Marrar overcome injury to Zach Walgers to beat Northern Jets in qualifying final

The Bombers set up a showdown with The Rock-Yerong Creek after outlasting the Jets in wet conditions, 6.8 (44) to 3.12 (30) in the qualifying final at Robertson Oval.

But Marrar's premiership credentials will be put to the test with assistant coach Zach Walgers going down with a hamstring injury and playing no part in the second half.

The loss of Walgers added merit to a big win by the Bombers, who responded with their backs against the wall in the final term.

The Jets, who had wasted a number of opportunities throughout the day, closed within one point early in the final term when Chris Bell kicked his first goal of the game.

But Toby Lawler, who looked done for the day with an ankle injury, reemerged to kick a crucial goal, before Josh Staines sealed the win with a snap from the pocket in the final minute.

Marrar coach Cal Gardner was rapt with the character of his group.

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"It's a huge win. A good four quarter effort from us as well, which is pleasing," Gardner said.

"We dug deep in the conditions as well. They probably don't favour any team in particular, I don't think, but it was good to see us go for a full four-quarter effort."

Challenged by the Jets on a number of occasions throughout the day, Gardner believes it was the Bombers' 'will to win' that was the difference.

"I just think it was a will to win," he said.

"We just have this belief that we can match it against the best and I think we proved that today.

"It's just the inner belief that we have within our boys."

The reigning premiers went in as underdogs and externally weren't given much chance of rolling the in-form Jets, who entered finals on the back of a 145-point thumping of Barellan.

But Gardner said the lack of hype around Marrar is something that galvanises the group.

"That's fine, it doesn't faze me on bit, it actually gets us going if anything," he said.

"No one has really talked about us or backed us to go the full-length this year but we have this belief within our four walls that we can do something special.

"I wouldn't say it's arrogance or ignorance or anything like that, we just have a belief that within ourselves and that showed today with our will to win."

Marrar's pressure and tackling throughout the contest was exceptional and it forced the Jets into an unusual amount of mistakes.

The Bombers were brilliant across half-back with Bryce Mann proving dominant with his intercept work, while Jordan Hedington's drive from defence was first class.

Liam James won the battle on the league's leading goalkicker, Matt Wallis, restricting him to two goals, that were both kicked inside the opening eight minutes of the second term.

Lawler won a stack of ball on the wing, while Chris O'Donnell, Cane Graetz and Matt Rynehart were all influential.

Walgers may have played no part in the second half but he probably performed the most pivotal play of the day midway through the second term when the Jets were 10 points up. He ran 25 metres to chase down Nate Doyle and was awarded a free kick 45 metres out from goal. He went back and kicked truly, the play swung the momentum as the Bombers kicked the next two to lead by nine points at half-time.

The Jets had their chances. They opened the game with the first four scores, all behinds, while they threatened again early in the second and led by as much as 10 points.

Northern Jets coach Jack Harper was the chief offender in front of goals, finishing with 0.4.

Sam Fisher intercepted strongly in defence for the Jets and was one of their best, while Jeromy Lucas won plenty of ball through the midfield.

Full-time

Marrar Bombers 1.2 4.4 4.7 6.8 (44)

Northern Jets 0.4 2.7 2.11 3.12 (30)

GOALS: Marrar Bombers: A.Kent 1, T.Lawler 1, J.Staines 1, C.Gardner 1, J.Hedington 1, Z.Walgers 1; Northern Jets: M.Wallis 2, C.Bell 1

BEST: Marrar Bombers: B.Mann, L.James, H.Reynolds, T.Lawler, J.Moye, A.Kent; Northern Jets: S.Fisher, J.Lucas, L.Haddrill, N.Doyle, A.Flagg, M.Tidd.

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