When a team loses its last four games on the eve of the finals, the coach has good reason to be worried. But not Bruthen's Tony Bromage.He insists the club rested six frontline players last weekend in their 10 goal loss to Omeo-Benambra and all are back on Saturday for the start of the 2009 Omeo and District's finals.
"We will have our best side of the year in on Saturday," says Bromage, who has two premierships and a runners-up in his three previous years as club coach.
"There is a genuine expectation that we're going to do alright," he said.
"We were in a similar situation last year and everyone wrote us off, but we went all the way and only went down in the Grand Final by three or four goals.
"We have some good players back. We're quietly confident."
The club's only injury worry is Bromage himself. The 46-year-old ex-midfielder hurt his hip last Saturday but says the lure of finals will get him up in time.
He kicked eight goals in last year's Omeo Grand Final against Swift's Creek and remains a key player for the Bulldogs as they look to win their first flag since 2003.
The six team Omeo competition sees 17 home and away rounds and a traditional format of a first and second-semi finals, followed by a preliminary final and the Grand Final, on August 29.
Bruthen and Omeo-Benambra have already met three times this year for one win apiece and a draw, in the very first round of the season.
Bruthen's standouts approaching Saturday's sudden-death semi are Marcus Latham, a 189 cm key forward who is leading the Omeo goalkicking charts this year, despite missing the last few weeks and reigning best and fairest Peter Quilligan, a consistent on-baller with a habit of picking up 25-30 possessions plus each and every week.
"It has been a frustrating season for us, with injuries and availabilities," says Bromage. "We were second before losing our last four, but we know our best can be very competitive and we are gearing towards giving everything we can this week and hopefully beyond."
Bruthen's efforts to win eight and a half games this year has been excellent considering there are nine or 10 newcomers to the team which played off in 2008.
Not since round 1 and the tied match with Omeo- Benambra has Bromage being able to select anything like his best combination.
He says this year's final's race is wide open with Swan Reach and Fish Creek having deserved the double chance.
Coach of Bruthen's Team of the Century, Bromage was at the helm for the 1988-89 premiership double and was enticed back last year having coached extensively in the area.
He says he's strictly a forward pocket come bench player these days after years as a leading midfielder.
By Ken Piesse
Article first published August 5th 2009
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