WHEN Calder Cannons coach Martin Allison took a peek outside the window on Saturday morning, it looked as if anything but blue skies were ahead.

With persistent rain falling and a spot on the TAC Cup preliminary final on the line against Geelong Falcons, a team, which had defeated them twice during the home-and-away season, the odds were stacked against the Cannons before the first bounce.

But, to Allison’s delight, his charges produced a disciplined and committed performance to win the cut-throat final at Visy Park by 25 points, 11.9 (75) to 7.8 (50).

The Cannons’ four-goal opening term set the platform for success. Calder also restricted Geelong to just one goal in the first half and led by 35 points at the main break.

“(Geelong Falcons) are a very impressive outfit, and we probably thought the conditions suited their style of footy rather than ours,” Allison said.

“It was very pleasing, particularly the way we went about it. It was played in wet conditions and there is a lot of surface water at Visy Park.

“I just thought we set ourselves up in the first quarter by just going hard at the footy.

“It was just important to get away to a good start and the margin at quarter-time ended up being the end margin, so it was very satisfying.

“I felt as though we might have had the edge on them had it been a sunny day. To be frank, when I look back, I was really concerned that the ball was going to be on a deck a little bit more often, and that might have suited the Geelong style (of play).

“I thought our guys really controlled those contests, where the ball was in dispute. It was certainly one of our better (performances of the year).”

While Allison did not get the rays of sunshine he was after, he was left beaming by a best-on-ground performance from Tom Sullivan.

The midfielder, who kicked two goals, revelled in the difficult conditions and helped the Cannons gain the upper hand in the crucial exchanges.

Brandyn Grenfell was a standout in defence, while Mitchell Wallis, Thomas Liberatore and Dion Prestia added the required pinch of panache through the middle.

Essendon international rookie David Meli led the way up forward with three goals, while Luke Mitchell pocketed two.

The Cannons, who won the premiership from sixth spot last season, are in with a realistic shot at back-to-back flags.

They have won their past four matches, including two finals, and look to be finding their best form at the right end of the year.

Calder finished in seventh spot at the end of the regular rounds and will meet minor premier Dandenong Stingrays on Saturday for a spot in the season-decider at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 19 September.

Meanwhile, Northern Knights was eliminated from the finals race on Sunday, after a 14-point loss against Gippsland Power.

The Knights led by 19 points at the final change, but a goalless last quarter resulted in a 12.10 (82) to 10.8 (68) loss.

Darcy Barden and Jordan Treloar kicked three goals each for the Knights.