There is one thing we know for certain heading into the second round of Northern Football League finals – we will have a new premier in 2014.
Title-holders Bundoora were dumped out by a youthful Macleod last week, and now the flag race is wide open.
The Weekly Review sports reporter Daniel Paproth casts his eye over the NFL semi-finals.
Let us know which team you think has what it takes. Leave a comment below or hit us up on Twitter @TWRSport or Facebook Twr Sport.
NORTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Semi Final 1
Montmorency vs Macleod
Preston City Oval, Sunday, 2.10pm
Last time: Rd 12, Montmorency 15.5 (95) lt Macleod 17.11 (113)
Last week’s qualifying final between Montmorency and Greensborough was hardly the highlight of the NFL season. The Magpies were within striking distance all day but could only manage a goal in the last quarter and now face the prospect of a straight-sets exit against a fired-up Macleod. The Kangaroos were absolutely brilliant in knocking the reigning premier out of the finals, and will be a major threat if they can replicate that sort of form in this knock-out semi final. Montmorency has the finals experience while Macleod has the youthful momentum.
WORD FROM THE CLUB
Montmorency coach Brian Cole: “There wasn’t much in it [qualifying final vs Greensborough]. I’m concerned because we lost the double chance but it certainly wasn’t a game where we disgraced ourselves or anything like that. We are going to have to bring our best to beat Macleod, they have been building for a long time and I thought they looked really good against Bundoora.”
Macleod president Damian Hurley: “Last week was probably our most complete victory for the year. We can’t necessarily replicate that same game against Montmorency however, so it will probably require a different approach. For us to win our first division one final in over 40 years is a significant milestone and it gets the monkey off the back but the players took it in their stride and played as if we were expected to step up a level and we need to do that again this week.”
Semi Final 2
Heidelberg vs Greensborough
Preston City Oval, Saturday, 2.10pm
Last time: Rd 9, Heidelberg 9.13 (67) d Greensborough 8.11 (59)
The week off generally works one of two ways for football clubs in finals; it disrupts momentum, thus having a negative impact, or it is beneficial in allowing players extra time to refresh themselves mentally and physically. Which effect it has on Heidelberg remains to be seen, but this is the Tigers’ 11th straight finals campaign, so they know exactly how to deal with the pressure-intensive environment. They are favourites for the flag, but will meet a tough opponent in Greensborough who, but for a few missed opportunities, could have knocked off Heidelberg in the regular season. The winner will progress to the grand final while the loser will have one more chance in the preliminary final.
WORD FROM THE CLUB
Heidelberg president Greg Sheahan: “The boys welcomed the week off. We have Michael Finn, who captained the Ireland team in the AFL International Cup, coming back, and a healthy list. We are pretty experienced in finals so we have that on our side. But we know that Greensborough are having a good campaign and then you have the youthful enthusiasm of Macleod and Montmorency are old stagers as well. We’re as big a show as anyone.”
Greensborough coach Robert Hyde: “We had a reasonably young side in against Montmorency, some of them hadn’t played finals at all, so to get across the line was good. Neither side played their best footy. . You’ve got that continual pressure against top sides in finals. We don’t go into this game thinking ‘gee whiz how can we beat them’, we just have to be better than last week. We’re an even money chance.”
