre Warren kicked away to a fivegoal lead early in the second quarter, but Pakenham would not lie down and finished the term with two late majors and a 20point deficit.
Lions’ coach Michael Holland swung Nathan Brown into attack after halftime in an attempt to apply aerial pressure, but the conditions were not conducive to marking and the Magpies retained their lead at the final change.
Holland tried to inspire his team at the break, but when Magpie Daniel Field slotted through his third goal for the day in the opening minute of the final term, most of the interest started to centre on whether Lee Clark could snare his 100th goal for the season.
Clark came close with three minutes to play when he hit the post with a snap from the goalsquare, but his side triumphed and he will start the grand final on 99 goals for 2005.
Closetotheground players including Daniel Field, Ricky Clark and Jesse Edmond were in good nick for the Magpies and Hamilton said his side had been methodical in its performance.
“They focussed on what was happening and in the end there was the chance to play in a grand final at stake and they lifted,” he said.
“We wanted to get the height against Pakenham.
“We knew we could cover most of their moves and I was confident we could handle both facets of the weather.
“Blokes who went into the game carrying niggling (injuries) as a lot of players do at this time of year, performed really well.”
Holland was philosophical after the game and said that while he was disappointed with the result, the positives for the future were great, given they came from eighth last season.
“The start was most important, but they kicked two goals into the wind and got a lead that they pretty much held all day,” he said.
“They were a bit harder at it early, but we fought back and started to match them, but we never really got close enough to pressure them. Full credit to Narre Warren, they came out to play.
“I take nothing away from our boys. They fought it out and I was proud of them.”
Holland said his expectations were to finish in the finals and he thought, excluding Doveton, they were up there with all the rest.
“It’s been a big year considering we didn’t pick up a heap of recruits. Of course I’m disappointed, but it’s been a good experience for the kids,” he said.
Better players for the Lions included Wouters, Murphy, Evan Broadbent and Cameron Hinkley.