GSFL 2025: Sharks beat Kangas in thrilling one-point overtime colts finish, Royals claim reserves, 16s berth

Albany won an overtime thriller in the colts, beating North Albany by a single point to book a Great Southern Football League grand final berth on Saturday. It looked like a runaway preliminary final win for the Sharks, who were leading by 18 points going into the long break, until the Kangas, led by Regan Christensen (two goals) and Colby Felton (one) came out swinging with three goals in the third term at Sounness Park. As the Kangas trimmed the margin to a slim three-points, things worsened for the Sharks, as Teasjaun Woods hobbled off with an injury four minutes before the last change siren sounded and Declan Reid missed a set shot that landed in the murky puddle pooling around the goal posts. Another major from Rory Sutherland in the final term put the Kangas ahead for the first time, before a series of Sharks behinds left scores locked at 32 apiece and sent the final to overtime. Despite remaining goalless for the entire second half, it was a single Sharks point in the first five minutes of overtime that was the decider. As they switched sides for the second five-minutes, Kangas just couldn’t manage another score leaving the Sharks to snare victory and a grand final spot with the 4.9 (33) to 5.2 (32) win. Christensen and Sutherland (both two) were key for the brave Kangas as Luke Pickering, Darcy Roberts, Bodhi Gregory and Henry Smith were all influential. Sharks were led to victory by Reid, James Taylor, Clay Harrington and Caleb Coffey, while Tom Bradshaw (two) was pivotal to applying scoreboard pressure. Royals claimed a tense reserves preliminary final, with Denmark-Walpole wasting two late chances to win the game as their season came to an end. The Lions led for much of the contest but were challenged late in the piece by a determined Magpies side that willed the ball forward at all costs. Cord Brunings had a set shot from a tight angle that missed and then Jack Hickey had a shot after the siren to win the game but played on and the kick didn’t count, as the Lions clung on by five points. The Lions kicked two goals in the first and two in the second, leading by 10 points at the long break. The Magpies kicked the only major of the third but their comeback fell short, as the Lions progressed 5.6 (36) to 4.7 (31). Shane Ugle was important with two goals for the winners while Brendan Girak booted three majors in a losing affair. Royals progressed to the 16s grand final after an upset win over Albany early in the day. The Lions kicked a goal in every quarter, despite the trying conditions, on their way to a 22-point victory. William Baldwin, Will Berry, Robert Blair and skipper Seth Laudehr kicked majors as the Lions made it through to the decider, 4.8 (32) to 1.4 (10). The Sharks were knocked out in straight sets, with their only goal coming via Duggan Wilkes in the second term.