2013 AFL Quebec Grand Final
Laval Bombers –v- West Island Eagles
When: Sunday 22nd September, 1.00pm Ball Up
(Be there for 12 noon)
Where: Parc Champetre
Shady Punter is back to give his/her “expert opinion?” for one last time this year as he/she match previews the 2013 AFL Grand Final and to see who walks away with the much coveted Anderson Cup.
Newspaper articles, radio interviews and prime time TV slots have littered AFL Quebec’s most successful season to date and it all cumulates this Sunday at Parc Champetre as the Eagles and Bombers come together to battle it out to see who walks away as 2013 AFL Quebec Champions. The biggest Headline of all is yet to be written.
Both teams couldn’t be more different, the Laval Bombers are reining AFL Quebec Premiers and the traditional powerhouse of Quebec footy while the Eagles are new-fangled and fresh with a much less colourful history then that of the Bombers. Having won the 2012 Pre-Season Tournament, expectation was high for the ‘Kids from the West’, but things turned lacklustre and they spent much of last season and this sauntering though the league. This all may change however this Sunday as they try where many other teams before them have failed and dethrone the northerners as Kings of Quebec Footy.
This will not come easy though as the Bombers, with veteran superstar Paul Fairbrother at the helm, are a tactically well drilled outfit with experience in abundance, exemplified none more so then by AFL Quebec veteran Ryan Oxley. The Eagles on the other hand are a young team that rely more often on youthful exuberance then footballing know how to get the job done. Which will prevail this Sunday is anyone’s guess.
The key to victory will lie with the on ball brigades and how both teams defence and offense structures utilise their opportunities. The Eagles are strong in the on ball department and if the Bombers want to regain their title they will be well advised to have a plan in place to deal with the flair and flamboyance of Davidson, Cordoba and Houvion. All three are good ball carriers and find a gap in the most imperceptible of places but expect Fairbrother to already have this well sussed out. Whether he deploys a tagger to both parties or try’s to match them at their own game, only the maestro will know, but he knows.
Cunningham and Boulerice in the ruck will be a battle for the ages, arguably the two best in the league and the outcome of this game will be contingent a lot on this encounter. If Cunningham gets his hand to the ball first, the Bombers will be in trouble. Who Fairbrother deploys as his other on ballers is anybody’s guess, as he is renowned for using multiple players in the position in any one game. Expect ball magnet Rotaru and Oxley to feature around here a lot but true to his nature also expect to see as many as 5 or 6 other on ballers deployed throughout the day as well. The Eagles on the other hand have pretty much have been consistent with their on ball department all year, so expect a rotation of the tried and trusted Edis, Cordoba ,Davidson and Houvion, all capable of turning a game on its head.
On attack both teams are going to be greeted with tough tackling no nonsense defenders. Venture into the Bombers defence and the Eagles will be entering a warzone with Gavidia and Barranco standing guard at a moment’s notice, while the sublime Strevens will gather high balls all day long and deliver penetrating balls down into the Eagles half. Down the other end, expect to see Manny, Watkins and Payne fight for every contest with vigour and heart. No goal is going to come easy this Sunday.
In saying that, both teams have forwards capable of delivering the goods when called upon. St Germaine has been an absolute revelation since switching from defence to attack this year and is the Eagles main forward focus point. He is aptly supplemented by French Islander Thomas Core and the Lavoie Brothers, the two most improved players in the league this year. For the Bombers, Auger racks up numerous possessions in a game and often finds himself insight of the goal with ball in hand. But like St Germaine both are often guilty of wildly inaccurate kicking, so a calm head and a steady hand from either will be massive factor come 3 o clock Sunday in determining the 2013 Champions. Throw in the old reliables for the Bombers in Fairbrother and Pitchen, both of whom consistently kick a bag full of goals between them, one would say the Bombers may find goals from their attack easier to come by.
Big matches throw up big contests and one I’m looking forward to the most is that of Belzie and Legault. Arguably the two best ladies in the competition, Belzie often fly’s under the radar but anyone who has kicked more goals then both Ed Duff and Marty Lawless needs to be watched and no better person then Legault to that. The Team Canada rock is often an unsung hero in the Eagles backline but both her and Belzie have showed they are more than capable of mixing it with the men in a league that is ever growing with stature every time a game is played.
With all this been said, how I see this one going comes down to a few simple things. How Fairbrother deals with the threat of Davidson and Houvion and how efficient each team is in front of goal. Like I said we have two mean defences on show so chances will be hard come by especially for the Eagles. So expect Matt Payne to look for the goals to come from deep in the form of Houvion, Cunningham and Davidson. If Fairbrother nullifies this threat to an acceptable level the Bombers have a real shot of back to back titles but i feel though the Eagles may have too much run in their legs for this aging bombers team to keep up with. I think it will be a low scoring affair, but I think the Eagles may have that X factor to see them over the line. Eagles by two... but then again, what do I know?
Shady Punter
Last Modified on 13/06/2014 05:57