Werribee is in to its first VFL grand final in almost two decades after defeating the Brisbane by 30 points in a home Preliminary Final at Avalon Airport Oval.

The Big W’s incredible run of consecutive wins is now at 17 games thanks to the 14.10 (94) to 9.10 (64) result against the Lions and they’ll now face minor premier Gold Coast in the decider after the Suns overcame Box Hill by 15 points at Heritage Bank Stadium.

Kye Declase produced another stellar finals display with a game-high 32 disposals and a sealing goal, with Dom Brew outstanding once more with 25 touches, 10 clearances and nine tackles, while Sam Clohesy again impressed across halfback collecting a career-best 25 disposals and 13 marks.

Up forward Hudson Garoni bounced back from a disappointing Qualifying Final and bagged four goals to take his tally to 44 this season with Connor Thar snagging three in his first VFL outing since May 8.

Captain Nick Coughlan lead the effort in defence with 19 possessions and 7 marks alongside another strong showing from Nathan Cooper with a team-high eight intercepts.

Werribee got off to another good start in front of an even bigger crowd than the one that turned out two weeks prior.

Snapped goals from Nick Hayes and Shaun Mannagh inside the opening eight minutes gave the home team an early lead and when Garoni fired his first after staying down in a marking contest the hosts had a 17-point buffer with seven and half minutes still to play in the first quarter.

An early Brisbane goal was the only score for more than 14 minutes to start the second term but the Big W would eventually respond with Garoni kicking truly from 30 metres out.

A third major for the Lions cut the margin to just five points but Werribee answered back emphatically, closing out the half with three unanswered goals. The first via Thar, back in the side for his first game since Round 8, with Garoni’s third and Josh Porter’s first coming soon after to give the hosts a 23-point advantage at the main break.  

The Lions dominated the first 15 minutes of the third quarter but were unable to take advantage on the scoreboard kicking five consecutive behinds before eventually adding a goal.

Unlike Brisbane, Werribee would make the most of its chances when they finally came in the second half of the term, kicking four of the next five goals through Hayes, Thar, Garoni and Noah Lever to increase its lead to 32 points ahead of the last.

Some nervousness set in across Avalon Airport Oval when Brisbane fired through the first three goals of the final quarter inside eight minutes, reducing the margin to 16 points. However, with Hayes moving behind the ball, the experienced utility and Coughlan gathered some key intercepts to help the Big W see off any further inroads from the Lions.

Porter then provided an important steadier at the at the 20-minute mark before one more Brisbane goal, but that was followed by majors to Declase and Thar who iced the game in the final stages.

Werribee’s ability to score on the counter-attack was on full display against the Lions with 10 of their 14 goals coming off turnovers brought on by some outstanding pressure as the hosts out-tackled the visitors 65-43.

Werribee now takes its place in a first grand final since 2005. The Tigers suffered a nine-point defeat to Sandringham that day in what was only their second decider since the club's lone VFA/VFL premiership 30 years ago when they comfortably defeated Port Melbourne in the final match of the 1993 season.

Werribee: 3.2 7.3 11.5 14.10 (94)
Brisbane: 1.3 3.4 5.9 9.10 (64)

GOALS
Werribee: H. Garoni 4, C. Thar 3, N. Hayes 2, J. Porter 2, S. Mannagh, K. Declase, N. Lever.
Brisbane: T. Abberley, B. Coleman, K. Dunkley, D. Fort, R. Mathieson, D. McDowell-White, J. Prior, H. Sharp, H. Smith.

BEST
Werribee: S. Clohesy, D. Brew, N. Cooper, K. Declase, H. Garoni, N. Hayes.

PRELIMINARY FINAL IMAGE GALLERY - VIEW HERE