Report by Tommy Doleman

Andy Higgins of Perth RedStar, left, and Floreat Athena's Dennis Galan

The top two sides in the NPLWA – Men’s competition meet at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday night as Floreat Athena face Perth RedStar face off in the Top Four Cup final.

The clash at Dorrien Gardens will be the final match of the NPL season, with champions Athena looking to complete a treble having already picked up the Night Series and league title.

These two have had a dramatic recent history with Floreat winning all three meetings this term. This includes both league meetings 3-2, the second of which saw Vas Vujacic’s side score twice beyond the 90-minute mark.

They also won last Saturday’s Top Four Cup semi-final late on, while Floreat also stole the title out of RedStar’s grasp on a thrilling final day with Bayley Brown-Montgomery’s stoppage-time winner.

So recent form is with Athena, although defender Dennis Galan is expecting another high-quality encounter this weekend.

“The last couple of years they’ve been thereabouts and I’m sure they felt hard done by with the league and the late wins we’ve had this season,” Galan said.

“They’re one of the best teams in the league and I can imagine they would want some revenge for what’s happened over the past couple of weeks. So we expect a tough game but we will give it our all to try and get our hands on another trophy.

“Regrouping after winning the league in the fashion we did was unbelievable. It was some way to finish the league, even if it wasn’t good for the heart, but afterwards it such a big relief.

“We just don’t like losing, everyone wants to win, and we always feel we’re in with a half a chance with the quality we have. We have that winning mentality – we don’t stop until the final whistle and that proved itself again on the weekend where we battled until the last minute to get to the final.”

Having won the Night Series back in March prior to breaking their 15-year title drought, Galan said it would be special for this group to make it a memorable season by completing a treble.

“With the squad we assembled, we always thought we’d be thereabouts and the league was obviously a priority. To get over the line finally, the club deserves it and we were over the moon to bring that to them,” he said.

“Now we’ve got the Top Four Cup to play for and give ourselves an opportunity to do the treble. It would mean a lot to the club, to the boys, and it’s a challenge we look forward to, in terms of trying to make a bit of history.

“I might be a bit biased, but I don’t think you can get a better playing group than what we have here at the club. I’ve been there eight years, a lot of the others six or seven, they’re not just team mates, there’s a great friendship and camaraderie.

“You go to training, you want to see the boys, and you can see how we all work for each other and that’s what it’s all about.

“You go to training and want to see the boys, and you can see how we all work for each other and that’s what it’s all about. Playing football, playing with your best mates, competing at the top and winning things, you couldn’t ask for more really.”

RedStar are also looking to make their own history this weekend, as the club plays its first men’s Top Four Cup Final since ECU Joondalup merged with women’s side Northern Redbacks earlier this year to form Perth RedStar.

Midfielder Andy Higgins was delighted to make a first post-season decider following Tuesday night’s 3-2 preliminary final win over Sorrento.

“Everyone was buzzing. We’ve had a few hard-luck stories in the past month or so with our games, obviously with a few results not going our way late and then losing 5-2 to Sorrento (in Round 21) at their place.

“Being a prelim final, it gives you more of a push to win the game, and I don’t think anyone wanted to go to extra time, so it was nice to get the win in 90 minutes.”

With RedStar’s record against Floreat not particularly flattering in recent times, Higgins said Saturday’s game will come down to mentality.

“It’s all about mindset. There’s no other games after this, there’s no points, and it’s not about catching or going ahead of them (in the league),” he said.

“It’s an all-or-nothing game and it’s a mentality we want to have to try and take us through. We really do feel when we’ve played the big teams we’ve played well, but it’s often been our own fault we’ve lost.

“So to get an opportunity now to play against Floreat, the boys will be up for it and we’ll feel as if we owe them one.

“I’ve been at the club since I was a kid, playing under 11s and the amount of times I’ve driven to the campus is pretty scary. It would mean a lot, not just to me, but to my family, the players, the club, and the coaches including those from juniors who still come to watch.”

There are two NPLWA - Men’s finals at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday.

The Under 18s get the ball rolling at 10am as Bayswater City face Perth Glory in a repeat of this year’s State Cup Final at Inglewood Stadium.

Bayswater won 2-1 when the pair met in July, while Glory went on to win the league by nine points.

The Under 20s kick off 30pm as Perth Glory meet Perth RedStar.

League champions Glory will be favourites for the match, having finished 21 points ahead of RedStar who came fourth.