Country Championships: Great Southern campaign ends in heartbreak after winless second day in division three

Consecutive losses on the second day of senior action at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships has ended the Great Southern Football League’s hopes of reaching the division three grand final in heartbreaking fashion. After going through the first day undefeated with impressive wins against North Pilbara and Onshore Cup, the representative Great Southern side fell short against Esperance and Hills on Saturday. Esperance have gone through the competition undefeated and will meet North Pilbara in the decider on Sunday after the latter finished second ahead of Hills with a superior percentage. Great Southern finish their senior championships campaign in fourth place with a record of two wins and two losses. In both encounters on Friday at Lane Group Stadium, the Great Southern side led at half-time but were pipped at the post in each of the final halves. The narrow loss to Esperance left Great Southern needing a win from their final game but they were shell-shocked late against Hills after storming out to a three-goal advantage early. Brandon Ugle handed off to a trailing Steven Edwards for Great Southern’s first major score before Isaac Baum outmuscled his defender, poking through a goal from close range. When Graham Ross booted Great Southern’s third shortly after, it was quickly looking as if the result was sewn up. Ford missed a goal attempt and Zach Jackson couldn’t put through his effort but Hills were still 21 points behind. However in the final five minutes of the half, Bradley Jetta soccered through his attempt and Riley Marriott capped a terrific bit of roving work with a goal to trim the margin back to nine points by the break. Edwards snapped truly from the boundary in the early stages of the second half before Ford’s dribble goal attempt narrowly missed the mark minutes later. Hills’ defensive 50 was peppered with several entries but Great Southern could not find the required conversion. That would prove costly as Hills delivered at the other end, goals to Steven Schorer and Jetta gave them all the momentum late and they found the game-sealing major through Josh Hullingham. With the clock ticking down, the ball fell to Hullingham in the square who snapped truly to ensure his side claimed a thrilling triumph at the final siren, 5.2 (32) to 4.6 (30). Logan Stubber found plenty of the ball through the middle along with Jayden Scott and Matt Orzel. Robbie Lee was damaging with pace while Mitch Jackson toiled hard in defence and Stephen Beal was once again solid in the ruck. Earlier in the day, Esperance gun Oakley Wallace slotted the first major of the opening game on Saturday before Ugle showed his aerial ability, marking from 20m out and converting. Scott sailed through Great Southern’s second and they took a seven-point advantage into half-time. Despite plenty of entries sailing into the Esperance forward 50, Great Southern were left to count the costs of some squandered chances. Zach Jackson missed an opportunity on goal, Orzel rattled the post and Ross also put an effort wide of the mark. Beau Ewen jailed his set shot to extend the buffer to 16 points but that sprung Esperance back to life Rhys Wood clunked two big marks and converted the two chances in quick succession before Lachlan Stewart found the big sticks to help Esperance take the lead. Tyson Francis made sure of the result in the dying stages, bombing a long-range effort from right on the 50m mark to help his side prevail, 5.1 (31) to 3.6 (24). Lee was outstanding in a losing affair along with midfield bull Scott while Beal battled hard in the ruck and Mitch Jackson was composed in defence. The Great Southern lost David Stone to injury for both Saturday games while Baum and Ford only played the contest against Hills due to their own niggling injury issues.