The Stingrays took to the field without their playmaker and star midfielder Tom Scully, who was out with an injured knee and was replaced by Jake Batchelor. The Cannons fired early, booting three goals, and at quarter-time had seven goals straight compared with the Stingrays' three goals, four behinds.

Both sides had the same inside 50s, clearances and disposals at the first change, with Madison Andrews, Luke Parker and Dylan Roberton all finding plenty of the ball for the Stingrays.

Six goals each in the second term reduced the margin to 19, but Calder's key forwards were causing the Stingrays' back line headaches.

Calder led by 19 points at half-time on the back of of some good supply from a talented midfield and some ineffective spoiling by the Stingrays backs.

The third term was an arm wrestle as both teams shored up their defences and forced the forwards to lead wide.

The Cannons outscored the Stingrays 2.5 to 1.4, and at the last change led by 26 points because of their better conversion rate up forward.

Dandenong's Ryan Bastinac was leading from the front and was getting good support from Mitch Hallahan, Mitch Gent, Rohan Kerr and Will Petropolous.

Halfway through the term, coach Graeme Yeats was forced to move the Stingrays' most effective forward Corey Millard into the back line to stop the dominance of the Cannons' key forwards.

The Stingrays needed a fast start in the last term and got it by kicking a goal early. As was the case for most of the night, the Stingrays could not kick back-to-back goals.

Both sides went goal for goal for rest of the term but the Cannons prevailed to win their fifth premiership in nine years, 17.10(112) to 14.14(98).

Yeats spoke at length to his charges after the game, and it was a case of mised opportunities, with many of the key Stingrays players going missing on the big stage. The difference between the good, high intensity of the previous week to the fumbling low-intensity efforts of some players proved costly.

To make the grand final for the third time in five years and again fall at the final hurdle will stick in the neck of the Stingrays for a while to come.

Stingrays 3.4 9.7 10.11 14.14 (98)

Cannons 7.0 13.2 15.7 17.10 (112)

Stingrays goals: Pitt 3, Kerr 2, Treloar, Millard, Bastinac, Amalfi, Cottrell, Petropolous, Shaw, Hallahan, McInnes

Best: Bastinac, Millard, Hallahan, Gent, Petropolous, Kerr.