Anakie will resemble a ghost town on Sunday as the senior footy team enters its first finals series in 27 years.
It nearly didn’t happen, though.
The Roos trailed by six goals midway through the third quarter and were in danger of falling out of the Geelong & District League top five.
But they rallied and defeated Werribee Centrals by 10 points with a five goal to none final term and jumped into fourth place on the ladder.
Anakie will meet Bell Post Hill in the elimination final on Sunday at St Albans.
It turned out the Roos could have lost and still made it, with the Panthers getting knocked off by bottom side Corio.
Andrew Boseley took his season’s goal tally to 73 with a haul of six for Anakie and Luke Dahlhaus kicked two and was best afield.
The Centurions finished eighth on the ladder with seven wins and a draw. Midfielder Bradley Carlton was best while Patrick Daley had a fantastic battle in the ruck against Oscar Barter.
NORTH Geelong demolished Winchelsea by 149 points and will take on Belmont Lions in the qualifying final on Saturday.
The Magpies did as they pleased, restricting their opponents to just three goals while threading through 27 themselves.
Osca Riccardi booted six and John Fazio five while Cooper Vaughan and Luke Parker hit the scoreboard with three each.
Winch finished ninth on the ladder with six wins and will be looking to bounce back quickly in 2026.
BELMONT Lions didn’t have things their own way early against Geelong West.
The Giants piled on seven goals in the second term to trail by three points at the long break, but six goals to two in the third and nine to none in the last gave the Lions an 87-point triumph.
Ben Evans booted seven majors for Belmont and Saturday’s qualifying final against North Geelong looms as a ripper.
The Giants finished 11th with four wins and a draw and have shown signs of improvement.
EAST Geelong enters the finals series with a week off after beating Inverleigh by 56 points and finishing as minor premiers.
A seven goal to none second term was the kickstarter the Eagles needed to put their opponents away with vice-captain Sam Lowe getting plenty of the ball.
The Hawks won nine games and finished seventh, half a win behind last season’s effort of nine wins and a draw.
CORIO upset Bell Post Hill to taste victory for the third time this season.
The Devils held off a fast finishing Panthers team to win by seven points with skipper Toby Bennett best afield with five goals and Russell Cowan good in the middle.
THOMSON needed a lot to go right to sneak into the five and did the job at hand, defeating Bannockburn by 29 points.
But the Tigers will not be defending their crown from last year, falling a game short.
Jordan Camm kicked four for the Tigers and was best afield and Andrew Jarvis was superb in the ruck.
Banno was best served by ruckman Darcy Giddings and finished ninth with five wins.
QUALIFYING FINALS
Saturday August 30, St Albans Reserve
Seniors: Belmont Lions vs North Geelong, 2pm
Reserves: East Geelong vs North Geelong, noon
ELIMINATION FINALS
Sunday August 31, St Albans Reserve
Seniors: Anakie vs Bell Post Hill, 2pm
Reserves: Belmont Lions vs Winchelsea, noon
