A FIERCE local rivalry will be reignited when Kerang and Cohuna compete for the 2013 premiership tomorrow.
The Central Murray Football Netball League’s (CMFNL) grand finalists have both had stellar years, with the Blues losing just one game to the Mallee Eagles and the Kangas going down only to Kerang and, in the latter stages of the year, Tyntynder.
It was the Kangas that blinked first, however, when the Blues controlled the midfield — particularly in the second term — and went on to win the second semi-final by nine goals at Cohuna.
Also instrumental to the result was the job of under-rated backman Tom Brownbridge on high profile Kangas forward Angus Grigg.
Brownbridge did what seemingly no one else in the league has been capable of since Grigg came in to the Kangas’ line-up a few weeks into the season: he kept him under control.
Grigg’s two goals came after halftime and had little bearing on the result.
Another key match-up sees Christian Bock and Troy Kelm battling for rucking supremacy.
Experience is likely to be on Kerang’s side, with the Blues taking to the field in the senior grand final for the sixth consecutive year.
The Kangas, however, will be hoping for third time lucky after playing off in the Central Murray’s 1998 and 2000 grand finals.
On those occasions Cohuna went down to Tyntynder and Nyah Nyah West United respectively, and 2013 is the club’s first chance for redemption since.
Cohuna coach Shannon Keam said his players were ready for the game.
“Obviously they’re pretty excited and upbeat… no one’s really pulled up sore or injured so it’s a pretty good position to be in,” he said.
Of the loss to Kerang in the second semi-final, Keam said the Kangas had learnt from the experience.
“Listen, you can’t dwell too much, especially during the finals. You live and learn and obviously we had earned the right to have a double chance,” he said.
Keam said his side would be similar to recent weeks.
“We won’t change a hell of a lot, we’ll try and keep it pretty stabilised,” he said.
Keam said it would be a team effort to keep Kerang’s better players down.
“I’ve been asked these questions this week and [Kerang] are pretty good across most lines, so it’s more of a team effort in regards to keeping the good players quiet,” he said.
Keam said he had confidence in the Kangas’ younger players to perform under pressure.
“If you’re not nervous you’re not there. The young blokes don’t tend to lack any confidence, though,” he said.
“I’ve got every confidence in them to play an important role in the game.”
Kerang boss Troy Coates said the Blues were all ready to go also, apart from Jesse Clark who will undergo a knee reconstruction in coming weeks.
Ryan Gillingham is fully fit after being a question mark in recent weeks with a calf injury.
But he said the second semi-final was no indication that it would all be Kerang’s way tomorrow.
“Look finals is a funny game, anything can happen in a grand final. It’s good to have that confidence but if you overplay it we could so easily get rolled,” he said.
“We know we need to bring our best footy on the day no matter what.”
Coates said the Blues’ focus would be on performing at 100 per cent, particularly during the all-important first quarter.
“We want to make sure we have an impact early and give it the best shot straight away,” he said.
TIP: Kerang by 24 points.
