Tatyoon are through to the 2016 Mininera and District Football League preliminary final after the Hawks defeated SMW Rovers 11.12.78 to 6.6.42 in their semi-final in Ararat on Sunday.
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The Rovers jumped out of the blocks and started well but failed to put the advantage on the scoreboard.
After half time the Hawks got their running game going and ended the game comfortably ahead.
Hawks coach Andrew Marx said he was impressed with the way his team finished off the game.
“We watched the Rovers last week and saw they had some bigger bodies,” he said.
“So we were confident we could run them off their legs and we broke the game open in the third term.
“We have got some good runners with some really good ball skills in our side which showed.”
Once the Hawks settled into the tempo and intensity of the game, they started to dominate play across the field for long periods.
Marx said he was pleased with the effort but there are things the team still needs to work on.
“Our tackling and forward pressure was really good today,”
“We had to weather the storm early then we were able to get on top.
“Sam Cronin was instrumental at centre half-back.
“He was best on ground in my eyes taking plenty of marks and setting us up from there.”
The Hawks will be back here next week in a preliminary final against Penshurst.
It will be the third game in four weeks Tatyoon will have played at Alexandra Oval.
Marx said it provided the players with good preparation.
“It is a hard ground to play on at times being so big and having wide wings,” he said.
“Pleased with the win today but we have bigger fish to fry next week.”
Andrew McDougall kicked five goals for the Hawks along with four others in an even performance.
Rovers coach Ricky Coyle said it the team’s semi-final performance was similar to the qualifying final.
”Once again we started well but the length of the quarters was telling again,” he said.
”We tried to make some changes this week but we just fatigued late in the quarters again.
Coyle said the defence stood tall despite seeing plenty of the ball down that end.
”Our back line did a great job today but you it is hard to stop it if it is quick transition from the other end.
The Rovers struggled to adapt to the increased pressure around the ball in the second half.
Coyle said the team need to learn from today and adjust how they play on the bigger ground.
”Tatyoon are a very smart side they have some old smart heads and it is hard to combat some of them,” he said.
Callum Baker and Darren Medwell both kicked three goals each for the Rovers.
The game was Coyle’s final game as playing coach following his decision to retire.