AFTER starting in early November, the Murray Valley Playing Area Weekend Pennant Bowls Competition will come to a close this Saturday as four divisions face off in the grand finals.
Powerhouse Murray Downs have sides playing in each of the four grand finals and have the opportunity to put the exclamation point on a very good 2021/22 season.
Racecourse are represented well as they have sides playing in the Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4 grand finals and all clashes against Murray Downs are set to be tightly contested.
Swan Hill Bowls Club only have the one side playing this weekend, however they have the opportunity to claim their third straight Division 1 premiership.
Swan Hill Bowls Club Coach Brian Mansbridge finds himself on the other side of the fence this year after playing for the losing Murray Downs side last year.
“I have got a lot of mates over there, I was there since 2014,” he said.
“But I am very comfortable going up against them.”
The more experienced of the two sides, the team will be hoping to give early birthday presents to the pair of 89-year-olds Graeme Clark and Alan Marshman.
“It would definitely be good to get the win for them,” Mansbridge said.
“They weren’t a part of last year’s winning side.”
Their opponents Murray Downs have been the dominant side in Division 1 over the past few years, however have seemed to fall at the final hurdle the last two years.
Murray Downs President Garry McCaig is confident that this year might finally be their year, however has learnt that grand finals often create changeable results.
“We think we have the side to win this year,” he said.
“Swan Hill might have a bit to say about that though.”
The younger of the two sides, Murray Downs have a good mixture of youth and experience however all are very reliable and competitive bowlers.
“Our consistency overall should prove to be better,” McCaig said.
It is a very real possibility that they could sweep all four divisions – a feat they achieved as recently as three years ago.
“We match up really well against Racecourse in all three divisions,” he said.
“The better teams on the day will win, hopefully it is our day.”
Racecourse President Norm Smith is excited about the club’s prospects this weekend, after another dominant year that resulted in three sides making the grand final.
Six of their seven sides played in finals, and Smith hopes that they are able to walk away carrying some trophies.
“The club is rapt to have three sides playing in grand finals,” he said.
“We have had sides on top of the ladder all year, so we are quietly confident.”
“But bowls can be a funny game.”
Their Division 2 side is hoping to replicate last year’s success and go back to back while their Division 3 side will be hoping to collect the trophy for the first time in a couple of years.
Racecourse 5 is an all-female team and they are hoping to collect the Division 4 trophy which would be the first time the club has won the Division.
“They haven’t gone wrong too much all year,” Smith said.
“Hopefully we are successful on Saturday”.
Swan Hill Bowls Club is hosting the Weekend Pennant Grand Finals this weekend with play to commence at 1pm, make sure you head down and watch the region’s best bowlers battle it out for premiership glory.
