FITTING FINALE FOR FLAG FIGHT
By Louie Bulzomi
Werrimull and Gol Gol, undoubtedly the two best performed sides throughout season 2012, are primed and ready for the ultimate showdown to see who can fly the highest and take out the Millewa Football League premiership in today’s Grand Final at Lake Cullulleraine.
The benefit of a game’s break to prepare surely allowed every Magpie player to get over any niggles and feel as fresh as possible to give the club a “good problem” at the selection table. And if picking the final 22 wasn’t hard enough without them, the availabilities of Andrew Seaton-Stewart, Brad Duscher, Jamie Roberts and even Ben Duscher (after a best-on-ground performance in Bendigo Gold’s Elimination Final loss to Williamstown in the VFL) made it even tougher on Thursday night.
For Gol Gol, any issues were well and truly rectified in their 10-goal mauling of Bambill last week in the Preliminary Final. While such a win would normally warrant the same side being selected for the Big One, it still would’ve been just as tough for the Hawks as for Werrimull to decide whether or not to do that, with the likes of Tim Vandenberg, Mel Ficarra, Thomas Budd and Clinton French all in consideration.
So spare a thought for those in both sides who unfortunately are not running out onto the park today, but rest assured that they are as much a part of getting their side to the Grand Final as those taking part.
Absolute quality reeks all over the ground, befitting of the spectacle that defines what a Grand Final is all about. Joint McDonald Medallists, Graeme Mentiplay and Clint Burdett, will square off. The League’s leading goalkicker, Sonny Lindsey, and the League’s goalkicking runner-up, Mark Duscher, will look to outdo each other in front of the big sticks. And ruckmen Aaron Milner and Tim Murphy will stop at nothing to provide their bevy of midfield dynamos (Mentiplay, Ryan Tierney, Paul Jenkins and Shannon Anthony for the Magpies; Burdett, David Gray, Tony Albert and Darren Brown for the Hawks) with first hands on the footy and the vital clearances.
But as important as the aforementioned are, it can’t be forgotten how equally as important the undermentioned will be as well in determining which side holds the premiership cup aloft. Cameron Williams has come home with a wet sail late in the season for the Magpies, while John Thompson has looked dangerous in a back-to-forward swingman role for the Hawks. Adam Thomson and Jay Savage have been excellent sidekicks to M.Duscher up forward, as have Nick Rodi and Kaleb Sherwell to Lindsey.
Given such scoring power both sides possess, the respective defences will be under the pump. However Werrimull’s stern defence (led by Michael Harradine, Dan Smith, Mark Thornton and Matt Kelly) has barely put a foot wrong to concede the fewest points against for the year, while the impressive performance of Gol Gol’s backline last week (led solidly by Shaun McInerney, Ben Sobkowiak, Dion Collins and Hayden McQualter) proved that they too can handle the intense pressure.
So with such talent on display, it’s hard to predict a clear-cut winner. But with the pain of last year’s ‘limp-in’ Grand Final effort still hurting, Werrimull may just have that little bit extra to take out their first flag since 2003.
Last Modified on 06/09/2012 11:39