Geraldton Red take out minor premiership as Blue fall just short of finals berth

The final round of the Batavia League season saw Geraldton Red secure the minor premiership over their Golden counterparts and set them on course for back-to-back titles.

The defending champion Reds only took the top spot on the ladder for the first time all season last round but are seemingly timing their run perfectly as they smashed Mullewa 94-46 to finish top.

It is the second-highest shot count anyone team has put up all season, just behind Geraldton Gold’s 95 in round eight, with most of the damage coming in the second rink where they picked up an incredible 40 shots to five.

They easily took home all six points to finish 4.5 points ahead of Gold who stumble into the finals on the back of two straight upset losses.

After falling to Wonthella Green to slip out of first last week they drew with cellar dwellers Denison White 57 shots each and lost on points 2.5 to 3.5.

It is only the third game Denison has not lost this season and breaks a run of eight straight losses thanks to wins on rinks one, by 10 shots, and two, by three shots which were enough to split match points despite a 13-shot defeat in rink three.

Geraldton Blue did all they could to stay in finals contention with a 77-44 shot drubbing of Wonthella Maroon.

Starting the round seven points back of Denison Blue in fourth they took the full six points on offer thanks to a 33-8 shot win on rink two bookended by three shot wins on one and three.

With a better percentage than Denison, they just needed them to drop one rink in order to sneak into finals.

However, Denison held their nerve easily winning rinks two and three over Wonthella Gold while they held on in rink one winning by a single shot to secure fourth spot.

They finish equal on points with Wonthella Gold who after dominating the first half of the year, winning seven of their first nine games, lost five of their next nine to finish a distant third to the Geraldton squads.

Wonthella Green easily accounted for Northampton 76-48 despite a two-shot loss in rink three to finish outright sixth.

Finals will take place on March 11 after country week.

Final Season Ladder