JUST when we all thought the premiership looked a three-horse race between Henty, Rand-Walbundrie and Brock-Burrum — sleeping giant Howlong has awoken from its slumber.
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And now it’s the opposition who are having nightmares.
While the Spiders took until the final few rounds to secure a finals spot they are a bit like a Bart Cummings-trained stayer and look to be peaking at the right time.
Similar to his team, high- profile Albury recruit Josh Dicketts has gone to another level — no make that stratosphere — so far during the finals series.
Has there been a more influential forward in recent Hume league finals history?
While Daniel Bradshaw booted 16 goals in his only two finals appearances for the Spiders in 2012 I previously haven’t seen a player tear a game to shreds like Dicketts has over the past fortnight.
The athletic big man has simply been unstoppable and impossible to beat in one-on-one contests and just as damaging against multiple defenders with his ability to take a pack mark or running back with the flight of the ball.
No doubt Rand-Walbundrie coach Daniel Athanitis would have had a few sleepless nights thinking of the best way to combat the rampaging forward.
But honestly I don’t think there is anyone in the competition who can contain him.
Brock-Burrum’s Dean Murphy is regarded as the league’s premier defender and Dicketts booted seven goals on him last week — all in the secondhalf.
I think playing Murphy on Dicketts was a big mistake as he is a natural ball-winner rather than a disciplined defender which is what you need.
That’s why I would give Tim Gray, who is also a very capable forward, first crack on the Spiders big man.
Gray has the speed and athleticism to match Dicketts but has to learn from Murphy’s mistake and forget about trying to get a kick himself and concentrate solely on playing as close as he can.
While Gray has got the toughest job in the Hume league, the other Tiger defenders can’t afford to be too conscious with Spider forwards Syd Leatham and Jesse Dale also more than capable of kicking a bag if not given the respect they deserve.
If Rand-Walbundrie is to progress to the big dance it will need more output from forwards Josh Warren-Marmo and Sam Terlich.
Warren-Marmo is the league’s leading goalkicker with 87 for the season and must lift his work rate when things don’t go his way.
He needs to kick at least four goals if the Tigers are to win.
Both Joel Price (ankle) and Mark Kimball (corked thigh) looked proppy last week and if either misses the opposition will have one foot in the decider.
Rand-Walbundrie will start a sentimental favourite, but its the Spiders for me by 17 points.
