HISTORY will be a strong factor in tomorrow’s Central Murray Football Netball League grand final between Kerang and Koondrook Barham.
The Blues are one win away from achieving a feat no other CMFNL team has achieved since the formation of the competition in 1997 — four consecutive premierships.
Since missing the finals in 2007, Kerang has made the grand final each year, winning 134 of the club’s past 149 games.
This period has also netted the Blues four premierships — the most of any CMFNL side.
Tomorrow will also be a historic occasion for the Raiders, who will play in their first senior grand final since the club’s foundation.
The border side has played sudden-death football since round 18, with a 10-point win against Balranald securing a finals berth.
Since then, Neil Bradley’s men have accounted for three of the top five teams in the competition — Tooleybuc Manangatang (elimination final), Woorinen (first semi-final) and the Mallee Eagles (preliminary final).
By making the grand final, the Raiders become the first team since Swan Hill in 2011 to win three consecutive finals matches to challenge for the premiership.
The Swans defeated Kerang on that day, which would give Koondrook Barham supporters hope of an upset victory tomorrow.
However, the Raiders have not defeated the Blues in more than a decade, making tomorrow’s challenge even more difficult.
The Blues won by 14 points when these teams met in round eight, but they will boast a much stronger line-up tomorrow compared to the team that took to the field in June.
Kerang forward Luke Livingston — who did not play when these sides met earlier this year — is continuing to build on his reputation as a late season and finals specialist, booting 30 goals from six appearances this year.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of today’s (Friday, September 25) The Guardian.
