WARATAHS coach Will Mitchell isn't quite sure what to expect from the SIRU grand final this Saturday.
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Up against the dominant Albury-Wodonga Steamers, Mitchell knows his players will face-off against potential match-winners across the ground.
Richard Manion, James Olds and Lex Botha headline a list of Steamers that Mitchell needs to stop.
After fighting their way past Leeton in the preliminary final, the first-year coach is confident that the Waratahs have enough in the tank to get the job done.
“We've played some good footy in patches over the last few weeks,” Mitchell said.
“But with a grand final, previous form means nothing.
“We've probably won ugly in our finals so far, but a win is a win.
“I have confidence that we can close it out if it's tight at the death.”
The Waratah's overran a depleted Leeton Phantoms outfit late in the piece in the preliminary final last week, eventually claiming a three-point victory.
The win sent them through to their second grand final against the Steamers in two years, but Mitchell wasn't concerned about what the history books had to say.
“We haven't given the events of the last few years much thought,” Mitchell said.
“It's been more focused on us and what we have to do to win.
“Albury are a side that can score extremely quickly, so we've got to be thinking of way to counter that.
“I don't think we've peaked yet, I know we can play better than what we have been.”
Putting a stop to the aforementioned trio of Manion, Olds and Botha would be one of the more interesting aspects of the game, Mitchell said.
The Waratah's coach backed his forward pack to compete with the mobile Albury group, with the likes of Tim Corcoran and Guy McAllister set to match up on the Steamers’ stars.
“We'll go head to head in some areas, I'd say there will be some cracking matchups across the park,” Mitchell said.
“It'll be a matter of putting our back into the defence.
“If some of our guys can beat a direct opponent then it can really lift the team around them and create some momentum.”
The Tahs have had to make their way to the grand final the hard way, winning three elimination to book their place in the grand final.
It has been a gutsy effort that Mitchell think will hold his side in good stead.
“We're expecting Albury to be at their best, they've been the best side all year,” he said.
“Their coach has got the right guys firing at the right time.
“But we'll go into the match with confidence, I know we've got enough in the tank to get the job done.”
Albury-Wodonga's path to the grand final was paved after an emphatic 66-point win over the Leeton Phantoms a fortnight ago.
I rate our forwards as some of the best in the competition, they'll be key alongside our outside centres.
- Will Mitchell
