University and Trinity in A Grade Decider
19 Sep, 2012
THE WA Amateur Football League season will conclude this weekend with University taking on Trinity Aquinas in the A Grade Grand Final at Medibank Stadium.
After 18 rounds of the home and away season just one match remains and fittingly, it will be the two teams who finished in first and second position who will battle it out.
Minor Premiers Trinity Aquinas finished top of the ladder on 15 wins and three losses, one win ahead of second placed University.
For Trinity, a spot in the Grand Final has looked like destiny for the majority of the season. They found themselves on top of the ladder after a big victory in round 1 and spent the next 17 rounds in either first or second spot.
Their fantastic season is highlighted with all three Reserves, Phil Scott Colts and League sides making it to the final match of the year.
Such was their success this year only two sides gave the boys from Bill Grayden Reserve a taste of defeat throughout the season, Maddington, and their Grand Final opponents, University.
University too have had an outstanding season, losing just the four games for the year to finish in second place.
It hasn’t all been smooth for University, however, after losing three of their first six games the reigning premiers found themselves in sixth place heading into round 7 and had critics talking of a premiership hangover.
The following weekend Uni defeated Mt Lawley by 20-points in a victory that provided a springboard for the club that went on to win nine in a row to mark themselves as series contenders to go back to back.
Amongst the nine wins was a 14-point victory over their Grand Final opponents Trinity in Round 11, giving the side confidence they had their season back on track after the shaky start.
Former West Coast Eagles State Amateur under 23’s representative Simon Jones received 3 votes for the match, while Trinity’s Scott Dillon got the 2 and University’s Darren Mumford the 1.
The Round 11 clash was the second time the two sides have met this season with Trinity Aquinas easily accounting for the reigning Premiers by 34-points in their first encounter in Round 2.
Trinity Aquina’s Scott Dillon again polled, this time the three, with William Maurice and Reece Holwell both of Trinity getting the 2 and 1 respectively.
The home and away season wouldn’t be the last time the teams met, with University earning their place in the second Semi Final against the minor premiers after defeating Collegians in the first week of the finals.
Despite the home ground advantage the reigning premiers showed why they were so hard to beat in last years’ finals series and handed Trinity their biggest loss for the year, a 67-point thrashing to see them easily through to their second Grand Final in as many years.
Adding to the occasion the A Grade Grand Final will be broadcast on TV, radio and internet for the first time in WA Amateur Football League history.
Continuing on from last years’ success, the WAAFL A Grade Grand Final will be available to watch on the WAAFL website and will now also be broadcast live on Radio Fremantle 107.9.
In addition to the radio broadcast, an hour highlights package will screened the following Monday, September 24 on Foxtel channel Aurora (183).
Bounce down for the A Grade Grand Final is at 2:30pm with Radio Fremantle’s coverage starting at 2:00pm and following the Colts at 10:15am and Reserves at 12:20pm.
