Grand Final Weekend in the WAAFL
31 Aug, 2010
After more than 20 games, the last week of the season is finally upon us, with all but three of the WAAFL premierships to be decided this weekend.
With both teams assured of an A Grade berth next season, minor premiers Collegians and SFL upstarts Maddington with have all eyes on winning the CJ Jamieson Cup in the B Grade grand final at Fremantle Oval this Saturday.
This is Maddington’s second grand final in as many years since joining the amateurs from the Sunday Football League , last year defeating Kingsway by 17 points to win their first WAAFL premiership and move up from the C Gold division to B Grade.
Maddington’s ascent up the WAAFL ranks continued last week with a hard fought win over Swan Athletic handing the Bulls a spot in the final and guaranteeing them a place in A grade next year.
Heading into this Saturday Maddington have won their last five games, defeating Swan Athletic, Hamersley Carine and West Coast Cowan on their way to the grand final.
Collegians had a near perfect turnaround this season, regaining the A Grade spot they lost last year due to a 5-13 record and they finished the season first with an average winning margin of 59 points; their final three games won by an average of 120 points.
Their only loss this season however came at the hands of Maddington in round 15 at Harmony Fields, nine weeks after defeating Maddington by 27 points at home.
Collegians had a smoother path to the grand final thanks to their position on top of the ladder, defeating Swan Athletic to advance two weeks ago to the premiership round where they have won the CJ Jamieson Cup five times.
Promotion to B grade is different for the C teams this year, with the winners of the Gold and Black division premierships advancing up a grade next season rather than both grand finalists.
Bullcreek Leeming and Wanneroo will be battling it out at EFTel Oval for the C Gold premiership and a spot in B Grade next season.
Both teams ended the season with just three losses to their names however Wanneroo managed to score first place thanks to a buffer of 16.15 percent between them and Bullcreek Leeming.
Finishing the season in top spot, Wanneroo had the first week of finals off however they ran straight into a semi final loss at the hands of Bullcreek Leeming 10.11 (71) to 18.8 (116). Last week’s 59 point win over Thornlie clinched a grand final spot for Wanneroo.
After defeating Kingsway in the qualifying final Bullcreek Leeming stormed into the semi finals confidently, their win over Wanneroo their twelfth consecutive victory.
Bullcreek is proving to be the thorn in Wanneroo’s side this year; of their four losses this regular and post season three of them have been against Bullcreek Leeming, losing in rounds five and 14.
Wanneroo have only won the C grade premiership once, in 1995, while Bullcreek Leeming has held the Grosvenor Cup aloft in 1999 and 2005.
Steel Blue Oval will play host to the second C Grade grand final this Saturday, with Scarborough taking on Kalamunda for the C Black division premiership.
After readily defeating High Wycombe in the qualifying final Kalamunda scored just three goals and six behinds in their semi final loss to Scarborough two weeks ago, before once again prevailing over High Wycombe last week this time in a much tighter contest.
Kalamunda is the only team to have beaten minor premiers Scarborough this season, having done so by 26 points in round eight, though their round 17 meeting had Scarborough the 49 point winners.
Scarborough is heading into the grand final having won their last 11 matches in a row, while Kalamunda have won just two of their last five games.
Neither team has won a C grade premiership before, however Scarborough has three Sandover Shields and two CJ Jamieson Cups in their trophy cabinet among other honours.
