The first final is the 10am MINOR SEMI-FINAL where 3rd placed Balmain Dockers (home changing rooms) take on the 4th placed Bondi Shamrocks (away changing rooms). The Dockers have been flying with a wet sail for their premiership campaign. It'll be interesting to see the lineup of Balmain with their back 6 distributing the ball to their wingers such as Karla Spilarewicz to their forward line targets of Belinda Pride and Natalie Morgan.
The Shamrocks in contrast have suffered heavy defeats in the last two matches and really need to capture their momentum since qualifying for the finals. The Shamrocks have a strong center combination such as Kate Woodlands and Una McKay to dish out the ball but need to hit their forward targets cleanly as a key to winning the game.
In the home and away series, both sides won a game each with the winning margin both times less than 4 goals so I expect another close game between the two sides. As this is the Shamrocks first ever final, it's experience over enthusiasm. We'll see which one wins the game.
Winner moves to the PRELIMINARY FINAL (Away Dressing Room) the non-winner can start Mad Sunday celebrations on coming 4th.
Head to Head: Balmain 1, Bondi 1
The second final is the 12pm MAJOR SEMI-FINAL where Minor Premiers Newtown Breakaways (home changing rooms) take on 2nd place Western Wolves (away changing rooms). This is one of the fiercest rivalries in SWAFL due to their grand final clashes historically. The Newtown Breakaways have been this season's benchmark whilst the Western Wolves weren't that far behind. As always I expect a tough encounter between the two sides. This season Newtown won the first game by twenty points and the other game was a thrilling draw.
Newtown strengths are across the ground but the key is their first use of the ball at ball ups led by Natalie Redford (ruck) to rovers such as Natasha Devlin dishing it off to ther half forward line such as Krystle Thompson. Western Wolves also have their strengths led by ruck Georgia Woodyard, rovers Talei Owen and Tricia Muller dishing it off to half-forwards in Cynthia Dufaut and Christine MacDonald.
Winner moves to the GRAND FINAL (Home Dressing Room), the non-winner plays in the PRELIMINARY FINAL (Home Dressing Room).
Head to Head: Newtown 16, Wests 7, Drawn 1
PRELMINARY FINAL: 10AM Mahoney Park, Saturday 29 August
GRAND FINAL: 1PM Mahoney Park, Saturday 5 September
Last Modified on 16/08/2009 08:56