GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD must carry belief into the Mininera and District Football League first semi-final against Woorndoo-Mortlake at Derrinallum Recreation Reserve tomorrow, otherwise the Rams will suffer a mauling at the hands of the Tigers.
Glenthompson-Dunkeld finished fifth and had a strong victory against fourth-placed Penshurst last Sunday, while Woorndoo-Mortlake fell eight points short against a full-strength Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, who it defeated by six goals only five games previously.
Neither team has played at Derrinallum this season, but the surface is in pristine condition despite the wet winter that has hit the district, and will allow each team to play to its full skill level.
Ben Cole, Mitchell Johnson, Jack Oswald, Carl Joyce, Tyler Staude and Jamie Ferguson starred for the Rams last week, and with Tom Waters and Will Collins bagging big hauls in front of goal in the last few games, the team is primed to go even further into the finals.
The Rams will be looking to field the same squad of players that did the job last weekend as coach, Tom Waters prepares his team for the vital clash.
“We expect there to be no changes this week from last week and have a couple of guys pushing for selection, but we will stick with the winning formula provided there are no injuries between now and Sunday,” Waters said.
The Tigers of course have last seasons elimination final victory against the Rams as proof they can handle these big games and they won through to the preliminary final to test the very best in the competition.
“They are a big physical side, they’ll know their system well, they will obviously be pretty keen to redeem themselves from last weekend after that game (which) could have gone either way,” Waters said of the Tigers.
“They weren’t too far off playing in a grand final last year and They knocked us out, so they have some good experience for the occasion.
“We haven’t played at Derrinallum this year, but we are really excited at the opportunity to play anywhere,
“The better surfaces seem to get the green light for finals, and that suits our quick running style.
TATYOON will be well rested after having the first week of the finals off due to finishing atop the ladder and its match with Wickliffe-Lake Bolac will be one of the games of the season.
The Hawks dropped only the single game for the season (to Penshurst) and come into this game as odds on favourites after handing the Magpies a five-goal drubbing only five weeks ago.
Wickliffe-Lake Bolac rested key players in the last round of the home and away season where it lost to Great Western but last week those players came back into the side well rested, and the side earned an eight-point victory against Woorndoo-Mortlake.
The winner of today’s game will earn a rest next week and a spot in the grand final, while the loser will have to front up against either Woorndoo-Mortlake or Glenthompson-Dunkeld.
