SWFL men’s: Bunbury survive late scare from Donnybrook to hold on for three-point preliminary final win

Bunbury survived a huge late scare from Donnybrook at Hands Oval on Sunday to advance to the South West Football League grand final with a three-point preliminary final win. The Dons had a chance to snatch the lead in the final two minutes but a Ben Frazer set shot both from an acute angle and considerable distance sailed wide, allowing the Bulldogs to hold on for an 11.9 (75) to 10.12 (72) victory. The result has booked Bunbury the second place in Sunday’s season decider, setting up a clash with their all-conquering local rivals South Bunbury, who defeated them twice in the home and away season and in the second qualifying final earlier this month. But it means a fairytale run from Donnybrook which saw them come from fifth spot on the ladder to defeat Augusta-Margaret River in the elimination final and Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault in the semifinal has come to an agonising end. Midfielder Harry Creasey was the gamebreaker for the winners, drifting forward to kick three goals, including two in the final term, while the competition’s leading goal-kicker Joel Houghton, Cooper Nitschke and Fraser Gilchrist slotted two majors each. For the Dons, who were without captain Ben Howlett due to a knee injury suffered in the semifinal, young forward Cooper Clarke-Dehring capped off his breakout year with another four goals and Sam Perkusich showed his quality. The Bulldogs took a five-point lead into the final break but that was quickly erased by Donnybrook veteran Jeff Smith, who snapped truly in the early stages of the last term to give his side a one-point advantage. Creasey responded with his first major of the term to restore his side’s lead and Houghton followed up soon after to create a buffer for Bunbury, but a Jy Bolton goal for Donnybrook brought the margin back to within one straight kick as the clock ticked into red time. Bunbury’s star again stood tall with another goal which looked to have ended the game, but the Dons were able to fashion another answer through Ben Frazer to set up the thrilling finish. The final few minutes saw Donnybrook have the ball camped inside their own half but their endeavour and effort could not produce a goal. Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs took a nine-point lead into quarter-time by kicking three goals in the opening quarter but Clarke-Dehring slotted two of his own to show the Dons were up for the challenge. Both sides wasted some chances to take control of the game in the second term, with Donnybrook opening the quarter with four consecutive behinds before the Bulldogs were able to come up with only two goals, both to Gilchrist, in a dominant period of play. Trailing by 20 points at the main break, the Dons produced a third-term blitz reminiscent of their takedown of the Lions in the semifinal, stacking on five unanswered goals in the opening stages of the term to turn their deficit into an 11-point lead. But the Bulldogs were able to wrestle back the momentum in the closing stages of the quarter, with a captain’s goal from Denholm King followed up by majors from Nitschke and Baiden Parsons.