By Russell Bennett
WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL NETBALL COMPETITION
PREVIEW – GRAND FINAL
INVERLOCH KONGWAK v CORA LYNN
Grand Final – Saturday from 2.30pm at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve
Ladder positions: 1st (14 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw) versus 2nd (14 wins, 4 losses)
Earlier this season:
Round 11 at Cora Lynn: Inverloch Kongwak 15.11(101) d Cora Lynn 9.11(65)
Round 2 at Inverloch: Inverloch Kongwak 12.21(93) d Cora Lynn 9.13(67)
Semi Final 2 at Nar Nar Goon: Inverloch Kongwak 12.23(95) d Cora Lynn 13.11(89)
Inverloch Kongwak players to watch: Andy Soumilas, Shem Hawking, Dylan Clark, Tom Hams
Cora Lynn players to watch: Nathan Langley, Nathan Gillis, Jackson Dalton, Ryan Gillis
Fighting out of the blue corner is the triple reigning premier – proven time and time again on the biggest of stages.
Fighting out of the red corner – the side that vanquished the proven finals side three times during the home and away season, but hasn’t won a premiership in more than three decades.
It’s time.
Time for the talk to stop, and the actions to kick in when they matter most.
Time to end the hypotheticals surrounding just which side is better.
Time to determine just who takes home the biggest prize on offer in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition.
Here – We – Go.
Under lights at Cora Lynn on 25 March was when West Gippsland footy fans first got a glimpse of what would become a real rivalry over the course of the season.
The Sea Eagles were a class above the EDFL triple-reigning premiers in just about all facets – particularly their run and carry.
They faced off again just a few weeks later – this time at Inverloch – and the Sea Eagles were again too polished. Too poised, particularly in the second half.
Fast forward to early this month and their second semi-final again went Inverloch Kongwak’s way – this time by just a goal given the inaccuracy of the Sea Eagles.
But in Ben Soumilas’ mind that all counts for nothing. Not now.
“Obviously for us this is our second go at it in two years (after last year’s Alberton league grand final defeat to Fish Creek) and we want to bounce back and win one,” the Inverloch coach said.
“We’re well aware that more than half their side are experienced (grand final) campaigners and we’re not.
“I don’t believe the three results (earlier in the year) mean anything. This is a real 50-50 contest and I don’t think anything else matters.
“We’ve just got to focus on the things we can do, go through our normal routines and do what got us into the grand final.
“Sometimes sides go into grand finals trying something new – a new tactic – but I’m not a big believer in that. We’ve got to continue to do what we do well.”
Soumilas said some may look at the downward trend in winning margins for his side over the Cobras in their previous three clashes and suggest Cora Lynn was getting closer – 36 points, 26, and most recently just six.
“Look, we could beat them 10 times in a row and it wouldn’t mean anything for a grand final,” he said.
“Their (grand final) formula works and has for years.”
But the Cobras are a new-look side this year, with only 10 of their premiership players from last year having lined up in the preliminary final against Phillip Island.
Into the mix this year are a host of teenagers, which brings the average age of the overall group right down.
Seven Cobras this Saturday are aiming for their fourth premiership in a row – Ryan and Nathan Gillis, Brady White, Jackson Dalton, Nathan Langley, skipper Tim Payne, and David Main.
Cora Lynn is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Pakenham, which won four straight flags in the old West Gippsland competition from 1987 to 1990.
But they’re not getting ahead of themselves, either.
“The loss last week (in the semi-final) really hit home,” player-coach Main said.
“We knew we weren’t invincible – Inverloch has definitely been the best side all year – but we know that if we can produce our best we’ll back it in to get the job done.
“It’s set for an absolute showdown, and that’s how the competition’s been all year.
“The two best sides at this time of year are fighting it out and either way there’ll be some great rewards for each club – Inverloch hasn’t won a flag in a long time, and we’re going for four in a row and the last side to do that (in West Gippsland) was Pakenham.
“Pakenham is held in such high regard around our district that if we happened to get the chocolates on Saturday – this footy club with no town – it’d just be huge.
“The people who put the work in behind the scenes and the players who come to us feel like they’ve been there their whole lives and I feel the same way.”
Kooweerup coach and former Cora Lynn premiership skipper Ben Collins is tipping the Sea Eagles to snare their first flag since 1986. Just.
“I hate to admit it but these two teams have been the best performed over the year and deserve to be there, and I’m very envious of them,” he said.
“After watching their last encounter at Nar Nar Goon two weeks ago I think it’s Inverloch’s game to lose as they move the ball with such speed by hand and foot and are so well drilled as a team with no individuals.
“Cora Lynn, on the other hand, are tried and proven on the big stage and are one game away from going for four flags in a row, which would be a massive motivation.
“The Cobras’ forwards are hard to beat and they will play a huge role on Saturday. I think Inverloch’s mids are very good though, led by Andy Soumilas who tore the Cobras apart last time. Inverloch seemed to stop young-gun Jai Rout and will have to do so again to get the win. It’s going to be a huge challenge to beat Cora Lynn four times in one season but I think Inverloch is up to the challenge.
Bunyip midfielder and best and fairest winner Joel Gibson has gone the other way.
“Inverloch has been the best side throughout the year – well coached, well drilled and organised – but I’ve been on Cora Lynn because they rise when they are challenged and I’m sticking with them,” he said.
“They will need to use their pace and run the footy and get off to a better start.”
Phillip Island coach Brad Sinclair is clear who he’s tipping – the side who just steamrolled his.
“Cora Lynn,” he said.
“They know what grand final day is all about. They’ve got a potent forward line and their bottom end of their list is playing great football.”
Finally, Garfield football director and AFL Gippsland commissioner John White is tipping the side led by two Garfield favourite sons – the Soumilas boys.
“I think Inverloch Kongwak might just have the edge,” he said.
“The composure of IK during the finals series has been professional on all levels and they operate as a unit. Cora Lynn, on the other hand, have had to get to the grand final the hard way and will probably show some fatigue. Fresh legs might be the difference. Let’s hope for a great game to highlight the evenness of the competition in its inaugural year.”
