Mid West Preliminary Finals
The Mid West Finals series continues this week with the Preliminary Finals at Piednippie. For the loser the sad empty feeling of coming so close, but to the winners, the enjoyment of a Grand Final week, the hype, goodwill, hope and maybe ultimate glory?
West Coast Hawks vs Western Districts - A Grade
The Hawks coming off an energy sapping nail biter in warm conditions at Kyancutta, battered and bruised from a top of the table high energy battle with the Bulldogs, The Tigers, coming off a week’s rest and recuperation, sipping cool drinks in the shade while the battle raged on the oval.
There is no doubt that the West Coast Hawks enthusiasm to avenge last season’s grand final loss looms large, and could well count themselves unlucky to be fronting up this week after leading into time on last week, a couple of players shy of full strength, they will be desperate to engage Central Eyre in another encounter to settle the balance on the seasons outcomes, but the Tigers will be no easy pass to get there!
Western Districts are comfortable in the increased intensity of finals games, already having a well-honed defensive unit, they pride themselves on concise ball movement and strong tackling. The Tiger centreline is star studded – Feltus, Beinke, Moroney, Fromm are EP and Mid West representative players and will get their hands on the ball, that is just what they do best. Defensively Hull, King, Lee are mean and have the height to contain the high marking Hawk forwards, Smith is in great form and rebounds constantly. Runners in Gunn and Braydn King have the ability to move the ball over lines in a flash. Where the Tigers must find better value is the forward line. Hoffrichter has been great, agile and quick for a tall forward, and Kade Gill provides a target, they need helpers against a strong Hawk defence.
Too often that the ball comes out too quickly. The 1st semi-final saw the Tigers needing 19 inside 50 entries to score their first two goals, and against the Hawks they must improve this productivity. They will benefit by having Nath Hebbermann back and with a game under his belt, Horgan has been wonderful all year, but he is also needed up the field when the going gets tough.
West Coast Hawks still enjoy Mid West’s best finals win record at 62%, woe betide those who follow a Hawks loss. Well served just about everywhere, weak points are hard to find at the Hawks nest. A strong rebounding half back line of D Johnson, T Montgomerie and Trav Brown start so many attacks, Look for the return of Freeman in the key defensive role, Fiebig and Marc McEvoy or a changing on baller has been a premiership defensive unit. The centreline run stands out, Dil Montgomerie, Kirk Montgomerie, McInnis, Appleby, McEvoy, Schumann, Colbung, Day, the tough uncompromising Sargent, the list goes on. Cabot is in great form. The Hawks forward line is highly functional, Danis, Whitford and Johnson always reliable targets, will world travellers Brent Bascombe and Steed Sutherland be back to further strengthen the forward line? Dyl Kelsh is probably in career best form and his star continues to rise
On the season the Hawks have won all three, by 83, 79, 88 points in that order, and the highest score raised by the Districts has been 6 goals 7. They do not challenge each other in finals that often, last time was the 2005 Preliminary Final where the Hawks won by 47 points, but the match prior was the famous 2004 drawn 2nd semi, where the Tigers went on to win in extra time and followed up with a premiership. Preliminary final appearances in Mid West –: Hawks played five/ won two, Tigers played four/ won one. Neither side are Preliminary final kings! Both haven’t played many finals at the Piednippie oval, two for the Hawks and one for the Tigers so not much to draw on there.
So who will win? The Districts boys must become more productive in terms of goals, something that the Hawks have no problems with at all. Tigers are always strongly competitive on any final match, they seem to enjoy the challenge and will put their bodies on the line for the cause. The Hawks have lead the competition again during the minor round, and the stakes just appear higher for them despite the same prize for the winner. Overall the Hawks, at home should have enough run and class to set up a Bulldog rematch, but don’t ever expect an easy finals match, Elliston’s drive from the 1st semi last year reminds us all of that.
West Coast Hawks v Central Eyre – B Grade
Hmmm? The Bulldog dilemma, A Grade not playing, but have a reasonably important match next week to think about. Maybe the B coach Wade O Brien and A coach Peter Cock will be settling this in the car park?
I suspect that the full available players will need to be present to account for the Hawks who have no such issue, their A grade is playing.
Both sides have a sound balance of youth and experience, The Hawks will look to Tucker, Feltus and Trezona, all having many finals under their belt. Guidera and Brown a men mountains up forward, so that is where the ball is going, with fleet footed crumbers G Montgomerie, Shaw, Johns benefitting, Bob and Lachlan Miller are impressive. The Bulldogs also are enjoying good form, will Wade O Brien front up this week, he is qualified to play and will be needed in the A Grade next week at Elliston. Biggs five in the first semi was telling and he will be looked to again, Matthews, Craig O Brien and Collins around the centre, Tomney, M May and Phillips in the backline. Ash May has had an outstanding year and his leadership will be sought out.
The Hawks will be favoured at home, but this should be a hard earned affair, the Centrals boys have plenty of finals hardened A Graders in the later football years, and know how to handle the increased finals pressure
Wudinna United v Central Eyre - Colts
Over the season two matches to one to the Magpies, but significantly the Bulldog win was a convincing one in the last round. Will Toby Kelly return this week for the Bulldogs? Centrals key forwards Kane Grocke and Schmucker kicked 18 goals between them in the 1st Semi, and 13 goals between them the week prior against Wudinna United. A bit of midnight oil will be burned by the Magpie coaching staff how to counter that. Class players in both sides signal great futures, Wilkins, Elliott, Martin and North head the Maggies, McComb, Waters and North for the Bulldogs. Maybe it is the slightly younger players who will hold the key, Petty Buckham, Dupree and Habermanns, against Heath, O Briens Joe and Kayden, Dowden. Size wise this is a good match up and being a derby with a Grand Final berth as a prize, this will be a nervous week for both sides. The Bulldogs are going in with winning form which is good form, so they are favoured to progress in a tight one.
Last Modified on 30/08/2013 10:05