IT WAS an ideal day for Central Murray football with some cloud and very little wind when Swan Hill and Kerang met in Saturday's qualifying final.
The two sides lined up to do battle for the honour of playing Balranald next week, with Kerang winning by 37 points.
The first quarter was a fiery opening with Kerang only seven points up.
The good crowd that turned out for the day was not disappointed with the opening quarter with both teams going in hard after the ball.
Hugh Foott, Lachy Foott and Corey Kelly for Swan Hill and Troy Thamm and Christopher Gibson for Kerang treated the spectators to some strong overhead pack marks.
Goal kickers in the first quarter for Kerang were Troy Thamm, Paul Grayling and Brett White with two.
Swan Hill goals came from Lachy Foott, Jared Halligan and Corey Kelly.
Brett White, Gregory Dickson, and Travis Matheson were effective players for Kerang, with Hugh Foott, Xavier Moloney and Callan Beasy best for Swan Hill in the first term.
The second quarter looked like being a second helping of the first, with no quarter being given.
Kerang's ruckman Troy Kelm was starting to get the better of the ruck duels. Grayling, Travis Matheson, Greg Dickson and Christopher Gibson were getting on top of their game, and then in the latter part of the quarter their smaller players became active around the field.
At this stage Kerang was looking the better team.
Beasy was a standout for Swan Hill while other good contributors were Brian Burke, Justin Davies and Joshua Rankins who was keeping a close check on Thamm.
Moloney broke loose from his tag and took a couple of screamers. Beasy and Leighton Dullard kicked Swan Hill's two goals to keep the Swans in the hunt.
Goals to Grayling, Brandon Hayes and Ryan Gillingham took Kerang to a half time lead of 7.7 (49) to Swan Hill 5.3 (33).
At half time the game was still in the balance but the Blues stepped on the gas in the third quarter and then really ran away with the game early in the last quarter.
In the third quarter Kerang began to exert its authority and it looked like Swan Hill might be running out of legs.
Kerang had most of the play with Kelm winning most of the tap outs, and Brett White getting kicks all over the ground.
Matheson, Tye Manuel, Joshua Bray and Gillingham were all playing well which allowed Kerang's bevy of busy smaller players to come into the play.
Brandon Hayes showed up with some brilliant flashes of play.
The last quarter was all Kerang with the strength of Josh Coulter, White, Grayling, and Chris Gibson having a big impact on the game.
They allowed the Blues' smaller players in Gillingham and Bradlee Pay to find space and drive the ball forward.
Early goals to Coulter and Grayling sounded the death knell for Swan Hill.
Thamm, who had been having a lean day, bobbed up with two good marks for two goals.
Pay chipped in with one more before Hugh Foott goaled for Swan Hill.
Kerang was about eight goals up and may have taken the foot off the pedal, which allowed Swan Hill to rally in the last six minutes with two more goals from Brett Pekin.
Both teams came out of the game with no serious injuries,
Swan Hill could have two players return next week and is confident it can regroup for its clash with Tooleybuc/Manangatang.
Kerang should be strengthened by the return of Pioneers player Martin Kelly as it prepares for the clash with last year's premier Balranald this weekend.
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