AFTER Brock-Burrum captured a drought-breaking flag last season it’s great to see another two clubs get the chance to do the same on Saturday.
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While debate rages in the Ovens and Murray about equalisation policies, the Hume league remains ultra competitive, with six different premiers in the past decade.
League president Merv Wegener would be anticipating another bumper crowd on Saturday, with all clubs represented in either football or netball with the exception of Walla and Howlong.
Daniel Athanitis has done an outstanding job leading Rand-Walbundrie into its first decider since merging in 2006 and will be desperate to win.
The success-starved Tigers will start sentimental favourites, with Rand winning its most recent flag in 1945 and Walbundrie last tasting the ultimate success in 1989.
Henty is also chasing a drought-breaking premiership after last winning the flag in 1996 under Mark Eyers.
The return of favourite son Brent Piltz as coach in 2012 has sparked a major turnaround in the Swampies’ fortunes.
The Swampies have arguably had the best list for the past three seasons with key injuries sabotaging their past two finals campaigns.
They will once again start favourites and will be desperate for redemption.
Little separated the teams a fortnight ago in the second semi-final and the Swampies only managed to break the contest open in the last quarter by kicking five of the last six goals.
Athanitis would no doubt have learned a few valuable lessons from the loss and will have a few tricks up his sleeve on Saturday.
I rate him as one of the best tactical coaches in the league and after ruling himself out with a hamstring complaint will coach from the sidelines.
This could be of great benefit to the Tigers, because I know from experience you can pick up a lot more things when you can concentrate solely on coaching and don’t have to worry about getting a kick as well.
Henty co-coaches Brent Piltz and Jamarl O’Sullivan lead by example but have the backing of a great brain’s trust, including 2007 Culcairn premiership coach Matt Klemke and trusty sidekick James Male.
O’Sullivan has been injured for the past two finals series but finally gets to the biggest match of the season fully fit.
My spies tell me he has been spending a lot of his spare time at North Albury Anytime Fitness working on his fitness — but also staring at himself in the mirrors.
The 2012 Azzi medallist will have a huge bearing on the outcome and should be able to provide the Swampies star-studded midfield of Heath Ohlin, Simon Hillier and Sam Murray an edge at the stoppages.
Rand-Walbundrie created huge headlines over summer after snaring prized Eastlake recruits Dean Roulstone, Ben Maiden, Mark Kimball Justin Mesman, Tim Gray, Matt Dean and Shaun Allan.
Most teams would have been thrilled just to land one of the high-profile recruits, but gaining all seven has proved to be a powerful injection of class, experience and enthusiasm.
After taking the direct route to the grand final, Henty will be playing just its second match in five weeks, which a lot of people argue is not an ideal preparation.
But I’m not one of them and I can’t see it being an issue.
While the temptation to tag the opposition’s best midfielder would be hard to resist, don’t be surprised if both teams back their onballers early and simply go head to head.
If someone gets off the leash, expect Charlie Williams to perform a run-with role for the Tigers and Derek Singe likewise for the Swampies.
It sets the scene for a tough, hard-fought grand final of the highest order, but, sorry Tiger fans, it’s the Swampies to prevail by 31 points.