Alberton Ormeau batsman Mitchell Nolan says pressure is on Broadbeach Robina in cup final

ALBERTON Ormeau veteran Mitchell Nolan says the weight of grand final expectation rests with a Broadbeach Robina side desperate to end six years of premiership pain.

ALBERTON Ormeau veteran Mitchell Nolan says the weight of grand-final expectation rests with a Broadbeach Robina side desperate to end six years of premiership pain.

Surprise minor premiers this season after collecting the 2017-18 wooden spoon, the Hurricanes will enter tomorrow’s Kookaburra Cup decider at Robina high on confidence after overcoming Southport Labrador in last weekend’s semi final.

But while they have won seven of their nine games post-Christmas, Nolan believes the favouritism tag rests with Broadbeach.

TOM CATS’ GRAND FINAL GO-TO MAN

Back-to-back flag winners in 2011-12 and 2012-13, the Cats have been semi-finalists for the past eight seasons and finally broke their five-game losing streak in finals with a clinical 56-run triumph over Burleigh last Sunday.

While confident Alberton’s carefree cricket can lift them to their first title since 2013-14, Nolan said Broadbeach would be under the microscope when they walk onto Bill Pippen Oval at 10am.

Alberton Ormeau batsman Mitchell Nolan. Picture: Regi Varghese

“I wouldn’t say there’s pressure (on us) because no-one even expected us to make the (top) four, let alone be top. I think there’s probably more pressure on Broadbeach considering they’ve been pretty much the top side for the last 10 years,” Nolan, a member of the 2013-14 side and the losing 2010-11 grand final outfit, said.

THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND GRAND FINALISTS’ CUP CHARGE

“They haven’t really come through with the premierships that they’ve wanted to. They’ve got the big-name players and I think they’re more expected to turn up and win.

“We’ve played with freedom (this season), basically because of last year. We ran dead last so we’ve had the freedom of whatever happens happens.

“That’s the way we’ve played all year and I don’t think it’ll change (in the final). No-one has gone in their shell at all, all year.

Broadbeach Robina fast bowler Reece McDonald will be a key figure in the grand final. Picture: Mike Batterham

“You don’t take (grand finals) for granted. Finishing first is a good thing but if you can’t make that grand final it’s sort of a waste of a season.”

While captain Corey Galloway, Shane Connors and Matthew Yiend have been the backbone of their run, a hallmark of the Hurricanes’ success this season has been a shared workload.

Nolan, who has 418 runs at an average of 24.59, said that depth would hold the side in good stead over the weekend.

DOLPHINS’ COACHING RACE INTENSIFIES

“Someone’s always done a job every game. I think we’ve only scored over 200 three times this season and we just seem to be able to defend whatever we score.

“We’ve just backed ourselves to not give up, whereas last year we gave up a lot of games because we thought we couldn’t win. It’s just having the belief that whatever we score, we can defend it or whatever they set, we can chase down.”