SWFL 2023: Busselton prove to be South Bunbury’s kryptonite once again in reserves finals series

South Bunbury’s luck in the reserves finals series against Busselton could be summed up by what took place at the 21-minute mark of the final quarter during Sunday’s reserves grand final against the Magpies at Payne Park. Trailing by 13 points and with time running out, Connor Valli took a mark 45m out from goal directly in front at the Herbert Road end. Upon marking the ball, the Tigers deputy vice-captain swiftly ran back on his line, appearing to prepare for a shot at goal. Instead, nearby umpires deemed he played on and Valli was crunched in a tackle by Tom Kusal and subsequently penalised for holding the ball. This decision ultimately popped South Bunbury’s premiership bubble, with the Magpies going on to claim a hard-fought 8.7 (55) to 6.7 (43) victory. Despite the Tigers ending the home-and-away season undefeated, Busselton defeated them twice during the finals. While South players and supporters may lament how their season ended, in contrast, Ben Perry’s Magpies have several reasons to be ecstatic with their fairytale ending. Competition for spots ahead of Sunday’s game was fierce at Sir Stewart Bovell Park, with 11 Magpies players unlucky to miss out in the premiership-winning line-up. Post-game, Perry was first to mention that his side’s second triumph over the Tigers was due to more than those wearing black and white jumpers out on the ground. “Over the last two years I’ve been coaching here, not one of the captains over this year or the last played in this game,” he said. “That’s a testament to how deep our squad has been and how hard people worked. Some out-worked others — and that should be a good lesson for everyone in life. “If you put in a lot, you will get a lot back — and those blokes who came in and replaced captains? It was unbelievable the work they did. Not just to get into this team, but to help put this performance on today. “It’s a credit to everyone really.” Busselton’s Kobi Howell received the Don Punch MLA Trophy, after being judged best on ground by the umpires.