Weekly Times |
THE Geelong Football League will wait in anticipation for its WorkSafe Country Championship rematch with a determined Goulburn Valley side next year.
Geelong dealt with its first challenger for the No. 1 crown in merciless fashion, retaining the top ranking in country Victoria with an 85-point thrashing of Peninsula at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.
The winner will next season face the side it toppled to claim the title in 2013.
Coach Glen Wallace said he was surprised at the ease with which his side disposed of the second-ranked Peninsula, yet predicted facing a resurgent Goulburn Valley would be a tough assignment.
“We absolutely didn’t expect the game to pan out like it did,” Wallace said.
“I really do respect Peninsula and thought they would present a real challenge.
“Luckily we put it in a really solid performance and reaffirmed our status as the best league in country Victoria, but we will be tested again next year when we take on GV.”
Geelong has played three out of its last four interleague games in the home comfort of Simonds Stadium, but Wallace said the league would have to adjust its mindset and preparation to deal with an expected road trip next year.
“I’m about 90 per cent sure we will have to travel,” he said.
“Goulburn Valley is a real heavyweight and we will need to combat that if we do indeed play them at their home.
“Our preparation wasn’t spot-on this year; I was in Singapore on a business trip during the week leading up and we had nine players from our squad selected to play VFL, plus we had some injuries.
“We are fortunate to have such great depth and it’s a great indication of the quality of our competition, but our campaign needs to be a lot better next time around.”
