Tara Murray takes a look at the Essendon District Football League Division 1 and 2 grand finals this weekend.
EDFL Division 1
Tullamarine vs West Coburg
Sunday, September 7
Windy Hill at 2.30pm
This shapes as an interesting match-up.
West Coburg lost only one game in the home-and-away season to the third-placed Taylors Lakes and they defeated Tullamarine in both the regular season contests.
The Demons had only one loss outside its two against West Coburg, again against Taylors Lakes.
Despite losing the two regular season games between the sides, it was the Demons who came out on top in the semi-final by 31 points, 12.17 (89) to 9.4 (58).
This was the biggest margin between the two teams for the year, with West Coburg winning in the regular season by one and 19 points.
After the second game between the two teams, Demons coach Ash Manning admitted that he had left some of the side’s plans for the finals match, which seemed to work in the semi final.
West Coburg bounced back in the preliminary final with a convincing win against Taylors Lakes, 17.7 (109) to 9.9 (63).
The grand final is unlikely to be a pretty game, with the Demons at their best when they are able to lock the ball in and make it a contested game.
Demons captain Colin Laurie is likely to return to the side to provide some extra leadership, which means the Demons enter the match with their best 22 on the park.
TIP
This game is a hard one to pick. West Coburg has been the stand-out all season, but the Demons are playing well and have got their best team available. They were good in the first final and had the week off to rest any sore bodies.
The Demons had the fresher legs in the semi-final and with a week off that can only help for the grand final.
West Coburg bounced back last week and looked good against Taylors Lakes and will want to avenge the defeat in the first final.
Key forwards Jonathon Kent and Daniel Mangan, who are one and two in the league’s goal kicking, will be keys to the match. If West Coburg can’t keep them quiet, you can say game over.
Tullamarine by 15 points.
EDFL Division 2
East Keilor vs Roxburgh Park
Saturday, September 6
Windy Hill, 2.30pm
Clearly the best two teams all season with only four losses between them, with three of those in matches against each other.
The Cougars took the upper hand and their second victory in a row over the Magpies with a win in the semi-final, 14.14 (98) to 6.16 (52).
On that occasion, the Cougars kicked away in the second half, while keeping the Magpies to two goals after half time.
The Magpies were then made to fight for a grand final spot against Coburg Districts, which they won by one-point,12.9 (81) to 11.14 (80).
The biggest challenge for the Magpies will be finding enough goalkickers.
League leading goalkicker Matthew Mickleson, who has kicked 78 for the year, will miss the game, as will the Magpies’ second highest goal scorer Timothy Blackner.
The players will also have to encounter the nerves of playing in the grand final.
Coach Paul Derrick said after the win against Coburg Districts that neither him nor any of the players had senior grand final experience with the club.
The Cougars last tasted premiership success in 2012 when they defeated Moonee Valley by eight points in the first season of three divisions in the EDFL.
TIP
After being the favourites all season, the Magpies are starting to look a little shaky. After a poor performance in the first week of the finals and a close win in the second final, they will need to step it up against the Cougars.
No Mickleson is a big loss the Magpies and whether they overcome that, is a big question.
For the Cougars, they enter the match on a 10-game winning streak and two of those were against the Magpies. At this stage they could enter the match as favourites.
It will likely be a lot closer than the semi-final between the sides, but the Cougars are in form at the right time of the year and should sneak over the line.
Cougars by 10 points.
