Epping couldn’t reproduce its semi-final form in the Northern Football League division 3 decider, leaving the club to ponder a second straight grand final loss.
In the first week of the finals, the Pingers were dominant as they disposed of Watsonia.
But Watsonia turned the tables in the grand final.
The Saints were clean with the ball – and when they didn’t have it, they pressured the Pingers into making mistakes.
Any chance the Pingers had of getting back into the game were gone after they scored five successive points in the third quarter.
The last quarter was all the Saints as they won their first premiership since 1987 with a 14.11 (95)-6.12 (48) scoreline.
Pingers coach Greg Whitcroft said it was disappointing they couldn’t reproduce the form that had got them into the grand final.
“We didn’t play well and they didn’t allow us to play well,” he said. “It was the polar opposite of last time – they did what we did to them.
“I’m not sure whether it was nerves or they just didn’t let us play our game. We had a lot of young players and most didn’t have their greatest day. They had done well for the rest of the year.”
Whitcroft said that if they had been able to convert in the third quarter, they may have had a sniff going into the last quarter.
It wasn’t to be though as the Pingers were held goal-less in the second half.
Whitcroft said he didn’t think the Pingers had a winner, with both the younger players and more experienced struggling.
Aaron Willitts kicked half of his side’s goals, but there was little support up forward.
Daniel Moore, who retired after the game, was named best in the loss.
Whitcroft said Moore was one of the best players in the competition.
“He is a terrific bloke and a terrific player,” he said.
The grand final loss sees the Pingers finish the season in the same spot as last season.
Whitcroft, in his first year of coaching the club, said he thought they had progressed despite the result.
“We had 10 guys under the age of 20 in the grand final,” he said. “Last year we won nine games and three of them were against [bottom side] Heidelberg West. This year we’ve won 14 games including a final.”
Whitcroft said he would make a decision on his coaching future in the next couple of weeks, but said the club wanted him to continue.
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