Woodville-West Torrens faces minor premier Norwood in Sunday’s SANFL semi-final
WOODVILLE-West Torrens is relishing its first finals series since 2014 without the minor premier tag. And coach Michael Godden says shaking off the burden of expectation might give the Eagles an edge in Sunday’s semi-final against Norwood.
WOODVILLE-West Torrens is relishing its first finals series since 2014 without the minor premier tag.
And coach Michael Godden said shaking off the burden of expectation which comes with finishing top of the ladder might give his side an edge in Sunday’s semi-final.
“For three years we’ve sat at the top and everyone has studied us,” said Godden, ahead of the Eagles’ semi-final meeting with minor premier Norwood at Adelaide Oval.
“Unfortunately on the day that matters, people have been able to do something that has been able to disrupt us.
“But for the first time in years, I can sit back and do the same.
“We’ve been looking at Norwood for two months because we knew that this day would come.
“It’s the hunter and the hunted, and this year, for us, it feels more comfortable coming from the angle we’re coming from.”
The Eagles dug deep to grind out a 21-point victory over reigning back-to-back premier Sturt on the weekend and move to within one triumph of the grand final.
But the win came at a cost as ruckman Marc Borholm broke a bone in his foot which will rule him out for the remainder of the campaign.
Godden said the decision on whether Jordan West or Seb Guilhaus would be drafted in to replace Borholm, or Jarrad Redden would ruck alone, would be made on Thursday night.
The 2011 premiership mentor said the success over the Double Blues had raised hopes of ending the club’s seven-year flag drought.
“On the back of a couple of (finals) losses last year, there was a fair bit of pressure building up to that game,” Godden said.
“But the players really brought some good intensity and we were really aggressive at the contest.
“We’re playing a team (Norwood) that’s coming off a rest and we’ve had a pretty bruising encounter, but sometimes that can work either way.”
Norwood defender Michael Talia completed the Redlegs’ training session on Saturday and was expected to push for selection after being sidelined with a back injury since July.
Matthew Panos, who missed the final minor round clash with South Adelaide due to a foot problem, was another key player in the frame to return against the Eagles.
Norwood coach Jarrod Cotton said his charges were not feeling additional pressure having claimed the club’s first minor premiership since 2013.
“They’re just really excited and we came to watch the (finals) games on the weekend, so that gets your excitement level even higher,” Cotton said.
“We’ve got a lot of premiership players in our group and they’re the ones that are really driving the group – they just want to get back there and taste that success again.”