Murchison charged into the Grand Final two weeks ago and Stanhope has dominated the finals series to join them. Sam Saracino casts his eye over the two challengers for the 2013 KDFNL Netafim Grand Final.
Grand Final Saturday 21 September – Murchison v Stanhope at Tatura. 2.15pm start
After 360+ games of football across Seniors, Reserves and U18s, that ‘one day in September’ has finally arrived. In the main event Murchison is looking to end a 31-year drought while Stanhope last won a flag in 2008.
Murchison last played in a grand final six years after it claimed its third premiership in 1982. They will be fresh, hungry and quick out of the blocks.
The Grasshoppers will have to make one change to the team that dished out a football lesson to Merrigum. John Shiels (quad) is expected to be fit and ready to return to the 21. He, along with the likes of Anthony Mellington, Luke Chapman and Chris Cullinan, will provide the insight as to what it takes to play on the big stage. All have played in premierships over their football careers.
The appointment of Steve Reeves at the end of 2011 was the beginning of a two year plan for the club. Last year, the club played in two finals and this year it charged into the grand final on the back of a 72-point second semi-final win at Avenel two weeks ago.
The first quarters this season have been without doubt the best of any teams so expect them to get the jump early. Another strength of Murchison is the fact it has around eight players who have kicked 20 or more goals this year which makes them unpredictable and difficult to hold down.
In the brown and gold corner Stanhope is the most successful KDFNL club of the 20th century having won flags in 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2008. Their form during the finals has been nothing short of sensational. They brushed aside Lancaster by close to 100 points in the elimination final, followed up with a 50 point win against Nagambie and then produced arguably the performance of the finals to smash Merrigum by 131 points in last week’s Preliminary Final.
Stanhope is likely to have a number of players who have tasted the ultimate success with the Lions. Skipper Jarrod Mason is one of those guys to have played in premierships. The experience of the Bendigo Gold duo Steven Stroobants and Thomas Hams will prove pivotal for the Lions and they also have one of the most in-form forwards in the second half of the season in Matt Johnson.
Many people have asked me this week who goes in favourite into this grand final and I believe it is Murchison, but only just. I expect them to get home by 23 points.
Last Modified on 16/12/2014 10:23