GNFL Round 14 action: Finals set as GNFL home-and-away season wraps up with Rams winning second place

The Great Northern Football League’s home-and-away season came to an end with the conclusion of round 14 on the weekend. The Brigades are officially the minor premiers for the 2023 season, walking away with an impressive 11-1 record after only falling to Northampton in round two. The Rams claimed second on the ladder after coming away with victory from the weekend’s clash with Railways. With both teams fully aware how important the win could be for their season going into finals, it was the Rams who came out on top with a dominating win. In what was the biggest game of the season for the Blues, they failed to put any scoring pressure on the board while the Rams had their way with the game, claiming the 12.12 (84) to 3.7 (25) win. Northampton had eight individual goal kickers in the win to the Railways’ two. Trent Simpson booted three goals and Jaden Poletti and Harry Taylor each kicked two. The Blues had just two goals from Jesse Adamini and one from Dion Anthony, with no other players managing to hit the board. In the other games across the league, the Brigades finished Chapman Valley’s season and handed them a 100-point loss, as Jack Perham kicked seven goals for the Hawks in the 18.14(122) to 3.4(22) win over the Royals. The clash between the Towns and the Rovers looked competitive throughout the whole match, with the Demons hanging on to claim the 14.9(93) to 10.13(73) win over the Bulldogs. James Simmons kicked four and Drew Forrester kicked three for the losing side. After a massive few weeks for The Rams, Harry Taylor ended the season as the league’s leading goal kicker with 45 to his name in the nine games he played this season. Stats man Victor Tanti said the 25 points that Railways mustered was the lowest in club history against Northampton, beating their previous low of 28 from 1967. The Hawks finished their season with a winning percentage of 327.22 per cent as minor premiers, which is the second highest on record at the end of the regular season. The Towns’ 362.97 per cent in 2006 still holds the record. Now the finals are here, the venues and times are still yet to be announced but the first round will see the Brigades face off against Northampton while Railways will face the Rovers in a do-or-die clash. The loser of the first game will take on the winner of the second game.