GRAND FINAL – The best side all season against the red hot side of the competition. Its Golden Grove and Flinders Park in the biggest game of the year
By Ben Lennon

North Haven 10.13 def by Flinders Park 18.13

Flinders Park have completed the biggest bounce back from a poor start to the season in a long time, making their way from 0-3 all the way to the big dance. The Reds travelled to windy North Haven and took care of business in a dominant performance, running out eight goal victors. Tom Lipson made his comeback and kicked three goals but it was not enough for the home side to get the win as the damage was primarily done in the third term. North Haven came into half time in front by one straight kick, but the tide turned very quickly at the start of the second half. Flinders Park went on a season defining run, kicking nine third quarter goals to North Havens one, giving the Magpies next to no chance of winning the game. The final score did not do the overall performance of North Haven justice but you won’t win a lot of games letting the opposition outscore you by eight goals in a single quarter, wind or no wind. Daniel Blythe was excellent for the reds, kicking four majors while Comma and Jackson McCann kicked three each. Schwarz produced a best on ground effort and kicked a goal in the process. North Haven have had a fantastic year and would be disappointed to go out losing two games in a row, but there’s no doubt that they will roll into 2021 brimming with confidence. They were the only team to knock off Golden Grove in the home and away season and played a lot of tough, gritty football on their way to second spot on the table. A disappointing day for the maggies but they will bounce back. For the reds, they have earnt their chance to play for the ultimate prize. They travel to Norwood this week to face the all-conquering Golden Grove with a premiership on the line. 

GRAND FINAL PREVIEW

Golden Grove vs Flinders Park

Golden Grove and Flinders Park are in for one hell of a double date this weekend as they do battle in the B grade as well as the A grade at Norwood oval. You couldn’t pick two teams that had greater contrasting seasons. Golden Grove have done it in a canter all year long, losing only one game on their road to the grand final. From minute one they looked the goods and have proven this week in week out, taking care of business in their first final against North haven the other week. Flinders Park, on the other hand, have had to fight tooth and nail to get to the big dance. They started out the year looking average at best and their season looked to be gone at 0-3. Since then, they haven’t looked back and have beaten all challengers on their path to the grand final. They have won three games in the finals with an average winning margin of 79 points, an intimidating record. One team it may not intimidate, though, is Golden Grove. They stack up well across the park and have shown that they have a number of gears that they can go to when required, but they will need them all to run out victors in this one. Trenorden has been a factor up forward for the reds since the middle of the year and his ability to either take the mark or win the contest up forward has proven a valuable commodity. For Golden Grove, they have goals from midfield week in week out which will be key for them this week. Flinders park have a plethora of players who enjoy running and creating from defence so the ownness will be on them to stay accountable. It will no doubt be one of the games of the year. It’s almost impossible to tip against the top side and it’s almost impossible to tip against a side that has won eight in a row. I can’t tip a draw, but it would be ridiculous to think this will be anything other than a close game. Flinders Park have had three tough finals fixtures in a row where as Grove will be coming into this one fresh and ready to go. I think Golden Grove take home the flag this year in what has been one of the most exciting divisions in all of amateur footy. Golden Grove by 15.

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