The Queanbeyan Tigers all but claimed the AFL Canberra minor premiership after notching their first ever win at Kippax Oval with a 70-point demolition of top-placed Belconnen on Saturday.
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Captain Josh Bryce booted five goals as the Tigers leapfrogged Belconnen ahead of next weekend's home clash against struggling Tuggeranong. A win would wrap up top spot and a home-final.
The scoreboard mercifully wasn't working for the Magpies faithful who witnessed an uncharacteristic trouncing of their club by one of its fiercest rivals.
Belconnen were missing star duo Lexie Bennett and Ryan Turnbull, while the Tigers battled their own injury problems as key big men Anthony Lo Pilato and Thomas Stapleton both left the field with first-half ankle injuries.
It didn't matter for the visitors who notched a staggering 34 scoring shots to nine and could've racked up a triple-figure margin were it not for some inaccurate goal kicking.
"It's a massive day for us - there was a bit of chat going round this week, we've never won on this ground," Bryce said.
"They play this smaller ground so well, their home deck, training here all the time they know the ins and outs of it which is why we haven't got the wood over them yet. Obviously they're a quality outfit but it was good to get that win today."
Queanbeyan's premiership assault had hit a mid-season snag with losses to the Magpies and Eastlake, but Tigers coach Adrian Pavese felt his side was peaking at the right time.
"The best part is it's been player driven since Eastlake," Pavese said.
"As a coaching staff we haven't had to do too much. We believed that our best footy was right up there and the players have actually been driving the mindset over the last couple of weeks and pushing through that."
"We're now a target, we know we're going to be a target," Pavese said.
Lo Pilato is facing a stint on the sidelines, while Pavese was hopeful Stapleton would recover in time for finals.
Belconnen downed the Tigers by three points at their last meeting, raining on the parade of Bryce's 100-game celebrations.
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"We beat them last time right at the end and it was probably a really big deal for them to come out here today," Magpies captain James Bennett said.
"We just didn't ever get to that point of matching their intensity which was pretty disappointing with a couple of weeks to go.
"We had a few out this week but also a lot of guys in the team have played first grade this year. Pretty disappointing effort."
Meanwhile, Eastlake star Karina Demant booted an astonishing 15 goals as Eastlake trounced Gungahlin 218-0 in the women's competition for their sixth win of the season.
AFL Canberra men's round 9
Queanbeyan Tigers 15.19 (109) def Belconnen Magpies 6.3 (39)
AFL Canberra women's round 9
Eastlake Demons 35.8 (218) def Gungahlin Jets 0
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
