Frankston YCW and Mt Eliza out to snatch rematch victory in Good Friday blackbuster
MT ELIZA coach Troy Shannon admits he’s envious of Frankston YCW’s stunning success in the past decade.
Mornington
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MT ELIZA coach Troy Shannon admits he’s envious of Frankston YCW’s stunning success in the past decade.
With six of the past seven premierships, the Stonecats are undisputed kings of Peninsula footy.
But Shannon and his Redlegs have their eye on the crown and are planning a dethroning this year – starting on Friday when Frankston YCW and Mt Eliza clash in rematch of last season’s grand final at John Coburn Oval.
“I think we all like to despise them, but we despise them only because they’ve been so successful,’’ Shannon said of the Stonecats.
“We need to be like them.’’
The Good Friday blockbuster will continue local footy’s biggest rivalry. The balance of power seemed to be tilting Mt Eliza’s way after the Redlegs beat YC in Round 12 last season. But the Stonecats scraped home by a kick in the second semi-final and then won the one that counted, taking the flag decider by 22 points.
“Obviously there are lots of things you’d like to do differently in hindsight,’’ Shannon said of the grand final.
“But I think in the end we were just beaten by a better side. We probably couldn’t have thrown any more at them.
“The players were pretty disappointed. They thought there may have been an opportunity …To get there and have a chance, and then have it ripped away from us (hurt).’’
Wayne Capp, who has taken over as Frankston YCW’s coach, said the rivalry was great for local footy and denied there was pressure on his side to stay at the top.
“I don’t really feel the pressure that way. Being up around that area on the ladder for a long time; it’s more about doing what we’ve got to do to make sure that we are at our best every week and we play the way we want to play,’’ he said.
“They (Mt Eliza) were great team last year, they beat us quite easily at home and then we had those two epic finals. In the second semi we only got over the line by a few points and that battle in the grand final was a great game.’’
Frankston YCW co-captain Kevin Lylak said the YCW-Mt Eliza games were always a test.
“It’s fantastic, that pressure…it really tests every player out there, it’s good to have that challenge at local footy,’’ he said. “It’s awesome having two high quality sides play each other. Mt Eliza have obviously recruited well and we’ve picked up a couple. We’ve got to re-set. Last year was last year. This is a new season.’’
There is one other Peninsula league game on Good Friday, Edi-Asp versus Bonbeach, while three Nepean league games will be played on the day.
Former Saint, Swan and Bulldogs Barry Hall will line-up with Pearcedale against the Frankston Bombers at Pearcedale, while Tyabb faces Somerville and traditional rivals Rye and Rosebud meet at Rowley Reserve.
All games kick off at 2pm.
GOOD Friday footy, at 2pm:
Peninsula league: Frankston YCW v Mt Eliza, at John Coburn Oval; Edi-Asp v Bonbeach, at Regents Park.
Nepean league: Pearcedale v Frankston Bombers, at Pearcedale; Tyabb v Somerville, at Bunguyan Reserve; Rye v Rosebud, at Rowley Reserve.
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