By Sophie Hammill
On the eve of the Division Two and Three Grand Finals this weekend, a number of WRFL clubs are preparing to re-write the record books and take home a senior flag for the first time in the club’s history.
Division Two’s Wyndhamvale (Seniors) and Division Three’s Albanvale (Seniors and Reserves) and newcomers Wyndham Suns (Reserves) have been starved of the ultimate senior success in the WRFL and are more determined than ever to take home the flag.
Having taken home the 2014 Reserves Premiership with an 8-point win over Parkside, Wyndhamvale has not played in a Senior Grand Final since 1994 where they lost to the now defunct Flemington in the A2 grade.
The Falcons have been knocking on the door in the Division Two senior competition for years, having played in finals over the past four seasons, but has fallen short of playing in September.
With the new senior coach Troy Beamond coming to the Falcon nest this season, the team has had a fantastic year, sitting on top of the ladder with 16 wins and hopes to finish it off with the flag.
With a 15-year Grand Final drought already broken, Beamond said the atmosphere in the lead up to the big match has been “exciting for the whole club.”
The Wyndhamvale players go into the match with a little extra confidence having defeated West Footscray by 62-points in their recent semi-final match.
Although while the Falcons have had the better of the pair this year, Beamond said “the players cannot get caught up on the past” and must rely on their “defensive team pressure and overall evenness of the side.”
In the Division Three competition, the Wyndham Suns are on their way to a fairytale debut season with their reserves team.
Joining the competition at the start of 2015, Club President Graeme Clark said their season is one everyone at the club can be very proud of.
With a relatively large following, Clark said that it is “good for the club and the players to be involved in finals football.”
In anticipation of this Saturday’s Reserve Grand Final against Albanvale, the club has seen “a lot of excitement and are feeling positive” as they prepare to run out at Wootten Reserve.
“The camaraderie within the team and their ability to unify as a group has been a huge contributor to their success this year, so we hope their hard work pays off and we can take home a flag,” Clark said.
With the Suns immediate impact on the league, their five year goal of “being at the top end of Division Two” does not seem far away.
Also in the mix to taste senior premiership glory is Albanvale, who has both its senior and reserves teams playing this Saturday.
With their hopes of winning a flag dashed last year in an agonizing two-point defeat to Braybrook, the Cobras “know how much it hurts to lose.”
Having gone through the motions 12 months ago, the team believes they have strengthened and matured as a side and that their past experience will hold them in good stead this time around.
“The coach is now in his second year and has been through the experience of it all with the players,” Club President Jason Curmi said.
“Having lost a number of Grand Finals in the past, winning this would mean the world.”
The Division Three Grand Finals will kick off on Saturday September 5 at Wootten Road Reserve (Tarneit) with the Reserves at 11:40am, followed by the Seniors at 2:20pm.
All Division Two Grand Finals will be held at Avalon Airport Oval (Werribee) on Sunday September 6 with the Under 18s (9:15am), Reserves (11:40am) and Seniors (2:20pm).
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Last Modified on 02/09/2015 14:23