Encounter Bay will face off with reigning premier Langhorne Creek on Saturday in the Great Southern Football League (GSFL) grand final after defeating Willunga by 40 points in the preliminary final at Victor Harbor on Saturday. Langhorne Creek will be gunning for a third consecutive ‘A’ grade flag while Encounter Bay last won in 2015. It was an even first quarter on Saturday with each side kicking three goals and Willunga taking a three point lead into quarter time. In the second term, the Bays continued their perfect record in front of goal as they pushed ahead to lead by eight points at halftime, 6.0 (36) to 4.4 (28). It was anyone’s game at halftime but the third quarter, as it so often does, proved crucial as Encounter Bay kicked four goals to one and took a very handy 28-point lead to three quarter time. Willunga had the aid of the breeze in the last quarter so there was still some hope but Encounter Bay snuffed out any chance the Demons had as they slammed on another five goals to two in the final stanza to win 15.2 (92) to 7.10 (52). The sides had the same amount of scoring shots but the Bays accuracy proved the difference. Tyson Neale kicked five goals for the victors and Nick Marshall kicked three. Mitch Portlock and Braden Altus each kicked two goals for Willunga. James Bradford, Callum Tonkin, Wade Sweetman, Neale and Hamish Tonkin were named in the best players for Encounter Bay while for Willunga, their best were James Collier, Lachlan Scott, Nick Scanlan, Brett Miegel and Jake Standfield. 

It’s all set up for a fantastic clash in the 'A' grade grand final at Langhorne Creek on Saturday and hopefully we get a similar match to when these two sides met in the second semi-final when Langhorne Creek prevailed by a point. Bring it on!

Grand Final fixtures (Saturday @ Langhorne Creek)

‘A’ grade: Langhorne Creek v Encounter Bay (2.00pm)

Reserves: McLaren v Langhorne Creek (12.15pm)

Grand Final fixtures (Sunday @ Strathalbyn)

Senior Colts: Encounter Bay v Willunga (12.30pm)

Junior Colts: Goolwa/Port Elliot v Willunga (10.30am)