The youth brigade at Pakenham was in full force with the Lions grinding out a gritty semi-final victory over Alexandra in week two of the Outer East Division 1 finals.
Facing elimination on Sunday at Woori Yallock Reserve, Pakenham prevailed in a highly-entertaining and gutsy contest full of momentum swings.
The first came from the Rebels, who booted the opening two goals, with skipper Edward Watkin converting his set shot before key forward William Stewart outmuscled his opponent, wheeled onto his left and snapped it through.
The Lions got their first through a quick transition down the wing, finding Kade Perkins tracking forward who played on and bent it home on his left boot.
A good kicking chain from halfback saw Lochie Menzel hit Sam Cachia before the key forward turned and laced out Tanner Stanton.
Stanton guided his long set shot home for Pakenham’s second.
Following that, a clever handball from Finn Nicholas inside 50 allowed Matt Vaiano to capitalise via a dribbler, before Mason Hall grabbed his first from a set shot.
Down the other end, Stewart ended the streak of four consecutive Lions goals when he marked and drilled a kick through the big sticks from 50.
Ed Aujard then collected the footy and snapped a goal for Alexandra before James Ahern hooked one home before the quarter time siren.
At the first change, Pakenham led 5.3(33) to 4.1(25).
Harry Prendergast burst through in the second and kicked to the advantage of Stewart, who clunked another mark and subsequently converted from close range.
A minute later, Watkin got through a hand-pass to Stewart and the superstar was having a day out as he placed it on the boot and watched it bounce through.
The Rebels then built a 10-point cushion after Jonathan Grimwade scooped up the footy and kicked truly.
The Lions responded with the final three goals of the half, scoring via a long Cachia set shot, Hall slotting one from the pocket after a free kick and Nicholas cashing out from 35 metres.
As the teams headed for the rooms, Pakenham had swiftly regained the scoreboard advantage 8.5(53) to 7.3(45).
The second half began with some Ben Green madness as the emerging talent took a colossal pack grab and goaled from a short distance.
Just a minute later, he used some quick thinking from a Vaiano miss, pouncing on a loose footy and soccered through a second in a matter of minutes.
Alexandra was unfazed, going through the corridor to hit up Stewart again, who belted his shot over the goal umpire’s head.
A free kick in the forward 50 for the Lions was paid advantage and Josh Haggar used the space to get his first.
Then, Vaiano added another by goaling from distance with his booming left boot.
Stewart continued to keep the Rebels in the game, slotting his fifth goal for the afternoon after drawing a free kick.
Watkin then made no mistakes from his set shot and suddenly Alexandra was back within nine points.
Just when the Rebels thought they had wrestled back the momentum heading into the last, Hall created something out of nothing by applying body, collecting the ball and miraculously snapping truly over his shoulder.
At the final change, Pakenham held a 13.5(83) to 10.8(68) buffer.
The Lions threatened early in the last before Hall provided the breakthrough.
He got out the back and slammed a curler on the boot, celebrating as he watched it bounce through.
But Alexandra wasn’t done yet.
Josh Edwards kicked a beauty off the run and Stewart was too good for his matchup again, physically overpowering his defender and marking in the square.
His seventh goal had the Rebels behind by less than two kicks at the 17 minute mark of the last.
However, Josh Trembath was awarded a free kick for a push in the back in a dangerous spot and he goaled to seal the game and send the Lions into the prelim.
The final score read a Pakenham victory 15.9(99) to 12.8(80).
“I asked the guys before the game to give us the best versions of themselves and for the most part of Sunday, guys gave the best version of themselves,” Lions senior coach Justin Stanton said.
“I think they were really good.
“A lot of them it was their second final after getting a good look last week and falling short.
“They took some learnings out of the first final which they took into Sunday.
“They still made some mistakes, but I was really pleased with their contributions and they all had moments throughout the day that certainly helped us and enabled us to maintain some sort of scoreboard pressure.
“Our planning was all centred around knowing Alexandra’s strength is their midfield, their asset up forward is Stewart and they’ve got backs that like to work collectively.
“We wanted to try and match their intensity around the stoppages and we thought we did that well and we used the footy well in most parts.
“When we were able to open up our forward line and isolate their defenders, we were able to capitalise.
“They all contributed where they could.”
With a young outfit and a crushing loss to Seville in the qualifying final, Stanton noted that the mindset was to keep things positive in the Pakenham camp.
He reassured his side that they didn’t just stumble into a semi-final.
“We had a real focus all week about remaining positive and reminding the playing group of all the good things they have done this year to get where they are,” he said.
“That continued into the game, we wanted to celebrate the little wins we were having throughout the game.
“They responded really well, they responded to constructive criticism and we got a response out of them, which was pleasing.
“I think the players kept focus pretty well, the players were composed.
“We took learnings out of last week’s loss, we’ll take learnings out of Sunday’s win and what will be will be.
“We’re tracking in the right direction, the young guys have got a taste of finals footy, they liked the feeling of winning on Sunday and they’re keen to have this journey continue.”
Hall led the Lions with four goals, while Green and Vaiano were the only other players with multiple goals (both with two).
10 different players found the goals in the win, something Stanton has preached all season long.
“That’s us in a nutshell,” he said of the deep goalkicking list.
“Scouting to play us as an opposition would be hard to work out who’s the most important person you need to stop.
“We just try and ensure the guys pick the best option going forward and whoever’s on the end of that hopefully takes their opportunity and executes.”
The emergence of Ryan in the finals series has been a marvel for the Pakenham faithful.
After a best-on-ground performance last week, he followed his good form by tearing up the midfield on Sunday.
His ability to win the footy and use it efficiently is beyond his years.
“He was terrific again,” Stanton said of Ryan.
“I thought Tanner (Stanton) and Luke in particular used the footy really well going inside 50.
“He won a lot of contested footy, he takes vital marks, pushes back to help out the backline, I thought he was outstanding.
“You get what you put in and he’s worked tirelessly doing a preseason at local level alongside a preseason at VFL level.
“He’s been enormous for us and the guys that play around him walk taller with him.
“He was really good.”
Ryan Martini, Jaiden Camenzuli, Tanner Stanton, Chris Cardona along with Hall were also among Pakenham’s best.
The Lions now advance to a preliminary final where Warburton Millgrove awaits.
The Burras were rolled by Seville in the second semi-final 19.12(126) to 9.8(62).
The winner of the matchup will face the Blues in the big dance.
But for now, Pakenham progresses.
