FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
HEYFIELD will attempt to rebound from a loss to Glengarry and keep its premiership defence alive against a side that has had its measure in 2013, Rosedale.
After starting the season strongly in the grand final replay against Heyfield in round one, the Blues hit their straps quickly to earn the tag of competition front runners.
The Blues are the only side to account for Heyfield on both occasions this season, a concern Kangaroos’ assistant coach Jesse Leeds said must be addressed.
“Rosedale is a good side who have had our measure throughout the year, however finals are a completely different ball game where anything can happen, it doesn’t matter what happened during the year it’s all about Saturday,” Leeds said.
“We turned off at half-time last Saturday against Glengarry. Up until that point we had been playing good footy and then we lapsed a little bit which gave them a sniff and they punished us as good sides will.
“It was a good hard fought game as finals should be, it was a real finals contest where the intensity was lifted to another level.”
While the result did not go to plan for the Kangaroos, Leeds knows the side can not get caught up in the “what if” and needs to focus on its second chance against the Blues.
“The result didn’t go the way that we wanted, but that’s why we worked hard to get the second chance so we now need to focus on the game at hand and hopefully come away with the goods,” he said.
“The first time we met Rosedale we lost by two goals. We really kicked ourselves out of the contest scoring 16 behinds after controlling the ball for 70 per cent of the game; it was our errant kicking that cost us.
“Second time around we narrowly lost by a kick in a period where the side was in a real lull, we lost to Rosedale and Glengarry the following week and had about five to six games where we were playing poor opening halves.”
Leeds said the advantage of a young side was they did not look past the last game.
“The young guys don’t think about the past they will come out fired up and like all of us know that this is our last chance,” he said.
“We need to concentrate on what we want and need to do, play to our game plan and go out on the front foot.
“It’s going to be tough, but if we go out and play our style of footy and back ourselves it should go a long way (and) we’re looking forward to it.”
The Blues have excelled in past weeks and were convincing in two knockout final clashes over the past fortnight.
Coming into the contest on the back of a blistering 10 goal victory over Traralgon Tyers United, the Blues are up and about and confident of making their way from fifth position to book a grand final berth as they did in 2010.
“Having beaten a side during the home and away season helps you mentally, but it is like the old clich finals are a different ball game,” Rosedale coach Nick Lecchino said.
“Every time that we play Heyfield the guys get up and about, there is just something about the two sides so we need to make sure that we have the best side out there that can put together a four quarter effort that’s required.”
Complimentary of his side’s composure and efforts in last week’s cut throat final, Lecchino will be looking for a greater effort from his charges.
“The guys have known what’s at stake each week, this week they will need to elevate their game to another level; we will need a bigger effort, this is it, there is plenty at stake,” he said.
“I won’t be happy finishing third nor will the guys, we have won the two games to get to here and we have two more to win.”
“There is a fair bit at stake for Heyfield also, it’s just not about us, they would have been gutted that they lost the way they did last week.”
Noting that preparation will be the key during the week, Lecchino also conceded there would likely be some changes to this week’s line-up.
In the reserves Heyfield advanced to the grand final and is awaiting the victor of this week’s clash between TTU and Cowwarr.
Third grade minor premiers Churchill advanced to a second grand final appearance in three seasons following a 27 point win over Cowwarr in their semi-final clash.
