CDHBU will be chasing their first Hume league finals victory when they take on Howlong in the first elimination final at Walbundrie on Saturday.
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After losing to Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock by 41 points in the first week of finals last season and Osborne by 15 points in 2013, Power coach Damian Payne said yesterday the club was hungry for a win.
“We have ticked off one box in making it and now we want to win a final,” Payne said.
“That’s the big thing for us.
“We want to do some damage now and get our first win on the board.
“It’s a young group and most of them haven’t played in a finals win yet so that’s something that is exciting and at the same time a bit nerve racking.”
Payne, who crossed to CDHBU this year after a successful stint with Tungamah, said the evenness of the Hume league gave every side hope in September.
The return of key forward Luke Cowan in recent weeks has only heightened expectations.
“The final six was very tight and you just have to be on your game each weekend,” Payne said.
“If you play some good footy, you can get the result you are after.
“It’s shown all season and is exciting.”
Howlong defeated CDHBU by 19 points in round eight but that was with Beau Walker and James Gray up and running.
Walker is only a small chance of returning this season from finger surgery, while Gray looks set to play his first match since August 15.
James Eastoe is another expected to play.
Price said last weekend’s bye had freshened up his side up nicely.
“It came at a really good time,” he said.
“Eastoe and Gray should be right and the break was really good for blokes like myself and ‘Cookie’ (Peter Hancock).
“It gave me the chance to go and have a look at CDHBU as well.”
Price believes CDHBU will attempt to run the Spiders off their legs.
“They have a lot of pace on the wings,” he said.
“Rhodes (Nathan) and Rippingale (Joel) are good ball carriers and our defensive pressure has to be right up.
“We can’t give them any space.
“Talbot (Brad) and Lewis (Josh) win a lot of the contested footy and they like to feed it out.
“Luke Cowan is as good as any forward running around as well.
“We will go in confident of getting the job done but it will be hard work.”
- Saturday’s draw: Seniors: Howlong v CDHBU, reserves: Jindera v Henty; thirds: Osborne v Lockhart; fourths: Osborne v Holbrook.
- Sunday’s draw: Seniors: Jindera v Murray Magpies; reserves: Brock-Burrumbuttock v Lockhart; thirds: Holbrook v Jindera; fourths: Rand-Walbundrie v CDHBU.