by Rob Popplestone
Two deserving sides in Yinnar and Foster clashed in a preliminary final on Saturday that would only offer one club the chance to take the next step - and a place in the senior football grand final.
In the end it was Yinnar who would come out on top, having won 11.9 (75) to 6.6 (42) to book their spot against Fish Creek.
The Magpies had already tasted success earlier in the day, not once but twice, as the club's under 18s and reserves teams had won their way through to the big dance with victories over MDU and Newborough respectively, but there was little doubt it was a senior win that they were after. And that was what they achieved in no uncertain terms.
There was a sense of urgency about Foster early, their ball use and composure under pressure setting them up with an early lead in tricky, windy conditions.
Two goals for the Tigers put the Magpies under some real pressure in the first ten minutes as Yinnar struggled to find their way forward and even when they did, poor ball use and decision making was causing unnecessary turnovers.
It was only after some undisciplined play by Foster's gun forward Jake Best that allowed Magpie Ben Cheffers a free kick on goal, the youngster slotting it through for his team's first score of the game at the 16-minute mark.
The goal had Yinnar up and about, but still trailing by eight points.
The Tigers responded well - Todd Bastion goaled after being awarded a free kick 30 out from goal which put his side back out to a lead of 14.
That was before Michael Cooke sent his side into the first break with a 20-point lead after kicking Foster's fourth with a goal after the siren,, creating some real concerns for Yinnar.
Magpie Nathan Rowley was doing his best to work his team back into the game, but the finishing of his team mates were letting the side down, the windy conditions proving hard to navigate.
The talented Stuart Patten wasn't having the best of luck up forward for Yinnar and the frustrations of things not going their way was starting to spread throughout the side as they struggled to reel the Tigers in.
It was only after a miraculous goal from Josh Bugeja that things started to roll for Yinnar, a second major for the quarter soon followed when Patten slotted through his first that sent his side into the main break still trailing by eight points but with a renewed belief that they were well and truly in the game.
Foster's Jake Best got his second of the day, and the first of the third quarter after a down field free kick, before Yinnar's Flynn Schill goaled nicely.
Foster was now finding it hard to shrug off the Magpies side, and when Ben Cheffers got on the end of some Kane Grinstead-Jones magic to goal it was game on, with a grand final position up for grabs.
Patten goaled beautifully from the boundary just before time on and all of a sudden, from nowhere, Yinnar had hit the lead, their running brigade causing some huge problems for Foster.
Jake Best momentarily stopped the Magpies' momentum, reading the ball nicely off hands and converting his third to take the lead back for his Tigers, but just when you thought that would be it, Grinstead-Jones booted a major to send his side into the final break as five-point leaders.
Luke Cheffers was gifted a goal from that man again Grinstead-Jones and Yinnar extended the lead to two goals in the early minutes of the final quarter, before Dean Linton quickly got another for the Magpies and the whole momentum of the game had changed.
The Magpies were now away and a grand final was within their sights.
The talented teenagers of the Magpies continued to run the game out and eventually it all proved too much for Foster.
Yinnar proved to be too quick, too classy and the longer the game went the greater the lead became, eventually winning by 33 points, and now with the rare honour of having all three grades through to the last weekend of the year.
Yinnar coach Sam McCulloch called his side's second half "very pleasing."
"We gained some confidence and played our brand of footy. Great to bounce back after a disappointing loss last week and a lot of players who were down responded in the right manner," he said.
For Foster coach Sam Davies, it was a lament for what could have been.
"(We) started really well and thought we were on top for a lot of the first half. We lost our way in the contest and set up in the second half and let Yinnar play to their strengths," he said.
"Injuries got us again early to key players which killed our mid rotations. Always proud of the group and can never question their efforts."
Yinnar will now face off with Fish Creek in Saturday's grand final as they aim to reverse their 22-point loss to the Kangaroos in the qualifying final.