On paper, round 17 looked a pretty straight forward round to the tipsters, but Ainslie almost managed to pull off the upset of the year in drawing with Harman.
Despite coming off a convincing last start victory against the Jets, little hope was held for an Ainslie team against a Harman unit that had pushed ladder leaders ADFA all the way a week earlier.
However, things started brightly for the Tri-Colours, getting a couple of early goals kicking with the strong breeze at Harman Oval. Harman were forced into repeated error through excellent defensive pressure from Ainslie across the ground. However, indiscipline cost Ainslie as a 50 metre penalty resulted in a Harman goal. The sides traded goals for the remainder of the quarter for it to read 4.1 to 3.0 to Ainslie at the break.
Harman started brightly in the second, getting away a couple of goals to take the lead, but Ainslie hit back after Col Haining marked on the goal line and squared up to Thom Lemmon. Ainslie went on to boot another 3 for the quarter into the breeze, despite squandering a couple of chances to lead it at the main break 8.5 to 6.2
Harman again came out firing in the third with big man Josh Parsons starting to get on top up forward for the Hogs. Ainslie combated the onslaught with Joe Richardson's fourth for the game, but once again, wayward kicking cost them a bigger lead than their 7 point three-quarter time margin.
The final quarter was a torrid affair, with Ainslie going ahead early through Col Haining. The Hogs came right back though and drew level with a behind with just a few minutes remaining. Harman then hit the lead following a mix up on the ensuing kick-in, setting up a tense final few moments. Ainslie were able to clear from centre, before Jason Cox cleverly curled one around to tie it back up.
Ainslie were awarded a free kick at the subsequent bounce, but nothing was to come of it as the game ended in a draw, Harman 11.5 71 to Ainslie
10.11 71.
Woden's faint finals hopes were reliant on a huge winning score against Tuggeranong and a major upset at Amaroo, but the Blues failed to get out of second gear for the game. Gerrit Wanganeen kicked the first two of the game for the Hawks, but the Blues took some control to lead at every change and run out 6 goal victors over the gallant Hawks. ANU took on Gungahlin and locked in the final spot on the ladder, defeating the Jets by 192 points with Andrew Herman and Tim Robb kicking 6 each. ADFA defeated Murrumbidgee, with Kane Bell kicking three and Belconnen continued their roll with a 14 goal defeat of Eastlake.
The race to leading goalkicker is still incredibly tight, with Harman's Josh Parsons on 61, Andrew Herman on 59 and Heath Axelby on 58.
The final round of home and away sees ANU and Harman square off in preparation for the Elimination Final next week, ADFA hosting Tuggeranong and Belconnen tuning up against Gungahlin.
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