After
19 home and away rounds, the 2009 Millewa Football League Finals Series has
arrived upon us, with this year’s instalment set to be one of the most exciting
and keenly contested in recent years.
With both games being played on Sunday, a massive crowd
is expected to flock to Carramar Drive to watch the semi final double header,
with the first game to be played at 12pm between Euston and Meringur.
Both these sides enter this encounter on the back of wins
in Round 19, and with the ledger all square at one all between these sides for
the season, the scene is set for an enthralling contest.
The Bombers haven’t been in their best form in recent
weeks, and will need to find something to reignite themselves back to their
exciting best.
But as witnessed last year, if there is any side in the
competition that is able to lift for the big stage it is Euston, and they will
stop at nothing to make sure they have their chance at defending their title.
The Bombers are a very quick unit, and when their sharp ball
movement through the midfield is up and running, they are one of the most
difficult sides to stop in the competition. Add to this their talented forward
line containing the likes of Sean Smith, Brad Kennedy, Mahino Paola and Jamie
Buchanan, the Meringur defenders will have their work cut out keeping them
quiet.
However if there is one defensive unit capable of putting
the lockdown on a dangerous forward line, it is Meringur’s. Lead by captain Dan
Smith, Ron Richards and Martin Patten, the Roos have all the necessary tools to
make life difficult for the Euston goal kickers.
Meringur have been inconsistent in patches this season,
but with the likes of Carlo Longeri and Colin Keatch firing, they are starting
to come good at the right time of the year and have the potential to be this
year’s finals surprise packet.
It is true the Roos were humbled at the hands of Euston
in last year’s 1st Semi final, but this is a much improved team who
are heading into this match full of confidence after some big scalps in recent
weeks.
Like their last encounter in Round 15, this match will be
tight right up until the final siren, but with an array of big game experience
amongst their ranks, Euston will head into this clash confident of continuing
their push to go back-to-back.
In the 2nd Semi Final starting at 2.30pm,
Bambill and Gol Gol go head to head in the hope of marching straight into the
2009 Grand Final.
These two sides have been the two best teams in the
competition by a long shot this year, and with some key players returning for
both teams for this clash, this match is certain to live up to the hype.
The Saints finished the home and away season on top of
the ladder and three games ahead of the Hawks, and for the majority of the
season looked like they would go through undefeated before Gol Gol ended their
winning streak in Round 15.
Both sides are rock solid in defence, lead respectively
by Tim Anderson for the Hawks and Jarrat Farley for the Saints. This match will
also feature the league’s top two goal kickers, with Kaleb Sherwell and Brett
Haase both looking to kick a winning score for their teams.
But it is the midfield battle that will be the most
tantalising, with the likes of Lee Crane, Tansley Hill and Dean McDowell for Gol
Gol coming up against the class of Ben Milsom, Brant Reid and Andrew Ross for
Bambill. The duel in the ruck will also be a highlight, with Gol Gol’s Tim
Robinson and Bambill’s Denny Fox looking to control the aerial battles for
their respective sides.
Overall, this match has all the makings of an absolute
classic, and it could quite possibly go down to the wire like the 2nd
Semi Final fought out between these two sides last year. It may again come down
to the last kick of the day, but Bambill’s determination to bury their demons
from last year and could see them sneak through to the big one.
Footnote-
Apologies
to Kaleb Sherwell for incorrectly reporting during the week that he did not
kick the 1 goal he needed to claim the league goal kicking award. Kaleb in fact
kicked 5 majors against Cardross to give himself 86 goals for the year. Runner
up was Bambill’s Brett Haase, who kicked 81 majors.
Last Modified on 01/09/2009 13:47