IT has been a long time between drinks for the Alexandra Hills Bombers, who enter unfamiliar territory in the grand final against Wynnum at Kedron on Sunday. The Bombers have never played in a State Association grand final and you have to go back to 1995, in the old SQAFA second division, to find the club’s last premiership. So it is on a wing and a prayer that Alex Hills, who finished the regular season as minor premiers, go into the flag decider against a side that thrashed them in the second semi-final a fortnight ago. The Vikings took that match by 20.15 (135) to 11.13 (79) in the Bombers’ Keith Surridge Oval hangar. It seems a major attack of nerves was a key to that disappointing performance, although the Bombers bounced back with a narrow win against Caloundra in the preliminary final last weekend when they won by 16.13 (109) to 16.10 (106). “I think our players suffered a bit from nerves,” said co-coach Dion Menzies of the second semi Wynnum wipeout. “We believe we have combated the nerves now and we turned it around and played some good finals football against Caloundra.” Nevertheless, that hiding was an ominous warning from Wynnum that they mean business at the business end of the season as they seek to claim back-to-back premierships for the first time under former Morningside and Brisbane Bears reserves utility Brendan Moroney. Moroney took over after Wynnum lost back-to-back grand finals in 2005-06. Wynnum will start hot favourites on the back of the second semi demolition, but preliminary series results stood at one apiece. Wynnum won the first clash by 29 points at home, then Alex Hills took the second by three points in the second. Moroney delivered some sobering news for the Alex Hills crew. “In the second semi-final it was the first real hit-out where we basically had everyone on our list available,” he said. It’s much the same for the weekend with the Vikings at virtual full strength. Moroney feels he has the personnel to cover the Bombers all around the ground, but feels Sunday’s rivals are on the right track in terms of the future. “They’re young and if they stick around they can do wonders in this competition,” he said. Keys for Wynnum should be former Labrador and Redland ruckman Trent Farrow, centreman Willy Broome and the competition’s leading goalkicker, full-forward Andrew Mansfield. Youthful exuberance and run is the strength of Alexandra Hills, according to Menzies, who co-coaches the side with former Redland boss Graham Henwood. “We are a very young side, I think the average age is about 22,” said Menzies. “Our fitness has been a highlight of the season – young legs and fitness.”
In the reserve grade Grand Final Caloundra will take on Alex Hills. Alex hills have come through this final series the hard way, after just scraping into the five, They beat UQ Redlions in the Elimination final then Wynnum in the first semi and in the preliminary final disposed of Yeronga who finished minor premiers. Caloundra on the other haned beat Wynnum in the qualifying final and then made life hard for Yeronga by beating them in the second semi. This will be a real hard fought contest, as both teams will not give any quarter in a bid to win this flag.
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