EFL 2019: Waverley Blues to meet South Belgrave in Division 2 grand final

This former Test cricketer will be looking to lead a suburban football club to its first premiership in 11 years when it meets an undefeated side that will start at Winx-like odds.

Bryce McGain accepting his Baggy Green cap.

Bryce McGain played Test cricket for Australia.

He played in a Sheffield Shield win for Victoria and took hundreds of wickets for Premier Cricket club Prahran.

But the title of premiership coach would fit nicely among his top achievements in sport.

STAY IN THE GAME WITH A LOCAL FOOTY SUBSCRIPTION

ALL THE LATEST EFL NEWS

McGain will lead Waverley Blues into this weekend’s EFL Division 3 grand final against the undefeated South Belgrave.

Former Test leggie Bryce McGain excelling as a football coach this season. He’s guided his Waverley Blues into the Eastern league Div 3 grand final against South Belgrave.
Maybe he’s got a wrong ‘un in him to bamboozle the unbeaten South.

— Paul Amy (@PaulAmy375) September 2, 2019

McGain said coaching a premiership-winning side would rank highly among his career highlights.

“When you do get it all aligned and everyone is believing, which is what is happening at the club, it’s pretty empowering,” McGain said.

“It would certainly be a highlight for me.”

Bryce McGain celebrates taking the final wicket during Victoria’s Sheffield Shield title in 2009-10.

Players and families packed the Charles St social rooms on Saturday night after Waverley eliminated Ferntree Gully from the flag race.

McGain said the playing group was proud to bring joy to the club’s supporters.

This is Waverley’s first finals appearance since the 2008 premiership win.

“It’s exciting for a lot of people who have put in a lot of hard work before my time in the senior group,” he said.

“We’ve got some real stuck-on supporters that have followed the club since way back when it was Waverley in the VFA days.

“They’re people that are still helping with the training and all the things that happen.

“To see the absolute delight on their faces of us getting through to a grand final, it’s been 11 years since we played finals and clearly it’s 11 years since we played in a grand final.

“That’s incredibly exciting.”

MORE EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE NEWS

MATT CLARK LABELS RINGWOOD AS TEAM TO BEAT

PLAYER POINTS SQUEEZE ON AT BALWYN

LIONS BOOK GRAND FINAL BERTH IN HEART-STOPPING FINISH

SCORESBY MENTOR STEPS DOWN

NOBLE PARK PARTS WAYS WITH MICK FOGARTY

From a 2-5 start, Waverley won six of its next seven games but dropped three of its last four to finish inside the top four on percentage.

McGain said the Blues’ past 13 games had been “elimination finals”.

“We haven’t had a safety net,” he said.

“We’ve had to play without that and we’ve had to perform well to get a spot in the finals.

“We got in by percentage … but that took a lot of hard work.”

It would take a mighty effort to topple South Belgrave.

The Saints will start at Winx-like odds for Saturday’s decider at Ringwood’s Jubilee Park.

Bryce McGain the suburban football coach. Picture Davis Harrigan

South Belgrave have only lost six quarters for the year and have an average winning margin of 96 points.

“It’s going to come down to how either side plays on the day and is strong enough for four quarters to win the game,” McGain said.

“Grand finals are that. They’re not necessarily about surprise tactics.

“We know we’re going to have 22 players out there who won’t stop, they won’t quit, they won’t let each other down and that’s all you can ask from the young group we’ve got.”

WHAT A LEADER LOCAL FOOTY SUBSCRIPTION GIVES YOU ACCESS TO

— Match reports, features, player and coach movements and analysis of all the leagues across Melbourne.

— Unprecedented AFL coverage.

— All the latest football news from across the country including Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph and Courier-Mail.

— Latest news and videos from the world’s leading leagues.

— Exclusive digital stories and videos before they go to print.