GFNL 2024: Leopold defeat St Mary’s by golden point in qualifying final
In a spectacular game for neutrals, reigning premier Leopold held off St Mary’s by golden point in the first week of finals. But in an injury blow, the Saints now await news on a star mid.
St Mary’s co-coach Glenn Keast believes his younger players will be better for the experience of a nailbiting golden point qualifying final defeat to Leopold, as the club awaits the severity of a knee injury to star midfielder Harry Benson.
The Saints, who now await a first semi-final, lost the two-time Mathieson medallist to a knee injury in the second quarter of their 11.10 (76) to 11.9 (75) loss to the Lions — whose rushed minor score decided the game on golden point — at West Oval Reserve on Saturday.
“He’s pulled up a bit sore today (Sunday), we’ll assess that over the next 24 hours,” Keast said of Benson.
“I’d say he’s highly doubtful for next week but he’s a pretty resilient fella, hopefully at some point we can get him back on the track over the coming weeks.
“But I suppose if he doesn’t play, it’ll be good motivation for our lads to give him another chance (in a prelim or grand final), that’s for sure.”
Benson had just returned from a two-week sideline stint, hyperextending his elbow against Colac in round 16.
“A bit disappointing for him, he’s had such a great year and then to finish the year with a couple injuries isn’t ideal,” Keast said.
“His mindset will move into trying to recover and rehab his injury as best he can, he’s pretty diligent with that stuff.
“He’ll crack into that as quickly as he can.”
Keast expected ruck Nick Michin (knee) to return for their upcoming first semi-final, with Michin, like Benson, missing since the Colac game before getting through a large running block over the weekend.
Midfielder Jesse Travaglini (knee) is another likely inclusion after a week on the sideline, while Keast held hope co-captain Jack Blood, who has missed the last seven matches with a groin injury, could return as early as this weekend.
Meanwhile, Sam Christensen (knee) was a “wait and see”, with forward spearhead Sam Dobson (collarbone) the furthest away, the earliest return being a preliminary final.
In the face of solid injury list, Keast said getting finals experience into their youngest players was the big positive out of the result.
“It was a matter of inches — to come away with that, our young blokes, especially quite a few of them playing in their first finals, they’ll take a lot out of that and I’d expect it’d get better from that next week,” he said.
“Whoever we get next week, we should walk in confident.”
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With little separating the Saints and Lions in the first half, it was the reigning premiers, led by midfielder Tate Porter, who raced out to an 18-point lead by the final break, kicking five goals to one in the third.
That lead extended to 25 early in the fourth with Lion forward Max Annandale’s third before the Saints wrestled back control, kicking an unanswered 4.4 to get back within seven points.
A Kade Chalcraft goal in the 25th minute and a subsequent point with three minutes left would draw the match, though neither team came out on top in two five minute extra halves — the second marred by some confusion with premature sirens — before the Lions nabbed the golden point.
Originally published as GFNL 2024: Leopold defeat St Mary’s by golden point in qualifying final
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