Barwon Heads hold back three players with knee injuries as they face Drysdale in the BFL preliminary final

Barwon Heads will be hoping its cautious approach with three players battling knee injuries will pay off as they look to beat a rival for the fourth straight time this BFL season.

It’s been a case of safety first for reigning premier Barwon Heads in recent weeks, holding back a trio of key players who curiously are all suffering knee complaints.

Drysdale will get its fourth and final shot at knocking off the Seagulls this season, in a BFL preliminary final on Saturday at Grinter Reserve, after losing by 30, 56 and two points so far this year.

It will be a rematch from last season’s penultimate decider, with Barwon Heads getting home by six straight kicks with nine individual goalkickers last August, on the way to a BFL premiership.

And it will be the eighth time they have played each other over the past two seasons, with the Seagulls holding the whip hand, 5-2.

However, the task won’t get any easier for the Hawks with the Seagulls set to welcome back a goal scoring option in co-coach Mitch Herbison (32 goals from 11 games) while the defence will be bolstered by the return of defender Kyle Polley.

Charlie Brauer was a late omission against Torquay in a qualifying final. Picture: Mark Wilson

Seagulls co-coach Sam Schaller said the pair, who were both battling knee issues, could have played last Saturday against the Tigers but were ultimately kept on ice.

“We’ve held him back for as long as we can,” Schaller said of Herbison.

“He’s been super keen to play the last couple of weeks.

“With everything on the line he’ll play, he’s 100 per cent right ready to go.”

It came after Barwon Heads also lost winger Charlie Brauer – who was judged best on ground against the Hawks in week one of the finals – just before the warm-up on Saturday.

The Seagulls were forced to replace him with reserves player Matt Beckwith — who had already played four quarters of a final against Torquay.

“With the double chance still there we thought we’d err on the side of caution,” he said of Braeur’s late omission.

“(Beckwith) said: ‘I’m knackered, but I’ll give you everything I’ve got’. That’s all we needed to hear.

Barwon Heads coach Sam Schaller has held back three players with knee complaints in recent weeks. Picture: Alan Barber

“His calves were a bit sore (after both games), I think he slept well that night.”

Schaller said he was unlikely to change too much of his gameplan ahead of Saturday, with the Seagulls having a winning formula over the Hawks.

“There might be one or two little things we tinker,” he said.

“But once we get out there on Saturday our hands are a little bit tied.”

He said Brauer, a “unique talent” who had struggled with injury issues, was poised to return for the preliminary final.

Schaller is also expecting another strong performance from fellow winger Braeden Eddy, who has been in the best players on two occasions this year against the Hawks.

“’Braedo’ likes the big grounds, so when we play at Drysdale, Portartlington, he’s a really good runner,” he said.

“Outside players are really important for the way Drysdale play.

“He finds himself in the right spots a lot.”

Big statement expected from Oliver Wiltshire

After a few games back from injury, Schaller believes a big performance is coming from the 20-year-old who has attracted the attention of AFL scouts.

Schaller is not surprised, with the midfielder and forward kicking 48 goals this season, despite missing the last three home and away matches through injury.

“He might be getting a bit more of attention than what he was in the first part of the year,” Schaller said.

“Interest has perked up with him.

“The first couple of finals there’s been a few (scouts) floating around.

“Hopefully he’s in that position where he’s ready to tear a game apart for us.”

Schaller said while some players needed clear instruction, Wiltshire was one of those you “just let him play”.

“(We) give him a couple of little things we need him to do, but we don’t want him to overthink things, we just want him to play,” he said.

Barwon Heads has beaten Drysdale three times this season, including a qualifying final in week one. Picture: Alan Barber

Brock Close loves playing the Hawks

In an ominous sign for Drysdale, one of the competition’s leading forwards, Brock Close, was kept relatively quiet against Torquay on Saturday, with just two goals and minimal influence.

Although Schaller believes it was more a case of midfield delivery rather than anything else.

Expect Close to bounce back hard, as he loves playing against Drysdale.

Close, seventh on the BFL goalkicking table with 50 majors so far in 2023, has not been kept goalless all season and has nine six-pointers from two outings against Drysdale.

“Hopefully with Mitch (Herbison) back down there as well it helps him out ... we might get a few more looks one-on-one,” he said.

“Brock’s enjoyed himself against Drysdale a little bit, hopefully we can give him a bit better delivery than what we gave him last week.

“He only needs eight or nine touches of the footy, he can be really damaging.”

Brock Close, Ned Aulsebrook and Oliver Wiltshire during the qualifying final against Torquay. Picture: Mark Wilson

Curbing Drysdale’s offensive weapons

The Hawks have some serious offensive weapons themselves in Ben Fennell, Tom Ruggles, James Breust and Jake Hargreaves, with 187 goals between them this season.

And the first three were dynamic in Drysdale’s comfortable win over Anglesea on Sunday, combining for seven majors and producing clean possession and physical presence further up the ground.

“He’s obviously a very good player,” Schaller said of Breust.

“When he first came to Drysdale he used to hurt us a bit.

“If he plays deep it’s likely to be Kyle Polley (on him).

“He’s played pretty well on him in the past.”

James Breust kicked four goals for Drysdale against Anglesea in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, Schaller said Fennell was simply one of the best going around in the BFL.

“He’s probably been in the top two or three players in the comp this year,” he said.

“We got a bit of glimpse of it last year before he hurt himself.

“He’s been able to string together 18 or 19 quality games together.

“He’s somebody we’ll have to keep a look out on.

“They’re got some really really good elite players.”

Drysdale must start well

If the Hawks are to be a chance, they simply have to start better than what they have this season, with the Seagulls getting the jump on Drysdale in all three fixtures this season.

In round 1, they had a 20-point lead by the first break over the Hawks, while in round 14 it was a similar buffer of 22 points.

Then in a qualifying final, Barwon Heads piled on 6.1 to a solitary goal — albeit with the aid of a stiff breeze.

On Sunday against Anglesea, the Hawks were fortunate as the Roos struggled for forward connection, kicking 1.6 for the opening term.

Essentially, the Hawks will not want to be playing catch up footy for the fourth time this season against Barwon Heads.

“It’s a lot easier to maintain a lead than it is to peg one back,” Schaller said.

“We’ll be looking to start well again.

“A spot in a granny on the line you want to start well, get the momentum rolling from there.”

Originally published as Barwon Heads hold back three players with knee injuries as they face Drysdale in the BFL preliminary final