AFTER a close first half, Marble Range pulled away to beat Tasmans in the elimination final on Saturday.
The Rangers after being down by 15 points at the first change, showed their finals experience was invaluable when they again repeated a come from behind win to run out winners by 24 points.
This game was worthy of an elimination final: physical, clean and tough and an entertaining game with several outstanding marks.
Tasmans, the new boys on the block, came out firing, challenging the reining premiers with a ferocity the Rangers found hard to handle.
The Roosters proved to be more than the equal of the Rangers in the first quarter down the back, in the midfield and up forward, by kicking four goals to the Rangers’ one, with the aid of two goal crosswind favouring the car park end.
The Rangers got the ball forward early in the quarter and it was the Tasman trio of Mathew Dodd, Ben Lamont and McKinlay who put up the shutters up to hold them out.
A clearance by Dodd from the back half saw the Roosters’ Johann Wagner kick the opening goal and the first of his six goals for the day.
Ranger ruckman Scott Charman was giving his on ball brigade first use and the Rangers continued to go forward through the good work of Parker and Semmler combining, only to see Dodd again hold it up. McKinlay was also putting his stamp on the game and the number six became a number the Rangers forwards would see plenty of, not only in this term but throughout the duration.
The Roosters got on top in the midfield and Wagner kicked his second before Brad Cimarosti stood tall to kick consecutive goals.
As time-on approached the Roosters were in total control, having kicked four straight goals to the Rangers’ three points to have a commanding lead of 21 points.
The Rangers’ gamble of playing their full forward Mick Sargent, who had played only seven league games, partially proved it would pay a good divended when he marked strongly to kick the first of his three goals for the day, with the other key forward, Jarrod Doudle, watching on with broken fingers from the sideline.
The start of the second quarter saw the Rangers go forward for Sargent to again mark strongly, only to add another point.
Wagner kicked his third goal from the rebound, but this was be the only goal the Roosters could manage for the quarter.
From that goal on it was if the Rangers realised they were laying eggs while the Roosters were crowing.
The Rangers proceeded to kick six unanswered goals and by the half time siren they had established a 31-point turn around, giving them a 16-point lead.
Charman became mobile around the ground, taking several marks; Steve Thompson played an important role in the midfield and behind the ball, while the duo of Semmler across half forward and Parker in the midfield found plenty of the ball.
The loss of Tim Brooks during the quarter with a season ending knee injury saw Darren Francis come right into the game, and the high flyer of the day, Landon Gregory, gave extra drive to get the ball going into the danger zone.
The Rangers continued to lift the tempo and the Roosters, while staying tenacious, were struggling to get any forward movement. Rooster captain Matt James was in and under, trying to lift his team-mates, and they did rally to stop the Rangers’ run momentarily.
Tasmans’ physical presence had taken its toll; they started to fall off the tackles and the Rangers kicked three goals in time-on through Thompson, Francis and Gregory.
The second half was one of true grit by both teams.
Rangers coach Glyn Owen lifted the rotations off the bench with two major changes through the loss of Tim Brooks, shifting Chris Brooks to centre half back and Darren Francis to centre, and both moves proved to be a tactical success.
Semmler continued to play with plenty of authority, while McKinlay continued to find plenty of the ball for the Roosters.
It was back and forth football with the back halves under constant pressure and having plenty of work to do.
Brad Cimarosti kicked his third goal to bring Tasmans within 10 points and the Roosters supporters were again in full voice.
Ranger ruckman Scott Charman continued to play a blinder and Semmler was popping up all over the field, resulting in his third goal.
The game became a goal for goal show when Tasmans’ Vonow showed pace to kick his team’s seventh goal, but the response was immediate when Gregory kicked the first of his two for the day.
The experience of the Rangers and their physical body strength proved to be the difference and the very noticeable fact the Rangers are now running out the game better than at any stage of the season were hurdles that became insurmountable.
This was substantiated by the fact that after four minutes into the second term the Rangers kicked 13 goals to the Roosters’ six to win 14-11 to 11-5.
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