SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
GRAND FINAL PREVIEW
By David Nagel
EVERY grand final is huge, but something truly remarkable is brewing with Cranbourne and Berwick set to lock horns for the 2016 South East Football Netball League title at Officer on Saturday.
Two magnificent teams will fight – not only for the most precious piece of silverware in the region but for memories that will last a lifetime.
Cranbourne, the top-of-the-table second semi-final winner, aiming for its 13th flag, against Berwick, looking for just its eighth triumph in an existance that spans more than 125 years.
That’s the remarkably resilient thing about footy clubs; the Wickers average a premiership every 18 years and would never have wavered from their dream of a period of dominance.
And it may finally have arrived.
The associated benefits are many for the reigning champions on Saturday, particularly for coach Rhys Nisbet.
He can jump into a very elite club here, becoming just the second man to coach the Wickers to back-to-back flags … the first, his dad Darryl.
It’s quite remarkable really that in the 125-year history of the club, a father-and-son could be only men to achieved a quite remarkable feat.
Nisbet will not have any of it, as he remains focussed on the eve of the biggest coaching opportunity of his career.
“I find it very easy to push those things to one side, because I’ve got 22 blokes, even more in the reserves, to worry about, and I never want to put myself or my achievements above others,” he said.
“It’s all about the players for me and if they’re good enough to get over the line and my name goes into the history book, that’s great, but if it doesn’t, so be it. It’s all about the players and what they can achieve together.”
Comparisons between the two sides that will take to the park on Saturday and those of the 2015 rendition of the grand final are stark.
The Wickers will be minus premiership players in Brody Connelly, Jimmy Phillips, and retired pair Paul Vanschilt and Mick Manley, while the Eagles are barely recognisable from the team that lost its fourth grand final in succession last year.
Coach Simon Goosey could not have done more in the space of 12 months to turn this team around, with nine changes likely from the team that succumbed to the Wickers in the big dance last year.
Champion full-forward Marc Holt and the damaging Michael Theodoridis have succumbed to injury, with Curtis Barker, Marty Leinmueller, Nick Morrish, Andrew Driscoll, Chace Struth, Matty Rus and Tim Smith all missing from last year’s decider.
Of the new breed, Zac Roscoe has been a revelation as a small forward; Dylan Cavalot and Aaron Bower have introduced an explosive amount of pace, while Dillan Bass has gone from a two-game player in 2015 to not missing a game this year.
Kory Grant, Anthony Fischer and Nick Darbyshire have played important roles, but it’s been the inclusion of boom-recruit Shaun Marusic that has been the biggest bonus of all.
Marusic had a slow start to the season, but gained confidence from a brilliant interleague outing and hasn’t taken a backward step since.
But, for all the changes, it’s all about mindset for the Eagles, who Goosey believes are cherry ripe to finally claim that elusive flag.
“We’re as ready as we can be, we’ve had the perfect preparation, I can’t fault it, and the boys have been super on the track, really excited and looking forward to the contest,” he said.
“It’s a lot different to last year, there was too much worry, but this year we’re just concentrating on doing what we do best and seeing where that will take us. We’ve got no excuses; if we get beaten this year then we’re beaten by a better side. We’re ready, what will be, will be.”
The two teams squared the home-and-away season with Cranbourne edging ahead in a three-point thriller in the second semi.
THE TIP
There are so many elements to consider.
They won’t admit it, but Cranbourne is resigned to the fact that Holt won’t play, while Berwick co-captain Madi Andrews is surely in doubt after sustaining what looked to be a serious knee injury last weekend.
If Andrews doesn’t play, it truly does square the ledger with his toughness and tackling in tight, and ability to explode away from stoppages making him the most effective midfielder in the league.
If Nisbet and Goosey had one choice to omit from the opposition this weekend – Andrews and Holt would be first picked.
The key here could come down to a battle of the minds. There are no free-swings in grand finals, but Berwick went close last year, but this time around will have the same level of expectation as their ultra-reliable opponents.
Cranbourne … your time has come … the pain ends now.
The tears will flow after an emotional 14 point victory.
