Wodonga Raiders coach Daryn Cresswell says ‘all the pressure on Myrtleford’ ahead of Ovens and Murray Football League elimination final

Cresswell turned up the blowtorch on the Saints after the Raiders sealed a top-five berth by beating North Albury and having arch-rival Wodonga down Wangaratta by a point.

In a remarkable final round, the Raiders replaced the Magpies in the finals just a week after dropping out of the top-five with a one-point loss to the Saints.

Cresswell said the Saints deserved to start favourites after Jarrod Hayse sunk the Raiders with a kick after the siren at Birallee Park in round 17.

“All the pressure is on Myrtleford,” he said.

“They deserve to be favourites.

“They beat us, they’ve beaten Lavington, they’ve beaten Yarrawonga, they pushed Albury to the closest margin this year.

“Having said that, it’s a final and funny things can happen so we will go down there and give it our best shot.”

The Raiders could welcome back Matt McDonald from a rib injury for the cut-throat clash with the Saints but Stewart Williams faces a fitness test after injuring his shoulder against the Hoppers.

Myrtleford has its own injury concerns with Hayse (hip) and Tom McDonagh (leg) sitting out the final three quarters of its win over Corowa-Rutherglen at John Foord Oval.

Sam Confait missed the Saints’ clash with the Roos with hamstring tightness but is expected to be fit to take on the Raiders.

Hugh Wales will miss the Saints’ first finals appearance in a decade with the versatile defender booked in for a shoulder reconstruction on Wednesday.

“His welfare is the priority right now and it’s better to get it sorted now for his football and his future,” Saints co-coach Leigh Corcoran said.