Saturday’s game against
Tocumwal at Mulwala with
an air of confidence surrounding
the team.
Not only did the Hawks
defeat the the Bloods in
round 17, they will welcome
back key players Matt
Chapman and Shaun Robbins
for the second semifinal
clash.
After a week’s rest to prepare
for the game, Barooga
coach John McNamara said
his troops were ready to
tackle the Murray Football
League’s competition
leader.
‘‘It was certainly good to
get a weekend off , I think
we played eight or nine
games on end, so there
were some pretty tired
bodies out there,’’ McNamamara
said.
‘‘We beat them last time,
but they beat us pretty easily
earlier on in the year,
finals are a different story
all together so you can’t
really take much from
those results.
‘‘They have some dangerous
players — (Anthony)
Mellington, (Michael) Hare
and (Glenn) Dundovic,
they’re all quality players.’’
Barooga and Tocumwal
both ended the season with
15 wins, with the Bloods
edging out the Hawks for
top spot by percentage.
But it’s Barooga which
has finished the season
with all the run—dropping
just one game since round
four — while Tocumwal
went undefeated until
round 14, only to drop
three of its last six games.
‘‘We got off to a good
start when we played them
last which was probably the
key in the end,’’McNamara
said.
‘‘We won by three or four
goals which was the difference
at quarter-time, so I
think our start had a big
part in winning.’’
A win will secure a spot
in this year’s grand final,
while the loser will play in
next week’s preliminary
final against the winner of
Moama’s game against
Deniliquin.
Deniliquin, for the second
week in a row, will
have to play a final against
a team playing at its home
ground.
Last week the Rams
played Congupna at home
and this week will travel to
Moama for the first semifinal
on Sunday.