With one quarter to go on Saturday it seemed the Dubbo Demons might finally be heading back to the AFL Central West's biggest day.
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But the one thing the Demons have lacked this season is a consistent showing across four quarters and that trend continued on Saturday as the Dubbo side suffered a heartbreaking semi-final loss to the Bathurst Giants.
The Demons led by 21 points heading into the final term but the last quarter belonged to a rampant Giants side which booted six goals to run out 10.12.72 to 8.9.57 victors and ensured an all-Bathurst grand final clash against Bushrangers.
"The whole group was gutted," captain Bevan Charlton-White said.
"Once they (Giants) got on a run we couldn't wrestle back the momentum.
"It was difficult at that point and unfortunately we've talked all season about being inconsistent across games or quarters.
"We hadn't really put four quarters of really solid footy together. There's always lapses and on Saturday it was pretty costly."
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After trailing by four at the first quarter the Demons soon kicked into gear.
A four-goal second term had them up by 13 at the main break and that lead grew in the third quarter.
Charlton-White booted five of the eight goals kicked as swift ball movement and quality delivery allowed him to thrive.
"We looked super click and did some damage up forward but we probably wasted a few opportunities in the first three quarters," the captain said.
"We could have been ahead by more so we rue a few missed opportunities and could have created some more scoreboard pressure and put the game beyond doubt."
The Giants received an almighty spray from assistant coach Shane Broes before the final quarter and it had a real impact on the side.
"He absolutely unleashed with one of the best sprays I have heard for a long time. It was fantastic," Giants head coach Mark Kennedy said.
"I know sometimes those things don't work. If they are done all the time on a regular basis, they can roll their eyes with it, but this really lit the guys up."
The Giants dominated the final quarter and only allowed the Demons to kick three behinds to secure a famous win for the club.
Next weekend will mark the first time the Giants have played in a grand final while the Demons are left to wonder what could have been.
The season, while disrupted by COVID-19, began with real promise as an injection of players added to the quality and depth in the club and it showed as the Demons started with three straight wins.
But there wasn't a lot of joy after that and the side was also rocked by the suspension and subsequent resignation of coach Steve Smith following an off-field matter last month.
"There's two ways to look at it," Charlton-White said of the season.
"We obviously had a few challenges this year and the way everyone responded to that was positive and I'm proud of the group for that.
"But you can't help but feel a sense of disappointment and that we underachieved because we know our best form was good enough but we weren't consistent enough to get the results we wanted."
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
