Border Mail |
THE Boulton boys weren’t even born when Burrumbuttock won its most recent flag in 1969.
But come Saturday, Chris, 29, Joe, 27, and Ron, 21, will be trying their hardest to end one of the longest premiership droughts in Hume league history.
In a big occasion for the family, their youngest brother, Ben, 16, will also be part of the Murray Magpies thirds flag assault against Osborne.
Oldest brother, Tony, 33, will be cheering his siblings from the sidelines, alongside his parents and three sisters, after retiring last season.
The Boultons grew up on a farm at Burrumbuttock with their father, Ron snr, a former reserves coach and president at Burrumbuttock.
While Joe and Ron are certain starters against Holbrook, Chris won’t find out until after the Saints final training session tonight if he will be playing in the decider.
The midfielder suffered an ankle injury in the round 16 clash against Henty and missed the final month of the season.
He made his return from injury in the reserves in the first semi-final and has given Saints’ selectors plenty to think about after claiming best on ground honours.
“We won’t really know until tonight if Chris will be playing,” Joe said.
“But hopefully he can be part of it.
“The whole town is abuzz with anticipation and there certainly has been a lot more faces at the games throughout the season.
“I have never played in a senior flag and to be able to achieve it alongside Chris and Ronnie would be a dream come true.
“We are a fairly close-knit family and while we have the odd argument, we get along as well as most brothers do.”
The Boultons played their junior football at Burrumbuttock before it merged with Brocklesby in 2006 to form Brock-Burrum Saints.
The Saints have never made a decider, with the 2010 preliminary final their highest season finish since the merger of the clubs.
“The merger had to happen from both clubs’ perspective,” Joe said.
“But making a grand final has been five years in the making.
“Keeping players around and developing the juniors has been the key.
“The thirds won the flag in 2011 and coach Darryn McKimmie has been excellent at developing the kids.”
While the Saints boast plenty of match-winners in McKimmie, Trent Storey, Dean Murphy and Luke Schilg, Joe said it would be the club’s lesser lights that would decide the outcome.
“We all know they will do their job so it’s up to the rest of us to stand up and get the job done,” Joe said.
“We have beaten them twice this season and know our best is good enough.
“I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve and just can’t wait for the game.
“After winning the second semi-final and having the week off, the grand final seems to be taking forever to get here.”
