SOUTH Alice Springs and Pioneer emerged as winners on week one of the CAFL finals.
Minor premiers Souths beat Federal by 37 points in the second semi-final, presenting first year coach Chris Forbes with the club's first grand final appearance since 2019.
And the Rovers era of five successive premierships came to end when nine-goal forward Pioneer Matt Campbell piloted a hard fought seven-point win over the Double Blues in the elimination first semi-final.
"I'm the happiest bloke in the world right now,'' Forbes said after Souths' 13.19 (97) to 9.6 (60) win over the Demons.
"Credit to Federal, we knew they were undermanned and they fought it right to the final siren.''
Forbes lost his mother Anthea earlier this month and was gratified by his side's seventh straight win since losing to Rovers in Round 8.
"It's been a big week losing mum and it's great the players were able to win the final for the supporters, myself and most importantly, themselves.''
Goalkicker Marcus McDonald and Keegan Weily will return for Federal in Saturday's preliminary final against Pioneer as coach Isaac Ankers looks to his side to show the confidence and poise that got the red and whites to second position on the ladder.
Former North Melbourne goalsneak Campbell's cameo performance in front of goals inspired a Pioneer win in the first semi-final.
"I could have kicked another four or five if I'd held onto some marks in the last quarter,'' Campbell said.
"Rovers made us work for the win and we just couldn't put them away despite being six goals in front at one stage.
"If Chris Williams' late snap for Rovers hadn't been touched we would have led by just two points with a bit of time left, so we nearly paid the price for letting them back in.''
Rovers coach Danny Measures announced his retirement from coaching after the game.
"That's enough for me, it's been a long road and I want to do something else during the footy season,'' he said.
"We hung in there all season despite a major player exodus and in fact were coming at them hard in the last quarter before running out of time.''
In women's football Alkamilya advanced to next week's preliminary final against West Alice Springs with a convincing 23-point win over South Alice Springs.
The Panthers pounced in the first two quarters when they booted six goals to nil to take a 40-point lead into the main break.
Souths showed a lot of courage to outscore their opponents in the second half, including four goals without a miss in the last term.
But it was Alkamilya's night, with the joint Shaun Cusack-Cyril Rioli coached side bouncing back to their best form in the all-important elimination final.
"That (first half) was probably our best two quarters for the year,'' Cusack said post match.
"The girls played really well as a team and deserved the win. Kaitlyn Armstrong up forward with her three goals, Jasmine Boyers through the midfield and Lia Liversidge-Rosas playing off half back were very good for us.''
In the grand final qualifying second semi-final, minor premier Rovers overcame a slow start to overhaul a determined Wests and win by 19 points.
The Double Blues are seeking a premiership threepeat after winning the 2020 and 2021 flags and Warren Lally's side have a week's rest to contemplate the task before them and their grand final opponents.
Wests kicked the first two goals of the game while keeping the reigning premier scoreless in the first quarter,
But the Rovers machine swung into action in the second and their terms, kicking six goals to nil to lead by 24 points at the last change.
Renee Smith in the ruck was the game changer for Rovers, midfielder Lara Harding and Millie Jaine on a wing on a wing were standouts for the blue jumpers on their return to the second Saturday in September
"We always start slowly and it took until about 10 minutes in the last quarter for us to get control of the match,'' Lally said.
"Westys kicked the first couple of goals but only kicked another one for the rest of the game, so we were pretty happy with the end result.''
Bloods coach Alicia Stanley will work towards consistency over four quarters when Wests meet Alkamilya in Friday night's preliminary final.
Stanley pointed to Hannah Murdoch and Maddy Tickle up forward and Florence Bourke's run off half-back as big plusses in the loss.
Mt Allan are Division 1 Community champions after beating Papunya by five points in a thrilling grand final at Traeger Park on Sunday.
A soccer goal by Jessiah Cook with three and a half minutes left on the timeclock won the game for Mt Allan.
Spectators and commentators needed heart pills in a game where the lead changed seven times, Mt Allan and South Alice Springs spearhead Daniel Stafford kicking five goals in a matchwinning performance.
Liam and Nehemiah Long and Ammoniah Turner down back were other good players for the premiers, while the electrifying Jessiah Minor through the middle, Henry Driffen in the centre and Lindsay Rowe stood up for Papunya.
Veteran Papunya forward Franklin booted three goals in what might have been his last game, teammate Shane Inkamala was always dangerous with his three goals and Travis Smith was Papunya's best defender.
