Lucindale and Keith will face each other for the right to hold up the Premiership Cup on Saturday in the Grand Final of the 2022 Kowree Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League.
The clash of the two best teams for the season should be a classic encounter. These two teams met in the second semi-final at Francis two weeks ago and that game was a tight and tough affair. The Crows hit the front in the fourth quarter after being down by four goals at three quarter time. The Roos were able to steady and get across the line. Both teams will take lots of confidence from that clash. The Roos will know they can win the tight finals games when adversity hits them. The Crows know they can run teams down in the fourth if they are behind at the final change.
The Roos have been the bench mark all season and will go in to this game as favourites. Players such as Tom Logan, Hamish Gordon, Sam Williams, Hamish Gordon, Henry Tregoweth and Henry Gould have had a great impact on where where the Roos season has ended up. They have great firepower in front of goal with Hamish Gordon, Sam Williams, Josh Trembath and Henry Tregoweth leading the goal scoring for the Roos this season. The Roos midfield give the forwards great service as well. Scott Foord-Spriggs is also dangerous if you let him get out in the open to use his foot skills. Foord-Spriggs will love the open Kingston ground to run around on and do damage. The McCarthy boys also do their best for the team. Daniel holds down the back line well and can match up on the best forwards in the comp. Anthony will provide run from the half back line. Bradley gets the ball from the midfield and is damaging in link up play. The veteren play of Ex-AFL and SANFL Tom Logan is also a plus. Tom is hard at it and uses his smarts to benefit the team and work the ball forward at any chance he gets.
The Crows on the other hand will be full of confidence going in to this game. In the second semi-final the Crows looked down and out at three quarter time. Keith lifted and hit the front in the fourth, but couldn't hold on. They will be much more confident this time that they can get the job done.
The Crows have their own fire power with Ex-SANFL star Lewis Hender leading the way in the forward lines. Lewis had a big Preliminary Final as he put his impact on the result at the crucial stages of the final quarter. The Crows will be hoping Billy Wade will be right to help Lewis out with the scoring. Billy has been battling a hamstring problem and he has been a crucial foil for Hender this year. George Johnson and Daniel Bibby are two other players who can hit the scoreboard when needed. Bibby has had an outstanding year this season and midfielders who work forward to kick goals are very valuable to any team.
The Crows midfield is led by coach George Thring and he has some star power to work with him in there. William McMurray, George Ryan and Jonathon Wilson add some star quality to the midfield that has many options to rotate through there. McMurray in particular is proving to be a big-time finals performer as he has had some big moment so far in this year's finals series.
Seb Schrieber and Ryan Bartlett will have their hands full trying to intercept the Roos forward passes when they run forward. Both are great defensive players and are more than capable of stopping the Roos from getting quality looks at goal. Seamus McMurray will be there to lend both a helping hand from full back.
Keith's Nick Vandenberg and Lucindale's Henry Gould will be central players in the ruck contest as well as both will be working hard to give their midfielders first use of the ball.
Lucindale will be fresh and ready to go. I feel the Roos will have enjoyed the week off and be primed to take out the Grand Final. The Crows will be confident of a great showing and they know they can finish games off strongly if they are close enough at three quarter time. The only doubt about the Roos is about being match hardened after only playing one game within the last month by the time the ball is bounced on Saturday.
Prediction: Lucindale by 12-points