Third-placed Tongala was too good for sixth-placed Numurkah at Moama Recreation Reserve on Saturday, pouncing on the navy Blues early for a commanding lead.
The double Blues’ lead ballooned out to as many as 12 goals in the second term, placing Numurkah with an uphill battle to keep its season alive.
But Tongala came gunning out for a victory and would not relinquish its lead, with Milly Brock’s 42 goals powering a 57-49 victory.
Tongala will face Rumbalara next week, after Rumba beat Moama in Sunday’s elimination final at Tongala Recreation Reserve.
After a one-goal thriller between the pair last week, the match was marked down as a potential thriller, but Rumbalara didn’t let its supporters lose fingernails this time around.
Taking lessons and learnings out of the 51-50 escape, Rumbalara turned up a rejuvenated unit on Sunday to unleash on the Mowers early.
Moama kept within touching distance in the first term, trailing 14-11 at the quarter-time break, but Rumba would explode in the second term to take a 31-21 lead at the half.
The Mowers would show some fight to restrict Rumba in the second half, but the damage had been done.
Rumbalara extended its advantage to 14 goals by three-quarter-time, and while Moama returned a last-gasp punch to cut the lead by five goals, Rumbalara’s premiership defence lives on through a 54-45 result.
Desmond Morgan’s 38 goals led the charge for Rumba, while young gun Djuralillie Weston held Moama’s Holly Swatton to 18 goals.
Top two finishers Nathalia and Mulwala will clash as the competition’s titans next Saturday at Rumbalara Recreation Reserve at 2:00pm, while Tongala and Rumbalara play a cut-throat semi-final on Sunday at Scott Reserve, Cobram.
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