YARRAWONGA won the battle for support at the Ovens and Murray Football-Netball League grand final parade yesterday.
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Deep in enemy territory, the Pigeons supporters outnumbered the Tigers with three busloads of school children from Yarrawonga making the hour trip two days out from the big match at Lavington Oval.
The crowd was well down on the past two parades held in Yarrawonga with only an estimated 350 people including parade participants involved.
All competing footy and netball teams travelled to QEII square in the back of utes before Albury co-coach Chris Hyde and Yarrawonga century goal-kicker Brendan Fevola fronted a disappointing crowd.
“It is great to see all the Yarra kids here today,” Fevola said.
“I think we’ve got more than Albury.
“It should be a great game.”
Hyde and Fevola posed for photos with the premiership cup and Fevola is hoping it will be heading back to Yarrawonga.
“I can see the cup sitting down there and you just want to get your hands on it,” Fevola said.
“Hopefully we can bring a better game on Sunday than we did in the second semi.
“Our boys are warriors and we showed how much we could fight at the weekend by coming back from 35 points down.
“We will go in as underdogs.”
There has been little evidence of grand final fever in central Albury this week with even the flags of the 10 O and M clubs not being displayed this year.
Albury and Yarrawonga will be playing in the grand final for the sixth successive year.
“You never get used to playing in a grand final,” Hyde said.
“We’ve got a couple of guys who will be in their first one.
“But we are like everyone and hoping it is a good day, good weather, the ground looks amazing.
“We are all excited.”
Mayor Kevin Mack said all was in readiness at Lavington Oval.
“The ground looks fantastic and it is about putting on a wonderful grand final with the facilities we’ve got here,” he said.
“The surface of the ground looks a picture.”