NNW UNITED
FAST FACTS
PREMIERSHIPS – 2 (2000, 2001)
PRESIDENT – Jarrod Skinner
COACHES – Jason Murphy and Nick O’Neill
2024 BEST & FAIREST – Joel Walsh
2024 AT A GLANCE
LADDER POSITION – Second
2024 FINALS RECORD – 2 wins, 1 loss
HOME AND AWAY RECORD – 12 wins, 4 losses
PERCENTAGE – 138.12%
AVERAGE POINTS FOR – 87.74
AVERAGE POINTS AGAINST – 65.10
QUARTERS WON – 47 of 76 quarters
2024 JACK BETTS MEDAL – TOP FIVE
14 – Joel Walsh
11 – Ethan Saville
10 – Dominic Gallo
8 – Jordan Iudica
7 – Blake Larkings
LEADING GOALKICKERS
85 – Brandyn Grenfell
20 – Charlie Boulton
19 – Nick O’Neill
18 – Liam White
13 – Dominic Gallo
13 – Max ThompsonPROFILE
AN eight-year grand final drought will be ended when the red-and-blue army descends on the Swan Hill Recreation Reserve tomorrow afternoon – with that same crowd hoping a win will also see the end of an even longer drought.
The last time the Demons progressed this far into a season was in 2016, when they fell 39-points short of a dominant Kerang outfit that was in the midst of six consecutive premierships.
That team, just like their 2000 and 2001 premiership sides, was packed with northern talent, such as Bradley and Jarrod Stokes, Matt Campbell, Darryl White, Adam Sambono and Damian Williams.
Tomorrow, the Demons’ faithful will have a largely homegrown squad for which to cheer, with 13 of their 22 players coming from within their own junior program across the years.
So far this season, this young homegrown talent has held them in good stead, with their focus on developing their youth over several seasons beginning to pay off.
Their 18-point win over the Mallee Eagles in last Saturday’s preliminary final would have helped expunge some of their ‘demons’ after last season’s 81-point capitulation to Kerang in the penultimate game.
Having jumped one more hurdle than last season, NNW United now face their biggest challenge: beating Kerang.
It’s a challenge their haven’t overcome in their past 13 attempts, with the Demons’ last victory over the Blues having come back in that last grand final season: 2016.
Despite their less-than-inspiring record, this NNW United team has a different feel to it – a feel that they are a team on the rise and one that is never out of the contest.
Their game is undoubtedly built around their outside run and spread from the contest.
It is this game plan that has occasionally brought about Kerang’s downfall, even at the peak of their powers.
In the past, it’s been the teams who have challenged the Blues on the outside and moved the ball with speed who have commonly caused them problems, just as NNW United did back in round 8 – the two clubs’ only encounter this season.
For three quarters, the Demons not only matched it with Kerang but at times had their measure, with the Blues struggling to shut down their opposition’s outside run and ability to break the lines.
But eventually, with the game on the line in the last quarter, Kerang were able get the match played on their terms, with the Blues’ inside midfielders Josh Nitschke, Marty Kelly and Josh Hann ensuring the game was played in close for the final 30 minutes.
NNW United’s attacking game style has seen them become one of the highest-scoring teams this season, with Balranald the only Central Murray club to have scored more points than the Demons.
Although there is a heavy reliance on full forward Brandyn Grenfell, who has booted 85 goals in 2024, they also have other avenues to goal such as Charlie Boulton, Nick O’Neill and Liam White, who are all averaging more than a goal a game.
Ethan Curran’s six-goal performance last Saturday is further proof that the Demons have the capacity to spread the goal-kicking load.
Although NNW United’s run-and-carry game has helped get them this far, much of their attacking play is generated from defence through Joel Walsh, Jaydyn Stirling and former coach Corey Daniels.
The Demons may not have the same level of top-end talent that their opposition has but they do have strong depth, with very few passengers across this year’s finals series.
And despite not having had a week off over an arduous finals campaign, the experience gained from playing three tough finals matches could indeed be a better preparation for the inexperienced Demons.
