Nerves no problem as West Coast Hawks prepare for amazing 15th grand final in a row against Wudinna United in Mid West Football League
They have lost the last four. But the West Coast Hawks will be out to build on their reputation as one of South Australia’s most successful footy teams when they play an incredible 15th grand final in a row on Saturday.
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Some players toil through their whole careers without the honour of playing in a grand final. Then there’s Kirk Montgomerie, who will this weekend suit up for an incredible 15th A-grade big dance in a row.
The West Coast Hawks president, 34, is one of four players who will take on Wudinna United at Elliston on the state’s west coast on Saturday having played in the past 14 Mid West league deciders.
And after tasting defeat in the past four grand finals, the defender is desperate to drink from the premiership cup again and get his hands on an eighth medal.
“It’s pretty exciting, but obviously, we’d like to be not just making up the numbers and get the job done,” Montgomerie, who will once again fly the flag alongside brothers Tyson, Cameron and Dillon Montgomerie.
“It will be a tough game, like any grand final. We’ve lost the last four and just been beaten by the better team on the day.”
Historian Peter Lines says the streak of 15 straight grand finals puts the Hawks fifth on the SA country footy record list, behind fellow Eyre Peninsula teams Thevenard 30 (1967-1996), Rovers 21 (1972-1992), Koonibba 20 (1937-1940, 1946-1961) and Cummins Ramblers 17 (1966-1982).
Further across the peninsula, Kimba Districts will play in their 13th consecutive grand final in the Eastern Eyre Football League when it takes on Eastern Ranges at Kimba on Saturday.
Both have a long way to go to catch Kalangadoo’s netballers who last year made their 25th consecutive grand final appearance.
The West Coast Hawks formed in 1999 from a merger of Streaky Bay and the Piednippie-based Rovers footy clubs, both foundation members of the Mid West league and with histories dating back to early last century.
They won their first as a merged entity in 2001, lost the next year by a kick before returning to the winner’s flat top in 2003.
Despite their continued dominance, the Hawks have only managed to snag six of the past 14 flags for a grand total of eight from 17 grand final appearances since the merger.
Montgomerie, who played his first in the 2003 victory as a 19-year-old, credits the club’s resilience for its amazing streak.
“I just think we’ve got a group of dedicated players who have come through who work pretty hard. Obviously we haven’t won all of them, we’ve tasted defeat, but we’ve stuck together and been pretty resilient to keep getting back there,” Montgomerie said.
The experienced Hawks outfit, which boasts runaway Mid West Mail Medal winner Jack Burton, will start this year’s final as favourite after demolishing Central Eyre in the semi-final at Warramboo a fortnight ago.
The Bulldogs couldn’t recover from the 106-point hiding and were bundled out of finals by Wudinna United by 55 points at Streaky Bay last week to book a berth in Saturday’s playoff.
But the Hawks won’t be taking their grand final opponent lightly after the Magpies handed them their only defeat for the season, a 23-point victory at Wudinna Oval on August 10.
“They’re a good team and have hit very good form and played well last week,” Montgomerie said.
“They had some bad injuries earlier in the year to key players but we’re looking to match them in most areas. Without being overconfident, we think we have given ourselves every chance to win it, so fingers crossed.”
Wudinna United will be out to breakthrough for its first flag since 2005, no surprises, against the Hawks. They also played off but convincingly lost the 2011 final, also against the Hawks.
Despite becoming an annual event, Montgomerie admits there will still be few nerves before the Hawks run out on to Ellison oval.
“I always say if there’s not a few nerves, you’re not completely focused but after 15 straight, I’ve been there before, I don’t know any different,” he said with a laugh.
The Hawks will be well represented on grand final day, with the club featuring in every grade of footy, and all but A-grade on the netball court.
“It will certainly be a big day for the club,” Montgomerie said.