Finals Team Talk | The Courier | September 14, 2023
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00:00 Welcome to a special edition of Team Talk on a Thursday night.
00:03 I'm David Brio and I'm joined by Edward Holland.
00:06 G'day David, how are ya?
00:07 Not too bad.
00:08 Of course, what makes it a special week is it's grand final time in the Central Highlands.
00:13 Yeah, still one week away from me, but I know you're up and about this week.
00:17 You've been going all across the Highlands getting your interviews done.
00:21 Yeah, it's the finale.
00:22 It's the one we wait for.
00:24 It's the big one for everyone across the netball and football and certainly looking forward
00:29 to Saturday at Mars Stadium.
00:32 So most of the show will be taken up with talking about the Central Highlands, but quickly
00:37 some big news out of the Ballarat Football Netball League going into a big preliminary
00:43 final.
00:44 Yes, a prelim final, North Ballarat and East Point at City Oval on Saturday.
00:48 No Stuart Crammery for North Ballarat in the biggest game of their season, so a massive
00:53 out for the Roosters.
00:55 So their marquee recruit, which has a big say no doubt in getting them within one game
01:01 of a grand final and he's going to be missing, so unfortunate.
01:04 Yeah, just dealing with an ongoing hip issue that's been flaring up.
01:07 It's something that's been going on all season long and I was talking to Brendan McCartney
01:12 and he says they don't really know when it's going to pop up.
01:15 So if they knew about it they would have arrested him last week, but he was fine last week and
01:21 he's played countless games of footy over his journey so his body is the way it is.
01:29 But he should be all fine should they win and he'll line up in a grand final but he
01:33 just won't be there at City Oval on Saturday.
01:35 Alright, more about that in a moment and a big game of course, but let's talk about the
01:41 Central Highlands because this is their week, this is their day on Saturday at Mars Stadium.
01:47 Looking forward to a big turnout as always, the weather looks like it's going to be perfect
01:53 and conditions of course at an AFL standard ground there's no question there that they
01:59 will be perfect as well.
02:00 Of course the big one in the senior football is between Gordon and Springbank.
02:05 It's got a familiar ring about it and of course it does because they're the two sides that
02:10 12 months ago went at it, Gordon came out on top, so the reigning Premier, they take
02:15 on the Tigers again and it's Springbank looking to avenge that loss of 12 months ago.
02:22 No real big selection news as we speak here, although you just never know.
02:27 There's been a couple of late calls made during the final series with players that have been
02:33 under a cloud that we haven't known about or they've woken up with illness and so you
02:39 never rule out a surprise selection but in the lead up both coaches and Gordon's Adam
02:46 Toohey and Andrew Chalice from Springbank have indicated during the week that everything
02:56 is fine, everyone's fit and they'll be lining up without any issues as far as injuries go.
03:03 So Gordon, Springbank, who wins?
03:07 Gordon went into this game last year as the favourite and they won a one-sided game in
03:13 the end.
03:14 Springbank learned a lot from that, they went out and recruited some youngsters with pace,
03:20 a bit more mobility, gave the side a bit more versatility and they finished the year as
03:25 a reigning Premier and going into the grand final, 15 wins in a row, I mean that's a sterling
03:31 effort isn't it?
03:32 Are they due for a loss?
03:33 No, you're never due for a loss, you're never due for a loss, so all they would say and
03:37 all everyone says is just one more win but I'll tell you what, what a season they've
03:41 had.
03:42 Well are they, I think last year both sides actually went into grand final day unchanged
03:46 from the prelim final side, so is there a chance of that happening again, is that what
03:50 you're saying?
03:51 No, I don't think there'll be, I think they'll at least one change at Gordon which we've
03:55 written about during the week with James, excuse me, Gorman coming back after illness
04:03 last week, he was a late withdrawal, so see him coming back.
04:07 Springbank, expect them to be unchanged but as I say, you never know what might happen,
04:13 there is any niggles, they're certainly not going to let anyone know, so but yeah, both
04:18 sides very settled.
04:20 I'm going for Springbank, I think they deserve favouritism in this one, to say they've learnt
04:26 the lesson of last year and they're on a high, they're a lot fresher this year, last year
04:32 they went into this battle of, it was their fourth successive game in the finals, they've
04:40 done it tough, they came off a six day break, this year they've had just the two games,
04:44 they've had the bye in the last round, they've had the break in the second round of the finals
04:49 and they've had a seven day break.
04:51 Look, you can't dismiss Gordon, experienced team, but they've got a lot of players that
04:57 are probably in the twilight of their career, maybe this could be the end of an era in a
05:02 sense for some of the Eagles, this might be their last hurrah, they're giving it a real
05:07 shot, so you've always got that in the back of your mind, the big ground at Marr Stadium,
05:12 a lot of space and Springbank was called out last year, maybe it's Gordon that might struggle
05:18 for pace this year, but anyway, I'm expecting a good game, much closer than last year, there's
05:22 no doubt about that and Springbank also, last year when they went into the grand final,
05:27 they'd been beaten a couple of times by Gordon, including the finals, this year, they've only
05:32 met them once, but they did beat the Eagles, so that will give them confidence.
05:36 So yeah, for me, it's Springbank to win the big one this week.
05:41 And Springbank, of course, it's a massive day for them, they have all four football
05:45 sides engaged, so in the reserves, the Tigers are up against Newell and in the under-18s
05:51 and under-15s, they're up against Roquette-Corendap and this will be the first time that the grasshoppers
05:57 have had representation in a football grand final, so double header there for the hoppers,
06:03 so an exciting time for them as well.
06:05 Just running quickly through the netball as well, in A grade, it's Learmonth, the favourites,
06:11 no doubt, and they're unbeaten, so they're looking to become Premier and Champion, it's
06:16 a rare title, but if you can get it, good luck to you.
06:19 They come up against Dalesford, who only a few years ago, they didn't even have an A
06:25 grade side, they recruited heavily this year and here they are in a grand final.
06:30 They've gone absolutely nuts up in the Bulldog country, they're excited and it's great to
06:37 see that they're being rewarded for their efforts in bringing in some very good players
06:43 with an A grade grand final appearance.
06:46 In B grade, it's Learmonth against Clunes, C grade Bunningham and Learmonth, D grade
06:51 Gordon and Roquette-Corendap, first year of course for the D grade competition.
06:56 17 and under, it's Hepburn and Skipton, 15 and unders, Springbank again against Hepburn
07:03 and the 13 and unders, Gordon against Dalesford.
07:07 So a good sprinkle of teams right across the board there in the netball.
07:11 So look, bumper day, basically from as early as you can get there, get there and enjoy
07:16 it.
07:17 Just an update, if you can't get to the football, we will be live streaming the senior grand
07:25 final and with full commentary, I know you'll be joining us again there and we'll also have
07:31 Roquette-Corendap, joint coach Brad McGowan with us as he was last year.
07:36 So looking forward to that.
07:38 We'll have a live blog to go with that live vision, just a rundown of all the results,
07:45 photos from the day and we'll also be doing a live stream of the A grade netball grand
07:53 final.
07:54 That'll be free on Facebook and there'll be no commentary, it'll be just vision but if
07:57 you can't get there and you want to watch the game between Learmonth and Dalesford,
08:01 you can watch that on our Facebook outlet.
08:06 Okay, so yeah, big time coming up and just can't wait to be there and then on Monday
08:13 we'll have a special wrap around with a big premiership football poster.
08:20 Okay, that's Central Highlands, Ballarat Football Netball, we've already alluded to the big
08:25 news but who wins the big one, the knockout?
08:29 North Ballarat, East, the winner to play the hot favourite Starling.
08:33 Let's go straight up.
08:35 North Ballarat, I believe.
08:38 Let me down, I thought you were on the East bandwagon.
08:41 It's hard not to be.
08:43 East Point also have a 2-0 record against North Ballarat this season and their four
08:49 win finals has been something to marvel at.
08:53 They're 2-0 up, North's lost Cranmery and you're still going for the Roosters.
08:58 I'm backing in Brendan McCartney.
08:59 Okay, fair enough.
09:00 They've got some talent and I think they've probably had their worst performance of the
09:03 year.
09:04 So you're not prepared to back the East Point coach?
09:08 You're throwing me under the bus here David but no, I'm going with the Roosters.
09:13 I think their best had them in premiership contention this year and they probably deserve
09:18 to be in the last two sides standing but it should be a cracking game.
09:24 But on that as well, East Point's 2-0 record, home and away win-loss records go out the
09:29 window once you get to finals as we saw last week with East Point getting over the line
09:33 against Melton and also the week before against Sebastopol.
09:38 So they were 0-4 against those two sides this year.
09:41 So no Stuart Cranmery for North Ballarat.
09:43 Brock Leonard's back so he's a big in for the Roosters.
09:47 And the Great Western Victoria Rebels, their season ended last week which means Harry Charlson
09:53 and Alex Molan can return for East Point which I think this season more than any season it
09:59 seems that under-19s have come into the side, these guys are even younger, I think they're
10:04 17 years old, have come into the side and made an impact.
10:07 They're not just sitting in the background and seeing your footy.
10:11 Harry Charlson is looking like an AFL draftee hopeful next year and Alex Molan has been
10:16 in the best players twice for East Point this season.
10:19 So two very handy names but having said all that I'm still going to tip the ruse but Saturday
10:24 at City Oval it's going to be a fantastic game and the winner goes through to the grand
10:29 final to play Derby.
10:30 Okay, you've got on your notepad JJ with a big black cross beside it.
10:36 Does that mean you're JJ?
10:39 That means the George Johnson.
10:41 Had no chance or is that what they're telling you?
10:43 Well, they were pretty open with me last week.
10:45 They did say he has no chance but they're going to put him on the extended bench and
10:49 just have a bit of fun.
10:50 So we'll see how they go.
10:52 It's a big guy.
10:54 If he managed to play and had any impact at all he could be the difference in the game.
10:59 Yeah, talking to him last week he ruled himself out of playing the prelim but wouldn't miss
11:09 another grand final for the world.
11:11 So don't take tips from me I reckon.
11:16 See how he goes.
11:17 He's got the surgery.
11:18 The surgery's gone in, the plate's gone in the wrong way, everything's gone wrong.
11:21 So not playing this week but if they get through I'm sure he's going to put his good hand up.
11:27 Yeah, it's a shame.
11:29 I guess he's out, Cramer is out so in a sense it balances out.
11:33 Probably almost the best players on each side.
11:35 Yeah, two big names but it's going to be a cracking game and Dali Roudan in the Nepal
11:41 winner goes through to play North Ballarat.
11:43 So North Ballarat will be hoping to have two sides in the grand final.
11:46 Just before you wrapped up you mentioned the youngsters coming in to the side, North Ballarat
11:51 in this case, but you look right across the Ballarat Football Nepal League, the senior
11:56 competition this season, Ballarat, Sambri probably debuted more teenagers and under
12:03 19 players than anyone in the competition.
12:05 That's what it seems like anyway.
12:07 It's almost been, the teams have had a quota of youngsters this year.
12:12 There's been that real injection and probably more than we've seen probably ever.
12:16 Yeah, 100%.
12:17 So I think Roudan's one of those sides, Roudan and Ballarat.
12:20 Roudan and Ballarat, East Point, will use the most under 19s in the seniors and like
12:26 I said before, not only did they come in but they came in and made an impact.
12:30 I remember John T. Fallout at Roudan kicked five goals on debut.
12:34 So he had a big debut at City Oval and he's looking to be a first round draw pick next
12:39 year.
12:40 So yeah, the talent is pretty special in Ballarat through all the youngsters.
12:44 Very good.
12:45 No coaching news before we wrap up?
12:47 There's quite a few vacancies, aren't there?
12:49 There's a few vacancies, still.
12:50 Just the rumours?
12:51 Still rumours and maybe some more vacancies to come, but we'll leave it at that.
12:55 Alright.
12:56 Okay, well that's a wrap on our look at, in particular, the Central Highlands football
13:03 and netball grand finals.
13:05 So it's going to be a bumper day on Saturday at Mars Stadium.
13:10 Looking forward to it and of course also plenty of action to come in the Ballarat Football
13:15 Netball League with the senior football North Ballarat taking on East Point, the winner
13:20 to go through to play Daly in the grand final a week later.
13:24 So thanks for joining us.
13:25 We'll be back at the weekend with a big wrap up of the Central Highlands grand final and
13:32 until then, if we don't catch you during our live coverage of the match, we'll see you
13:36 on Sunday.
13:37 on Sunday.