By Chris W.B

In the second of this week’s knock-out finals, the two Division Two giants clashed in a match to decide who would meet North Sydney next week. After Adelaide appeared certainties for the Minor Premiership all season, the Maulers and the Cowboys both fought it out before poor end of season form saw North Melbourne miss a chance. However, Carnarvon’s loss to Manly gave North Melbourne the home ground advantage, and the game would promise to be a thriller.

A penalty only twenty three seconds into the game for offside saw the Maulers off to an ideal start, leading 2-0 courtesy of Andrew Walker’s radar boot. Little known bench forward Michael Luck starred for the Cowboys early on, two barn-storming line breaks putting his side deep on the attack. Johnathon Thurston attempted to orchestrate the first try of the match, but his last tackle chip found the waiting arms of Andrew Walker- diffusing a promising set.

Five minutes later, superstar winger/fullback Rhys Wesser out North Melbourne up again- busting through some soft defence to put Scott Hill in under the posts. Andrew Walker made no mistake, and it was 8-0 after only five minutes. Carnarvon looked to hit back, putting together some more promising sets which almost resulted in tries. In the fifteenth minute Owen Craigie put an erratic grubber into the North Melbourne in-goal, but it narrowly missed the arms of Ryan Girdler, and instead found Luke Phillips- who raced the length of the field untouched to put Ben Kusto into the corner. Walker narrowly missed, and the lead was 12-0.

Carnarvon’s game began to fall apart, their sets losing direction and their last tackle options looking sloppy. At the end of a particularly sloppy set, Andrew Walker collected another Craigie grubber and burst through the Carnarvon lineup. The Cowboys’ defence slowly stabilised, but Walker found another gap on the last, darting into the corner and converting to put the scoreline to 18-0.

Carnarvon got a break in the 21st, Mauler Stephen Smith sent off for a sickening spear tackle on Johnathon Thurston. The send-off didn’t seem to bother North Melbourne, who put together a stinging defensive set to hold Carnarvon’s gain to only fifteen metres. Rhys Wesser cut them up from the ensuing set, and putting North Melbourne on the attack only five out. Scott Hill put up a towering bomb, and Rhys Wesser brought it down on the ten, before offloading to Richard Swain who pushed through some lacklustre Carnarvon defence. The conversion was made, and Carnarvon were down and out at 24-0.

Rhys Wesser burst through off the kick-off, but the Cowboys somehow dragged him down, and produced their best defensive set to keep North Melbourne out and protect the slim chance of making a comeback. Shaun Valentine gave them that glimmer moments later, casting aside Ben Kusto and racing sixty metres. The next set had them on the attack, but Thurston passed off the ground, relieving the pressure.

Stephen Smith’s return to the field seemed to take some intensity out of North Melbourne, as Carnarvon slowly began to play the kind of football that earnt them a minor premiership. Some tough defence and enterprising sets, coupled with Craigie varying his kicking game, gave Carnarvon a try in the 35th, after Michael Luck bust the line and put David Riolo into space. Riolo wasn’t assured however, and had to avoid Luke Phillips and Andrew Walker to score out wide. Thurston’s woeful night continued, as the young star made a meal of the conversion to leave his side twenty adrift as half-time approached.

Carnarvon looked threatening just before the break, but some desperation defence in the Maulers’ forward pack, showing their dedication, kept the halftime score at 24-4.

Both sides showed plenty of flare as the second half kicked off, the Carnarvon forwards putting together a dominant set before Paul Wellens showed some individual brilliance through a stunning chip and chase which ended abruptly when David Riolo snuffed any chance of a try with his brilliant defence.

Carnarvon’s chances grew slimmer in the 44th, big forward Shaun Valentine sent to the bin after his late, high tackle on Ben Kusto. Playing a man down, Carnarvon didn’t lose any intensity, David Riolo trying his heart out in what could be his last game of ASRL football. The game hung in the balance for the next ten minutes, with North Melbourne denied a try through some desperate defence, and Carnarvon denied by their own nervousness. Tasesa Lavea put the game beyond doubt in the 58th however, collecting a Wellens’ grubber to make it 28-4.

Carnarvon looked to have saved some face in the 60th, when Johnathon Thurston weaved into the North Melbourne in-goal, but the try was called back for obstruction- much to the annoyance of the contingent of Carnarvon fans. Ben Kusto grabbed his second in the 69th, putting the final nail in the coffin of Carnarvon’s season, the score 34-4.

Thurston compounded a poor game in the 75th, sent off for a high tackle on Luke Phillips, showing plenty of feeling as he was escorted off the field by coach Jason Sparrow. The players lifted in intensity, and despite being a man down, managed to again threaten as the game drew to a close. The Maulers were ecstatic, and should head in as heavy favourites against North Sydney, and the Cowboys were left to consider what could have been.

NORTH MELBOURNE: 34
Andrew Walker
Scott Hill
Ben Kusto 2
Tasesa Lavea
Richard Swain
Walker 5/7
Def.
CARNARVON: 4
David Riolo
Thurston 0/1
PoM Points
Rhys Wesser 3
Andrew Walker 2
Ben Kusto 1