Finals Team Talk | The Courier | August 24, 2023
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00:00 Welcome to Thursday night Team Talk. I'm David Brough and I am joined as always by Edward
00:04 Holland.
00:05 G'day David, how are ya?
00:06 Not too bad. Finals time in the Central Highlands Football League and there's a touch of spring
00:11 in the air isn't there and driving to work today, you know, people out cutting their
00:15 grass and that always reminds you that yes, it's finals in football and certainly looking
00:23 forward to this weekend in the Central Highlands Football League. Ballot football in that ball
00:27 league. You've still got one home away round to go, round 18. Give us a glimpse of that,
00:32 what we can expect there and then we'll dive into the first week of finals in the Central
00:37 Highlands.
00:38 Yeah, well one week still to go in the BFNL but it may as well start this weekend with
00:44 some of the games on offer with the East Point, Sunbury and Redem, the three team battle for
00:48 the last two spots. So some elimination finals like games this weekend so that's what to
00:54 look forward to.
00:55 Right, so we'll have a look at that in more detail very shortly but let's look at the
01:00 Central Highlands Football League Senior Football. Of course, qualifying and elimination finals
01:07 Saturday and Sunday and Saturday first up we'll have a qualifying final between the
01:13 minor premier Springbank and Bungeri. On top for so long but had a couple of hiccups late
01:19 in the season and they finished up fourth. So it's Springbank versus Bungeri at Bunyong
01:25 Saturday afternoon. Okay, there's going to be changes across the board with all eight
01:31 teams. Nothing really major, it's what we expected to what I wrote about largely early
01:38 in the week. Some players coming back, some were rested, some had niggles but they want
01:43 to make sure that they were fit and ready to go for this week. And so just among a couple
01:48 of changes for this game. A significant out for Springbank is Chris Quinlan with a calf
01:55 so they will miss him but Bungeri will, they'll lose Sam Cooper with a knee injury, suffered
02:01 last week, but they'll pick up Dodd, Thornton and Wakefield. So three very important additions
02:07 to their midfield. I'm going for the Tigers, Springbank. Last year's grand finalist, I
02:12 think there's a real determination this year to get into another grand final and give it
02:17 an even better crack than last year. They've had a winning run of 13 so they're the form
02:24 team in the competition. So for me, it's the Tigers to win the first of the qualifying
02:29 finals, get a week off and then wait for a preliminary final. Also on Saturday, we have
02:34 an elimination final and the exciting times for Cardinal and Linton. They play Newell
02:39 at Dunstown and will be the first time the Saints have played in a final series since
02:46 joining the Central Highlands Football League a decade ago. Before coming across to the
02:53 Central Highlands, of course, the Saints, they played in the Lexton Plains League. It
03:00 was only a short time, only 12 years that competition lasted and then it was disbanded.
03:06 And in that Lexton Plains era, they were a dominant force. They only missed finals twice,
03:13 they won a stack of premierships and they're also in a lot of grand finals. I think it
03:18 was five premierships and another five grand finals. So excitement plus out at Cardinal
03:25 and Linton and you can just imagine what it is like, especially on top of just not making
03:30 finals, they haven't won a game in recent years. So they haven't only got back into
03:36 winning form, they've actually made finals, a huge result. They finished fifth, they play
03:41 Newell, which also missed finals last year. So they've doubled their wins this year. They've
03:46 gone from five to ten. And so it's a big plus for them. I wouldn't say they fell into the
03:51 top eight, but they look, of all the teams that made finals, they do look the weakest
03:57 link. And I think Cardinal and Linton, they've got the pace, they've got the energy, they've
04:01 got the enthusiasm and I think that will carry them through and they'll get a win in this
04:07 elimination final over Marcus Darmody's Newell at Dunstown. We move across to Sunday and
04:15 the big game, the big qualifier there will be Gordon and Hepburn, two of the powerhouses.
04:20 That's at Learmonth. Gordon's got a swag of players coming back, but of course they've
04:24 lost their number one player and coach in Adam Toohey. Hepburn, they've kept their side
04:30 largely together. Of course their big loss in recent weeks has been Andy McKay. So you
04:35 take Toohey out, their leading goal kicker, second in the goal kicking in the competition,
04:40 you take out Andy McKay, who won the goal kicking in the league and that more or less
04:47 balances out. So both very experienced teams that played a lot of finals in recent times.
04:54 They know how to win the big ones. Look, I'm going for the Eagles, Gordon the running premier,
05:01 but this game could be anything and it'll be a high class match at Learmonth. And the
05:07 final game for the weekend on Sunday will be an elimination final between Skipton and
05:13 Dunstown, sixth and seventh. Dunstown's on a winning run at the moment. They've really
05:18 started to hit their straps against largely some sides down the order, but their last
05:24 win was against Newland. So another finalist. Skipton, they're coming off a really good
05:29 win against Bungaree. It was tight, had all the pressure of a final. A couple of returns
05:35 for Dunstown should include Tudnum, Adams and Dixon. And for Skipton, they will get
05:41 back Angus Kirby and Josh Peters. So they will both bolster their teams as well. I'm
05:47 going for Dunstown to in a sense upset the higher place Skipton. So my selections will
05:54 be Springbank, Cardamom Linton, Gordon and Dunstown. Cause there's a big program, full
06:00 days each day, netball, juniors, seniors and of course football, football as well. And
06:07 our two games, yes, we're doing two live streams this weekend as we are right through the final
06:14 series. We'll be going to Dunstown on Saturday to see Cardamom Linton play Newland. And then
06:19 on the Sunday, we'll go to Walrath and have a look and cover Skipton and Dunstown. So
06:26 looking forward to that and plenty on for me over the weekend. Okay, Ballarat Football
06:32 Netball League. Before I begin, you might have just reminded me with talking about Adam
06:36 Toohey, the goal kicking, second in the goal kicking. So Ryan Carter is out for Melton
06:40 who was trailing Isaac Grant by two goals in the goal kicking in the BFL. So Grant,
06:45 he might have locked that one up this weekend. I think they had a pretty clear gap to the
06:49 rest of the competition. So I have to double check that one. But if we look at the games
06:53 this weekend and we look at that three team battle, so North Ballarat and East Point at
06:58 Mars Stadium. Last time they met, East Point had a 20 point win against the Roosters, which
07:03 was probably a bit of an underrated win. It kind of flew under the radar with, it was
07:07 before North Ballarat went on that big winning streak and became one of the informed teams
07:12 of the competition. So if East Point can replicate that, they still need one of Redan or one
07:19 of Fastball to lose to sneak into finals.
07:22 It's getting a little bit complex there.
07:24 So that's going to be eyes on those three games for all sides to see who gets in. But
07:30 Liam Howard makes a surprise return from a broken arm. He was back in round nine or round
07:34 ten against Sunbury. So good to see him back. He's massive for them down back. And North
07:40 Ballarat will be missing Ryan Hobbs and Simon McCartan, but they'll be back for week one
07:45 of finals.
07:46 Are they resting them, are they?
07:48 Well, they had the bye last week. They just had some little niggles. And yeah, Brendan
07:53 McCartney assured they'll all be fine for next week.
07:56 So experienced players too.
07:58 Yeah, big players for them. Sebastian Pohl hosts Redan. Redan will be without Cooper
08:04 Craig-Peters. They welcomed back Will Madden, but Cooper Craig-Peters, it's a wild card
08:10 round in the BFL. It's great aren't playing, but they're resting or they're holding back
08:14 all of their recruits.
08:15 They're a risk anyway.
08:16 Yeah, for a big final surge. So they get Craig-Peters, which is, they don't get Craig-Peters, but
08:22 they get Will Madden. It was a five point win for Sebastian Pohl last time these two
08:27 sides met, but they were down a few rotations that day. Tony Lockie went down in ten minutes,
08:32 so it's going to be a different looking side. As long as East Point lose, then Redan is
08:38 in no matter what. So there's going to be a few complex things this weekend. Looking
08:43 forward to seeing how it will go.
08:45 But it actually is, as hard as that assignment is, it's in Redan's hands, isn't it?
08:49 Yeah, that's the thing.
08:50 In a sense. I mean, they've got it under control. If they lose, well, that's their own dilemma.
08:55 But if they know going out there, if they can beat Sebastian Pohl, as big an assignment
09:00 that is, we're in. So it's in their hands.
09:02 Yeah, so that's the thing. It's almost whoever, I think they all head in as underdogs in these
09:07 three clashes, but whoever causes the upset is almost in.
09:11 All right, who caused, is there an upset there?
09:13 I think East Point is most likely to cause the upset against North Ballarat.
09:17 So you're tipping, that means you're tipping East Point to make finals. In fact, because
09:21 you're not expecting Redan to win.
09:22 If you check out tomorrow's paper, you'll see that. I've tipped East Point, I've gone
09:26 a little bit funky. But yeah, because Daly and Sunbury, so Daly Park contest there, Sunbury
09:32 probably has the toughest task of all, but luckily they're in the box seat. They've got
09:36 16% on Redan, they're sitting in fifth place. So they've done the hard yards and the hard
09:42 work to get to that point. Looking back on it, there was a game against East Point a
09:47 few, maybe two months ago where Sunbury absolutely thumped them.
09:51 So if Sunbury could still go out, but basically they lose and Redan and East have to win.
09:56 Yes, you're getting it. There we go.
09:58 What do you mean I'm getting it?
09:59 No, it's good to know that everyone else will be picking it up as well. So that's what Sunbury's
10:04 situation is. They've got a tough ask. Daly might actually be the premiership favourites.
10:08 So all those sides, those three sides, they've got their fate in their own hands, but as
10:13 soon as they lose, they'll be running to the phone to check the results of the other games.
10:18 Exactly. So really looking forward to seeing how it all plays out and there's still two
10:22 other games this weekend.
10:23 Finally, quickly.
10:24 Backers Marsh, oh, for the tip, Sunbury.
10:25 No, no, for these two games.
10:26 Oh, well, tip Daly. But Backers Marsh and Ballarat, that's a little finale for them.
10:33 The winner will finish eighth. So a little prize there and Lake Winery and Melton. First
10:39 game in Ballarat since round seven for the Bloods.
10:41 Yeah, they all eventually play, I think, the same number of games in town or pretty close
10:45 anyway. So interesting. Okay. Also, keep your eye on our website for lots of news tomorrow.
10:51 A couple of features and news pieces going towards finals and central lines. And have
10:58 a look on our website because I've also got some video interviews with Chris Banwell,
11:04 the coach of Skipton, with Ryan White, the coach of Bungaree, and with the Central Highlands
11:11 Football League President, Doug Hobson. I caught up with him for a bit of a reflection
11:15 on the season so far. So some videos there that we'll have online. So thanks for joining
11:22 us on a Thursday night. We're going ahead to a very busy weekend when we will finally
11:27 learn who will make up that top six in the Ballarat Football Netball League. And we'll
11:33 learn who progresses and sadly, which two teams drop out of the race in the Central
11:39 Highlands Football League. So until, I think we'll do a special edition on Saturday night
11:45 for Central Highlands. So until then, enjoy your football and we'll catch up with you