NFL 2018: South Morang confident young guns will stand up to finals pressure

HUNTING its first premiership since 2011, South Morang has declared its young guns will prove “a handful” on the big stage.

HUNTING its first premiership since 2011, South Morang has declared its young guns will prove “a handful” on the big stage.

The Lions have been a perennial contender in Northern Football League Division 3 in the past four years, reaching successive preliminary finals between 2014-2016 and playing off in last season’s grand final.

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Most predictions for 2018 suggested South Morang would fall out of the top four after an exodus of senior players left it with a fresh-faced senior side.

Not that it concerned coach Gary Hall.

St Mary’s Adam Lucci flicks a sharp handpass off during Saturday’s win over South Morang. Picture: James Ross.

“I think at the start of the year everyone underestimated us and were picking us for second bottom or third bottom,” Hall said.

“Whatever the boys do from now on, they have exceeded other people’s (expectations). Not ours, we want to win it.”

The club’s rising stars have stepped up to almost every challenge, helping their side emerge as one of the threats to flag favourite St Mary’s.

The Lions will take on Laurimar in a knockout semi-final this weekend after finishing third on the ladder.

Hall said he was confident his team would run its rivals ragged on t

Nathan Winch-Combe (right) of South Morang lays a tackle against St Mary’s on Saturday. Picture: James Ross.

he wide expanses of Whittlesea Showgrounds.

“A lot of (South Morang’s players) have been really successful in all their junior sides. They just took finals for granted back then and that is still the attitude they have got now,” he said.

“We know some of the skill of the boys and their speed on a big ground … they are going to be a handful to stop.

“I think we could be quite dangerous in the finals.”

Laurimar defeated South Morang by 16 points when they met in Round 9, but the Lions reversed the result with a commanding 65-point victory in Round 15.

Hall said each of the flag hopefuls would have taken heart from the success of Banyule, which will be the first Division 3 premier to play finals the year after being promoted.

“That’s given the boys a lot of confidence to know that if we can win, I am sure we will be more than competitive when we go up,” Hall said.

South Morang went down by 34 points against St Mary’s on Saturday, 13.17 (95) to 8.13 (61).

Josh Williamson bagged 10 goals as Laurimar earned its maiden finals berth with a 30.20 (200) to 9.2 (56) victory over Reservoir, dumping Mernda from the top four after the Demons lost by 14 to Panton Hill.

Lalor went down by 99 points against Heidelberg West.

Thomastown and Diamond Creek will be playing for a finals spot in the last round of the Division 2 season after the Creekers upset Eltham by 23 points.