THERE will be no second chances for Cohuna and Balranald, with one club to be eliminated from the finals race at Greenham Park in what looms as one of the games of the season on Sunday.
Despite finishing higher on the ladder, the Kangas will travel north to Roo-land, facing a Balranald side fresh off a dominant 100-point thumping of Tooleybuc-Manangatang last Saturday.
The form of last year’s grand finalists has fluctuated throughout the second half of the season, but wins over Woorinen and the Saints in recent weeks make it appear they have finally turned the corner.
Co-coach Jydon Neagle’s return from a long-term quad injury last Saturday gave the Balranald faithful further cause for optimism, with the Roos now seen to be back to their best just in time.
“We have to be confident, otherwise there’s no point making it this far,” Neagle told The Guardian this week.
“We gave (Cohuna) a bit of a spark when they rolled us last time, so hopefully it can be the other way around this time.
“We’ve found some form over the last couple of weeks, starting with Woorinen and for some reason when we’re under the pump, we seem to lift and give a bit more.
“Our form has definitely turned a corner in previous weeks, but it should be a pretty even game being a final and one we’re looking forward to.”
The only meeting this season between the two sides was in round 11, when Cohuna’s season was teetering on the brink of collapse after just three wins from the previous 10 rounds.
A stirring 11-point win that afternoon proved the turning point, however, and the Kangas are on a run of eight straight wins.
“The belief within the group now is huge, we’ve beaten all the top-five teams with the exception of Kerang, so the belief that we’re capable of beating the good sides is there,” Geary said.
“It’s all about executing now and just continuing to play like we have been.
“That game (against Balranald) was wet and windy, we had a couple of blokes sent off and it was one of those grinding wins that turned our season around.
“We’ve only had the opportunity to see them once, but the fact that we were able to grind out a win that day was huge for our season.
“They got out to a three or four-goal lead, but our ability to just dig in and slowly wear them down will fill us with a bit of confidence that we can knock them off again.”
The midfield battle is likely to be the key battleground where both teams possess class and depth.
Joel Helman, Jackson Williams and Geary are among the best starting midfielders in the Central Murray but will face a tough test against the in-from Balranald trio of Matthew Neagle, Kobe Lloyd and Harrison Soraggi on a ground they know so well.
All six are strong clearance players yet also have the capacity to hurt on the inside of the contest, which clears the way for a highly anticipated clash between two engine rooms hungry for success.
The one advantage that may fall Cohuna’s way out of the middle is in the ruck, with Christopher Anderson having a career-best season in the middle.
His task of leading the Kangas to victory could get even easier if Jordan Wilkins doesn’t play, with the Roos ruckman clearly hampered by injury last Sunday and spending minimal time in the ruck against the Saints.
“We’ve been watching a bit of film on (Cohuna), and they seem to get back behind the ball really well and Anderson is a key part of that,” Neagle said.
“The last time we played them it was wet, and we didn’t play the conditions very well and they did, but with better weather and our game plan to not kick down the line as much, because we don’t have the tall timber anyway, hopefully that might work in our favour.
“We think we have plenty of firepower up forward, it’s just about whether we use it.
“Between myself, Col (Andrews), Drew (Lloyd), Matthew (Neagle), Seth Connell and Kobe (Lloyd) resting forward, plus ‘Larry’ (Wilkins) who will spend time forward, we have a combination capable of kicking a winning score and a solid back six that can defend one as well.”
With much of Balranald’s run and drive coming from half-back through Jaxon Neagle and Ryan Middlebrook, it’s not just through the midfield where the Kangas will need to focus their attention.
At the same time, the Roos’ back six will need to be aware of the threat Cohuna’s forward line possesses, with Helman (29 goals), Jacob Mitchell (25 goals), Izaac Johnson (22 goals), Xavier Mitchell and Daniel Coates giving them a good even spread of potential goalkickers.
Although the Roos may have the home ground advantage, form is still on the side of the Kangas in a match where neither team is expected to give an inch.
Tip – Cohuna to win by two points.
