Busselton proved too strong in the final home and away match at Sir Stewart Bovell Park on Sunday, in round twenty one of the Dale Alcock Homes South West, South West Football League season.
The Magpies had to win their match against the Eagles and hope that South Bunbury could defeat Bunbury to finish minor premiers, and for most of the day that was how things played out, but in the end, the Bulldogs got up in a thrilling finish, leaving the Magpies to finish second, and to host Donnybrook in a Qualifying Final.
Busselton started the match strongly, keeping the Eagles scoreless through the opening term, but Busselton didn’t have it all their own way. The Magpies kicked five behinds before Bailey Sanford kicked the opening goal, on their way to a thirty one point lead at quarter time.
The behinds kept coming in the second term, and it would be Ryan Ekert who finally broke another run of behinds to put Busselton thirty seven points in front, before the Eagles kicked their first goal through Adam Justice. Justice played a great game and finished with five goals, with the Eagles twenty four points down at half time.
The Magpies went up a gear or two in the third term, kicking seven goals and keeping Collie scoreless for a second time, to extend the margin to 72 points at the final break. To the Eagles credit, they would win the final term, kicking four goals to two, but it would be a Magpie victory by 59 points. Liam Creighton kicked four goals for Busselton to win the SWFL League Goal Kicking for 2026.
Busselton will now face Donnybrook in a Qualifying Final next Saturday at Bovell Park, while Collie finished the season eighth, with six wins, their best result since 2020.
SCOREBOARD
Busselton 4.7.31 5.10.40 12.16.88 14.18.102
Collie Eagles 0.0.0 2.4.16 2.4.16 6.7.43
Goals: Busselton – Liam Creighton 4, Mitchell Cameron 2, Tom Kusal 2, Nathan Torre 2, Ryan Ekert 1, Brodie Howell 1, Brayden Lawler 1, Bailey Sanford 1. Collie Eagles – Adam Justice 5, Noah Stewart 1.
Best: Busselton – Mitchell Tenardi, Liam Creighton, Nathan Torre, Lucas Kemp, Jobi Hayward, Matt Welburn. Collie Eagles – Adam Justice, Jason Carter, Odinn Kirk, Paul Rinder, Noah Stewart, Brayden Murphy.
Ground: Sir Stewart Bovell Park
Umpires: Kevin Hutchins, Emma Hutchins (replaced at Quarter time by Jarrad Andrews)
Crowd: 583
Images courtesy of Sharyn Newlands