August 20, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser
THE Metricon Bendigo Bombers have guaranteed themselves a spot in the VFL finals after surviving a late scare from the Casey Scorpions yesterday.
The Bombers won 16.10 (106) to 15.9 (99) at Casey Fields, and with one round left in the home and away season now sit in seventh position on the ladder with 32 premiership points.
THE Metricon Bendigo Bombers have guaranteed themselves a spot in the VFL finals after surviving a late scare from the Casey Scorpions yesterday.
The Bombers won 16.10 (106) to 15.9 (99) at Casey Fields, and with one round left in the home and away season now sit in seventh position on the ladder with 32 premiership points.
It's the first time the Bombers have found themselves sitting in the top-eight since way back in round five.
The Bombers will host joint flag-favourite Geelong in their final game this Sunday, but regardless of the outcome, they can't be dislodged from the top eight and can finish as high as sixth.
It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Bombers, who after six rounds sat in 11th position on the ladder with a 1-5 record.
"I'm really proud of the players because when you are 1-5 to start the year, it's a long way back from there," Bombers coach Matthew Knights said.
"To be 7-4 since that period, and the four games we have lost have been by minimal margins (16, 10, 15 and 33 points), we have been rewarded for our consistency by having a large percentage (109.10), which has been important in this tight season.
"Before last week's game, most pundits would suggest with Williamstown, the Casey Scorpions and Geelong left, we probably had the hardest run home of all the finals combatants.
"We've picked up the first two of those three games, so full credit to the playing group."
Adding to the Bombers' gutsy win was the fact Adam Ramanauskas' day ended just three minutes into the match when he was forced from the ground with a back injury, while Courtney Johns suffered a knee injury in the second quarter.
"We were two players down, so I thought it was a significant effort to hold on and win the game," Knights said.
"You would have thought a quality player like Rama would have had an impact on the game today, so that was a loss because we lost one of our midfield rotations."
The Bombers led the game by 27 points at three quarter-time, 13.8 (86) to 9.5 (57).
However, the Scorpions charged home in the final term with the wind to hit the front by three points.
But the Bombers steadied, kicking two of the last three goals of the game through Jarrod Atkinson and Jay Neagle to win the clash.
The Bombers led at every change.
As well as their 27-point buffer at the last change, they had led by 25 points at quarter-time and 13 at half-time.
Defender James Flaherty continues to impress in his rookie season and was the Bombers' best player, blanketing Fergus Watts and Ben Fraser.
"Flaherty was outstanding - whoever he took on he found a way to beat," Knights said.
Jason Cloke was also a standout with his strong marking a highlight.
Atkinson played well in the first half, while ruckman David Hille was dominant in the centre square and important in the Bombers establishing an early lead.
He also got some important touches late in the game.
Jobe Watson and Damien Peverill, who like Hille were dropped from the Essendon side, also had impacts.
The Bombers shared the goals around with Aaron Connaughton, Johns, Neagle, Bachar Houli and Nick Carter each kicking two.
The Bombers are fixtured to play the Cats at the Queen Elizabeth Oval this Sunday.
Knights said playing the game in Bendigo was the Bombers' first priority.