The final minutes of Tullamarine’s match against Oak Park might be a blur, but it doesn’t matter for the Demons as they won through to the Essendon District Football League division 1 grand final.
In a thrilling climax to the preliminary final at Coburg City Oval, scores were level in the dying minutes.
The Kangaroos scored a point to break the deadlock, before the Demons got the ball forward for a shot on goal that missed.
The crucial moment came when Demon Jordan Port was awarded a free kick in front of goal.
He converted and put his team back into the lead with four minutes remaining.
The Demons’ defence held strong for a 12.14 (86)-12.8 (80).
The grand final will produce another challenge, with the Demons taking on red hot favourites Craigieburn at Windy Hill on Sunday.
Demons coach Anthony Leydin said he was proud of how his side responded in the last quarter after leading by 17 points at three quarter-time.
“It could have gone either way and we managed to finish with our nose in front,” he said.
“Perhaps we thought we were the better team – it doesn’t matter when you are missing shots, though.
“They had the momentum and to respond and get shots in front of goal was crucial. It’s credit to the playing group.”
The Demons shared the goals around, while Craig Steele and David Brockway led the way for the Demons in the win, the leaders standing up when needed.
The preliminary final win sums at the Demons’ season.
Down on numbers on the bench due to injuries, the Demons had to battle hard being undermanned – not for the first time this season.
The Demons have struggled with injuries to key players for most of the year season.
“We’re always trying to cover a lack of depth, but we seem to find a way,” Leydin said. “We needed a bit of luck to be competitive.
“Every obstacle, we’ve gone over it, gone through it or gone around it. It could have been easy to slip over.”
The grand final will be the first for the club since 2014.
It’s been well documented that the club lost a significant chunk of its playing group after the 2014 season.
The rebuild of the club, which saw a preliminary final last year and now a grand final this year, has well and truly exceeded expectations.
Craigieburn won the semi-final match-up against the Demons by 88 points.
The Demons are one of just two clubs to defeat the Eagles this year.
“Whilst we take some consolation in beating them, finals are a different story,” Leydin said. “We beat them at our home ground when they had players out.
“Their best team is a different proposition – but we know anything can happen in the grand final.”
