QAFA (B) South: Preliminary Final Review
Tweed Coast Tigers have completed an astonishing comeback, coming from five goals down at half time to eventually overrun Ballina by five points.
Ballina led the ledger between the two sides heading into the game, however couldn’t quite hold off a rampant Tweed Coast in the second half.
The Tigers kicked eight goals to three after half time to qualify for their sixth consecutive Grand Final.
Captain Ash Gemmil proved to be the X-factor for the Tigers, kicking five goals and joining John Weston, Sam Edwards and Josh Edwards as Tweed’s best. Jacob Secomb also chipped in with three majors.
William Walker led the scoring for Ballina with four goals whilst club-leading goal-kicker Timothy Price and Ryan Seymour both managed two apiece. Patty Bulzomi followed up his three goals against Lismore last weekend with an impressive performance, being named as the Bombers’ best.
After originally leading by a slender eight points at the first change, the Tigers surrendered that lead in a flash. The Bombers kicked out to a 30-point margin on the back of a seven-goal second quarter, wrestling back control of the penultimate match at the main break.
Almost a carbon copy from their only meeting this season in June when the Bombers led by 47 points at half time, Tweed came storming back in the premiership quarter to trail by a single kick at the final change.
Ballina held on back in June to win by 12 points, but couldn’t maintain their slim lead on this occasion, eventually succumbing by five points.
The Tigers now turn their attention to gaining revenge for the heavy defeat to Byron Bay in the Qualifying Final last weekend. The prospect of facing the undefeated Magpies on their home turf is daunting to say the least, but we all know, anything can happen on Grand Final day.
By Aaron Cooper
QAFA (B) South Grand Final
Byron Bay Magpies v Tweed Coast Tigers
Byron Bay Sports Complex
Saturday September 5, 2pm
