The Toronto Dingos season came to a heartbreaking end on Saturday in the 2024 AFL Ontario Grand Final, where they went down to the Toronto Rebels by just three points, in what was a game for the ages.
The first quarter set the tone of what both teams, and their fans, could expect for the rest of the game with neither team able to grab much ascendancy. The midfield battle was an arm wrestle, with both teams playing bruising football and congestion around the ball making it difficult for either team to extract the ball with meaningful movements forward. This tussle ended with both teams tied up with only 2 behinds registered at the first break.
As the second quarter got under way the game began to open up for both sides. The Rebels were first to impact the scoreboard when they were able to get a couple of goals through swift play in the midfield and attackers getting out the back. As the quarter wore on the Dingos defenders and midfield we're able to get some ascendancy and push the ball forward in the classic Dingos fashion that we had come to expect over the 2024 season. However, unable to capitalize on the forward entries the Dingos went into the main break down by 10 points 1.4 (10) to 3.2 (20).
The Dingos knew that the Rebels were never going to just rollover when the going got tough, and that was definitely the case in the third quarter. The Rebels made the most of the forays forward with another three goal quarter, whilst the Dingos were able to put in their best quarter thus far from a goal scoring perspective with Ben Sinclair & Rob McNaughton kicking truly. This set up what was to be an epic final quarter of the 2024 season, with the Rebels holding a two goal lead heading into the final break.
With a premiership on the line, the Dingos midfield of Beks, Hogarth & Talbot got to work extracting the footy and giving the forwards the best opportunity to close the gap. Whilst the Dingos were unable to capitalize on these efforts early in the quarter, relentless pressure from the forward and midfield group on Rebel kick outs provided the team many opportunities to score.
The goal drought was finally broken when veterans Michael Ladd and Rob McNaughton combined for a clean forward entry that saw Noddy grab his third goal for the game and bring the margin to just 4 points. The Dingos kept pushing their agenda with effort upon effort and entry upon entry, and were finally able to grab their first lead since early in the first quarter, when Bodnar Medalist Brayden Beks kicked truly to give the Dingos the lead with just under 10 minutes remaining.
The game quickly returned back to the arm wrestly we had seen in the first quarter, with neither team able to get clean footy and clear the lines, until the Rebels began a counter after a Dingos behind. The ball travelled quickly up the south wing where player numbers were sparse and Rebels began their final roll of the dice.
As the ball was sent into the Rebels attack, Dingos defender Chris Jepsen, who had battled manfully in the backline all day, completed a diving spoil that most would have thought would put an end to the attack. However, a fortuitus bounce saw the ball land in Rebel hands where it was quickly sent to the goal square for the final goal of the game.
The Rebels walked away with their second Premiership in two years, ending the Dingos season in heartbreak 5.13 (43) to 7.4 (46).
Goals: R. McNaughton (3), B. Beks, B. Sinclair
Best: B. Beks, K. Hogarth, R. McNaughton C. Jepsen, M. Bocian
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