ROSEDALE moved another step closer in claiming their first premiership since 2001 after securing the opening berth in the North Gippsland Football Netball League grand final last Saturday following a barnstorming 10 goal victory.

The Blues will eagerly watch from the sidelines to see who their opponent will be as HEYFIELD looks to rebound against CHURCHILL, a side who have taken flight in past weeks and will pose one almighty challenge in the replay of last year’s final dance.

While the Cougars booked their preliminary final berth on the back of an 11 point victory, the same can’t be said for this week’s opponent Heyfield who had a day that they would rather forget feeling the full raft of Rosedale in a one sided contest after half time.

While the result didn’t go to plan for the Kangaroos’, coach Damien Birss knows the side can’t get caught up in the ‘what if’ and needs to focus on the second chance against the Cougars.

“The guys have won the important games to get us here, the games that had to be won. They have earnt and won the right to get the double shot so we will take full advantage of that,” said Birss.

Last year’s runners up Heyfield have experienced an indifferent season to that of the year prior, with Birss no doubt contemplating if his side would make the top five let alone find themselves in a preliminary final berth.

“Really anything that comes our way we have completely earnt,” said Birss.

“It has been a difficult season for varying facts. I’m not going to whinge and make excuses but it is a credit to the guys to be in the position that we are in, and could be in if we get the right result.

“It didn’t look like it would be possible to get a shot at it many weeks ago. The side has toughed it out as Heyfield is renowned for doing and we got the results.”

Standing in front of Heyfield securing a fourth straight Grand Final berth is a side who Birss and his chargers have much respect for.

“Churchill we respect them highly, we know that if we don’t bring our best we won’t get the result,” said Birss.

“Churchill are a strong outfit with experienced campaigners. There have been few changes, with the exception of one or two players, from last year’s premiership team. They will take a lot of beating.”
The ledger stands at one a piece, the side’s most recent contest some 11 weeks ago in round 10. On that occasion Heyfield were forced to dig deep in the final term when they found themselves trailing the Cougars by less than two kicks. Heyfield’s Andrew Lambie spurred his side on as they kept the visitor’s goal less and mounted a challenge on the scoreboard. Jesse Bedggood’s third major levelled scores, before a late shot at goal by Churchill registered a behind to snatch the win by the narrowest of margins one point.

While the points didn’t go the way of the Kangaroos in their last meeting, they did secure one of their best wins for the season early in the piece when they made one of the toughest road trips on the fixture to seal victory against the reigning premiers by 31 points at Gaskin Park.

Past results will account for little this Saturday with the man at the helm aware that his side’s destiny is in their hands.

“All the planning that happens throughout the year, if they don’t execute it come game time and don’t perform, there is nothing more that you can do as a coach,” said Birss.

While many will argue the Kangaroos have the experience of seasoned campaigners to draw on Birss rightly notes that the makeup of his 22 man side is very different to previous seasons.

“Sure we might have some older experienced guys back in this week, but the side is relatively young. Most in the side are 22-23 years old, we have played seven first gamers this year,” said Birss.

“They might be experienced in the sense of playing at the business end, but they are still very young.

“Everyone thinks that we are experienced campaigners, but it is the culture that is bred into them that makes them perform.”

Reflecting on Sunday’s victory, Churchill coach Allan Chandler was complimentary on his side’s composure and efforts in the cut throat final, however will be looking for continued improvement and effort from his chargers.

“I was just happy to win Sunday really. It was a tough game we played some solid football after quarter time. Some players really stepped up in our hour of need,” said Chandler.

Coming into the contest on the back of a blistering 10 goal victory against TTU before going onto account for the highly fancied Sale City outfit, Churchill are up and about and are no doubt confident that they can again make their way to booking a grand final berth.

“They are always tough encounters against Heyfield. They are an amazing football club that always ends up at the right place at the pointy end of the season and we really respect that.

“It will be an intriguing game as we both know how each other plays. They have very good players everywhere and a number of players that we need to restrict or stop,” said Chandler.

Boasting the luxury of a rotating midfield with plenty of depth, a power forward line who has one of the most even spreads in the competition from Tim Darby, Brendan Holt, Nick Campbell and Hamish Towns, and a fleet footed running brigade with a brave heart pulse there is plenty that Birss and his coaching panel will need to negate if they are to halt the Cougars. And that is exactly what Chandler will be hoping for, as he has all season the man at the helm of the Cougars has been focused on his side and what they have to do rather than being drawn into what others are doing.

Having noted at the start of his side’s finals campaign that the victor each week “will be the side with the greater number of contributors” Chandler will be looking for nothing less from his line-up.

“It is something that we have been lucky enough to have the past couple of weeks and hopefully we can have the same sort of game on Saturday.”

Similar to this week’s opponent, the Cougars haven’t factored defending their title into the equation with Chandler noting that there hasn’t been any mention of it, rather they too find themselves in a position that seemed unlikely late in the season.

“Not really it hasn’t been mentioned, it was only two weeks ago that we were relying on the results to make finals, now we are one win away from the grand final. How quickly things change in footy, Heyfield was in exactly the same boat,” said Chandler.

With little separating the sides both on the field and on paper, in past results, one thing is guaranteed both side will be eager to go another round with Rosedale with the stage set for an epic contest.

In the RESERVES Heyfield advanced to their fifth straight grand final, the minor premiers and last year’s runners up will await the victor of this week’s clash between Sale City and Churchill.

THIRDS minor premiers TTU advanced through to consecutive grand final appearances after accounting for Glengarry in last week’s Semi-final action.

Finishing the season in second and third placed, Glengarry and Woodside will meet in a replay of their Qualifying finals match at Woodside a fortnight ago which saw the Magpies claim a 42 point win. The winner to meet a red hot Bomber outfit in the big one.

By Lauren Carey