By the Warwick Daily News online
Gerard Walsh
The Warwick Redbacks will play Dalby in the AFLDD division 2 grand final at Rockville Oval at 12:45pm Saturday and will be followed by the women's grand final between Toowoomba Tigers and Dalby Swans at 2:45pm.
The men's division 1 grand final will be held at 4:45pm between Goondiwindi Hawks and University Cougars.
Warwick captain Andrew Barsley said the side would be at full strength.
"The week off has helped with a few niggling injuries,” Bardsley said.
"Tony Chandler and Jamie Saunders are back after missing the major semi-final win.”
The team will be finalised on Thursday night with 25 players vying for 22 positions.
"There will be some hard calls for coach Peter Millard and the senior group to make,” he said.
"The players have all contributed throughout the year and we want all 25 to be part of the day.”
Warwick lost to Dalby in round 1 but has won the last two games between the two sides.
"Dalby were pretty good in the semi, there was only two points in it at three-quarter time,” he
said.
"The ruck work of Alex Cutmore and the defence of Kyle Thorn will be a key to our success.”
Bardsley said Ben Lubben was the Redbacks' biggest improver all season.
"He has mainly played on the wing this season,” Bardsley said.
Brendan Walker will be the assistant to coach Millard on Saturday.
Bardsley said he believed Warwick had the edge over Dalby fitness wise, so the big ground should help.
"Rockville and our home ground, Warwick Credit Union Oval, are the two largest in the league so it is an advantage to be at Rockville Oval.”
A team bus has been booked to take players and support staff to the game in Toowoomba on Saturday.
After a win against Dalby in the major semi final two weeks ago, Warwick Redbacks captain Andrew Bardsley tipped that his side would play the Swans again in the grand final.
He was right. Dalby beat Highfields 12.9. (81) to 5.5. (35) in the preliminary final last Saturday.
Not only are the Redbacks playing for the division 2 flag this year, the club wants to show its strength to return to division 1 next season.
Warwick pair Tyhe Clarkson and Shane Iles joined University when the Warwick club was allocated to division 2 at the start of the season and will play in the division 1 grand final.
Medal win
NO ONE can argue Warwick captain Andrew Bardsley will be the one to watch in the grand final.
He has to be after winning the Marj Shaw Medal for division 2 best and fairest on Saturday night in Toowoomba.
"The medal win was one of the high points of my career,” he said.
The respect players have for Bardsley is shown by his four players' player season wins in the Redbacks club.
Bardsley's win of the Marj Shaw Medal is the first for a Warwick player since Stephen Gray won more than 15 years ago.
Last Modified on 27/09/2017 09:32
