RESERVES PREVIEW
MURRABIT and Wandella will renew their rivalry this weekend in the Golden Rivers Football Netball League Reserves Grand Final.
“Hopefully, a bit of redemption is on the cards,” Murrabit captain Nicholas Hein told The Guardian.
Two years ago, the Bombers defeated the Blues by six points. That ended a decade of dominance from the two sides in the reserves competition with at least one of the clubs playing in the Grand Final every year bar 2014.
However, the matchup will look different this time round with Wandella fielding a much younger side.
“It’s not the same side as the 2019 flag,” Wandella captain Michael Rowe said. “I think there are only four blokes from that team in this one.”
The battle between the Bombers’ youth and the Blues’ experience will be telling.
Both captains are hoping they are the point of difference for their sides.
“Their experience is what makes them a good side whilst we’re much younger, and hopefully we can run them off their legs,” Rowe said.
Hein had similar thoughts: “Our speed and fitness isn’t what it used to be, but our experience is definitely going to help, and we have a better mix this year of talent throughout the group that will help combat their leg speed.”
The Blues have the wood over the Bombers this year, winning by 52 points in round five and 44 points in round 11.
These results don’t mean much, though, according to both skippers.
“Both teams, we haven’t seen each other at full strength, and our first final against Nullawil was the only time this year we’ve had our best side in,” Hein said.
Rowe agreed: “We didn’t have our best sides in for either of those games.”
“In Round 12, we played our worst game for the year and only lost by seven goals, so I wouldn’t say they really thrashed us in either.
The Bombers haven’t looked back since that loss to the Blues in Round 12.
They are now on a five-game winning streak, including an after-the-siren win against Macorna in the Elimination Final and a 21-point triumph in the Prelim last weekend.
“We only just scraped into finals,” Rowe said. “The way I see it is we have nothing to lose, so we have a lot of confidence, and our run and spread will show that.”
It wasn’t as nearly a blistering entry into the finals series for Murrabit, who lost their final three home and away games before recovering to defeat Nullawil in the Qualifying Final.
“I think in that last couple rounds, we needed to have three or four kids play so we could fill a side,” Hein said.
“It wasn’t ideal heading into finals, but the seniors didn’t make it, and we got those guys back, which strengthened up our team a fair bit.
“We’ve just been depleted all year – probably had about ten out each week, which is half our side having to go into the seniors or out through injury, and that’s extremely tough.”
This depletion throughout the year might yet prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Blues, though.
At least half the current side played senior footy at some stage this year.
“That experience at that level helps us massively when they come back to the reserves,” Hein said.
The Blues are coming off the bye with the week of crucial for the older bodies, according to Hein.
“It was absolutely massive – watching the game on Saturday, you could tell Nullawil were a bit flat and heavy – we would have had four of us who wouldn’t have got up for last week, so it’s worked out pretty good.”
Both captains expect to field very similar sides, but the Bombers have the depth if necessary.
“It should be a cracker of a game – we’ve potentially got three of four blokes who could come in, which is good to have the depth.”
Murrabit by 18 points
UNDER 17.5S PREVIEW
Ultima will have to turn around a poor record against Hay this season to claim the Under 17.5s Golden Rivers Football Netball League Grand Final.
The Lions beat the Roos by 54 points in round four and followed it up with a 33-point victory at Ultima in round 11.
That result in July has given the Lions plenty of optimism heading into the grand final, according to head coach Brett Hargreaves.
“Ultima stayed with us to about halftime in one of the games, and the other, they were pretty depleted, but the third quarter we had against them in Round 11 were we got on top gives us real confidence because they’re a very good side,” he said.
The two sides finished equal on points after the home and away, but the likes of Quinn Grey, Kodyn Melbourne and Jack Miller will all need to be at their best if the Roos are to get close.
The Lions hold some of the most destructive firepower in the competition, with Brett’s son Jensen Hargreaves topping the goal kicking with 46 for the season and Daniel Stewart taking out the competition best and fairest at the GRFNL awards on Monday night.
“Jensen has gone really well,” Brett Hargreaves said. “He’s stood up and played senior footy whilst still keeping up the pressure in the 17s, which shows his leadership.
“Our whole midfield combination has just been fantastic throughout the year.
“Daniel is just mercurial – he knows how to get out of a tight spot, but the whole midfield knows how to deliver the ball – a couple of the older blokes at the club say they wish they had the ball delivered to me like that it just comes laces out.”
Hay by 15 points
UNDER 14.5s PREVIEW
Wandella is looking to do something extraordinary in their Under 14.5s Golden Rivers Football Netball League Grand Final against Murrabit.
The Bombers have gone through the season undefeated, including 19 and 42-point victories over the Blues throughout the stretch.
Laing Waddingham, Archer Lancaster and Jaspa Chamberlain have led the Bombers magnificently, coming fourth, fifth and sixth in the competition best and fairest, respectively.
For the Blues, Ryleigh Wilkinson, Riley Carse and Chase Coulter will need to lift to levels they haven’t reached before if they are to usurp the Bombers’ powerhouse.
Murrabit head coach Peter McDonald told The Guardian he has a few tricks up his sleeve planned for the big occasion.
“They’re very excited – we had a tough game on Saturday, so were just raring to go,” McDonald said.
“We’ll probably put some attention into a couple of their players who are really good, so hopefully, that can slow them down.”
Bombers by 30
