LEETON-Whitton enjoyed their first finals victory in eight years courtesy of a second half demolition of Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes on Saturday.
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The Crows shook off their finals woes with a dominant second half display as they ran out 25-point winners over the Goannas, 10.16 (76) to 7.9 (51) at Robertson Oval.
The Goannas had the better of an even opening half and took a eight-point lead into the main break.
From there, they offered very little as Leeton-Whitton stepped up and took control.
In what could have been a costly third term, the Crows ran rampant but kicked 2.8 as MCUE clung on to a one-point advantage at the final change.
The Crows then finished off with the only four goals of the final term to set up a second semi-final clash with Wagga Tigers.
The Goannas did not help themselves and were left to just 17 men eight minutes into the final quarter when Dusty Rogers was red-carded for kneeing.
Leeton-Whitton captain-coach Jade Hodge loved the way his team responded after half-time.
“At half-time I said to the guys, our decision making has been poor and we’re still within a goal or so to a side that finished second and beat Wagga Tigers,” Hodge said.
“I knew we had so much more to give and we did that, and if we kicked straight we could have blown them away.
“They’re a good side, they were going to keep coming but the most pleasing thing was at stages throughout the year when sides put pressure on us and lift, we tend to drop our heads but we lifted again today. That was the most pleasing aspect.
“I’ve got so much belief in this group and I’m really confident the places we can go, it’s just about getting that consistency right.”
Hodge believes the Crows’ pressure laid the platform for victory.
“I said to the boys before the game, it’s all about our pressure and as you could see in the second half, when we were up and about, when we were really pushing up as a team we put sides under pressure and they make mistakes,” Hodge said.
“I just thought our decision making in the first half let us down too. We lowered our eyes and waited. In the first half we panicked a bit, especially around the stoppages.
“All I asked the boys was to hold onto the footy, if we got caught holding the footy I’ll wear it, but when we start just coughing the footy up, we’re not the quickest side so if we cough it up out in space, sides are going to kill us out in the open.”
Toby Conroy, Ben Curley, Lucas Meline and Jayden Lehman were the Crows’ best.
