The Saints scored just the one goal for the term, through Judd Wright, and Nhill was deadly in cutting off the Saints’ attack as they tried to move the ball out of defence.
But while inefficient kicking for goal was their downfall, the Tigers knew how to run in straight lines and attack hard, resulting in goals to Driscoll and Ryan and Nhill hitting the lead by six points at half-time.
Nhill’s possession game continued in the third term, but the Saints were more efficient.
Three goals straight – two to Mitch Martin and one to Tom Vincent – reduced the margin to just three points, setting up a thrilling last quarter.
And what a last quarter it was.
The Saints looked in control early and hit the front, but with the Tigers’ never-say-die attitude, they replied with two quick goals to be back in front by one point eight minutes into the quarter.
However, the determined Saints were coming home strong, as a Codi Kenny goal allowed Horsham to reclaim the lead by four points.
A goal to Bailey Brennan gave the Saints a 10-pont buffer and the game’s momentum was swinging the way of the side that had finished second on the ladder.
But with Driscoll popping up everywhere and asserting his dominance, Nhill kicked another through Drew Schneider to put the margin at four points.
Another point to Nhill had many thinking: would their errant kicking for goal cost them a grand final berth?
Enter Peter Politis. The Darwin-based gun marked and as he lined up for goal, the final siren sounded.
A goal would see the Tigers in their first grand final since 2010.
And the forward did not let his side down, not only has he made a home for himself at Nhill, but on Saturday, he became their hero.
It felt like half of Nhill’s township ran onto the ground at Minyip to congratulate their team, as on the other side of the ledger, the Saints players slumped to the ground.
Nhill senior co-coach Jake McQueen said the win was ‘too close for comfort’ but he was thrilled to be leading his team into a grand final.
“ I don’t know if I’ll ever want to do it again because my heart was in my bloody throat, that’s for sure,” he said.
McQueen said Politis was stoked after the match.
“Funnily enough, one of his mates actually said to him when he was coming in ‘I reckon you’ll kick the goal after the siren to win today’, and I was just like ‘what the hell?’ What are the chances of that happening?,” he said.
McQueen said the scenes of jubilation by Tigers’ supporters after the win showed how much it meant to Nhill.
“It’d be huge if we could get over the line, not just for all the players, but the whole town – it’s buzzing at the moment so hopefully we can get the win,” he said.
“We’re trying to keep calm and work out how the whole day’s going to fall because it’s obviously different – a grand final. It’s not an ordinary week so we’re just trying to prepare as best as we can.”
While Ararat, which finished atop of the ladder and has won the past two premierships, go into the match as favourite, Nhill did score a four-point win over the Rats in round 16.
“We realise they had a few out that game and I understand they’ve got probably four or five to come in from the team we played, but we’re expecting it to still be a pretty good contest,” McQueen said.
“We’re primed and ready to go. It’s now going to be our 12th game in a row, so we’re match-hardened, that’s for sure. But in terms of everyone’s body and how they’re feeling, actually everyone’s pulled up pretty well, which is good.
“It means so much to every single lad that’s playing out there, so I know they’ll lift to another level.”
It is a different lead-up for the Rats, who had a week off in round one of the finals series, and then scored an eight-point win over the Saints to progress straight to the grand final, meaning they could enjoy another week off.
Ararat’s key midfielder Ben Taylor said the Rats were pumped for this weekend’s grand finals.
“It’s really buzzing now – I think this is the first time ever in history we’ve had all four grades of football,” he said.
“We had a really good hit-out Saturday morning before we went up and watched Nhill and Horsham Saints.
“So we’ll get stuck into it real hard Tuesday night, and then we’ll taper off a bit Thursday night, have a bit of fun with it, and then it’s all guns blazing on Saturday.”
Stawell’s Meka suspended
Stawell senior football co-coach Perry Meka has been suspended for four weeks for using abusive, insulting or obscene language towards an umpire.
Meka was reported in the Warriors’ 39-point first semi-final loss to Nhill at Dimboola on September 6.
The Warriors were knocked out the finals in straight sets after finishing third on the ladder.
It is the third time that Meka has been suspended in his past two seasons at Stawell.
Last year he served eight weeks’ suspension for two separate incidents.
Meka has told the Warriors he would not be coaching at Stawell in 2027.
Horsham City Oval
FOOTBALL –
8.30am: Under-14, Nhill v Ararat
10am: Under-17, Ararat v Horsham Demons
12pm: Reserves, Ararat v Horsham Saints
2.40pm: Seniors, Ararat v Nhill
NETBALL –
8.20am: 13-and-under, Horsham
Saints v Minyip-Murtoa
9.25am: 15-and-under, Horsham Demons v Stawell
10.30am: 17-and-under, Horsham Saints v Horsham Demons
11.55am: A Grade, Horsham Saints v Dimboola
1.15pm: B Grade, Horsham Saints v Horsham Demons
2.40pm: C Grade, Horsham Demons v Horsham Saints
3.45pm: C Reserve, Stawell v Horsham Demons
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