Cairns Saints and South Cairns agree upon one thing ahead of tomorrow's AFL Cairns grand final at Cazalys - last year's result means nothing.
The two teams faced off in the 2008 season decider with Saints scoring a resounding 57-point win to shatter Cutter's title hopes.
But the football landscape has changed the past year and it has been Cutters driving the bulldozer.
The minor premiers have been the undoubted benchmark of 2009, qualifying for the grand final with a thrilling five-point win over Centrals Trinity Beach in the first week of the play-offs.
While some players remain from last year's defeat, the Cutters have new talent such as on-baller Matt Kofoed and 2009 Crathern Medallist Andrew Browning who carry no mental scars.
Cutters assistant coach Robbie Douglas insists there has been no talk of the 2008 grand final loss at training.
"We’re totally focusing on this week. Last year was last year," he said.
"It’s a whole new ball game this Saturday.
"We can be classed a favourite if you look at the season as a whole but coming into a grand final it is 50-50.
"We’ve been pretty good throughout the year winning 17 and only losing one.
"We deserve to be minor premiers and hopefully come Saturday we’ll be there."
Saints player coach Mark Kennedy has the same hope for his team, which is being propelled by locomotive-grade momentum.
The reigning premiers have eliminated Centrals Trinity Beach and the Manunda Hawks the past two weeks and Kennedy has faith his players can carry that form into tomorrow.
Last Modified on 18/09/2009 09:57