By RUSSELL BENNETT
ELLINBANK AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREVIEW – ROUND 12
THE most hotly-anticipated game of the 2016 home and away season is just hours away, and the tension is well and truly building.
There’s no other way of putting it – Cora Lynn and Kooweerup just don’t get along. There’s definitely a respect there, from the Demons to the Cobras for everything they’ve achieved in the past two-and-a-half seasons, and from the Cobras to the Demons for the firepower and potential of this year’s side.
Ever since these two clubs fought it out for the 2014 EDFL West decider, this rivalry has gone to new heights. Some rivalries are built on decades of history but have no real basis in the present day. Not this one. This is real.
There’s a long list of connections between the two playing groups this year. Current Demons player-coach Ben Collins was the skipper of the 2008 Cora Lynn premiership side under Chris Toner. His brothers Dave and Mitch were also part of that Cobras group.
But a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, and to say the Collins boys are looking forward to this one is the mother of all understatements.
Ben was overlooked for the Cobras’ senior coaching role when the club instead opted for Brendan Kimber. It didn’t sit well with him at the time, but he’s since moved on and is pouring everything into Kooweerup this season.
To make this Sunday’s clash at Denhams Road even more intriguing, the Collins’ soon-to-be brother-in-law is Cora Lynn favourite son and livewire forward Anthony Giuliano.
“Look, they’ve been dominating for two years now,” Ben Collins said of the Cobras.
“This isn’t a final, but we’re definitely treating it like one.
“If we want to win it this year we know we’ll have to go through Cora Lynn.
“I rate that side very highly and they’re definitely on everyone’s radar.
“There’s no doubt at the start of the year we circled this game on the calendar, and I know they would have too.”
After having the bye in Round 11, the Demons are set to welcome back Tim and Ben Miller this week, as well as Ben Collins, himself, who will return after serving his suspension stemming from an incident against the Warragul Industrials. Favourite son and heart-and-soul ruckman Matt ‘Yogi’ Cameron, meanwhile, will play his 250th senior game in the clash.
“I think over the past two years Cora Lynn has been the sort of side to intimidate other teams but they’ve lost a few from that group and I’m not the sort of coach that’ll let us be intimidated by anyone,” Collins said.
“We respect every opposition side but when we’re at our best we’ll back ourselves to beat anyone.”
This week’s game will be littered with mouth-watering match-ups all over the ground, but unsurprisingly it’s through the middle that Collins says it’ll be won or lost.
The Cobras hardly need any motivation to step up to the occasion – still smarting from their loss to long-time rivals Nar Nar Goon in Round 11. They get their chance for redemption straight away, and they’ll be boosted by the return of two-time premiership-winning x-factor Jackson Dalton, who has been cleared for his return to the club from Red Hill.
“Our blokes definitely hurt when we do lose,” said player-coach David Main.
“In the past we’ve played poorly and still won, but maybe we have to learn the hard way that we can’t do that anymore.
“With the competition as tight as it is there are three sides with just two losses and Koowee has only lost one, so they’ll be looking to stay ahead of the pack.”
For the record, Main did admit that his side had circled this game at the start of the season too but he and Collins both know that this game won’t be won on emotion. The winning side will be the one that settles first, sticks to its structures, and – most importantly – doesn’t get caught up in the moment.
It will be chippy at times this Sunday, it will be fierce, but the side that maintains its composure will get the four points and bragging rights moving forward.
We’re tipping the home side in an absolute thriller – by less than two straight kicks in front of what’s certain to be a monster crowd.
Channel 31’s Local Footy Show will do its first ever live broadcast tomorrow as it televises the clash from 2pm.
