West Coburg and Tullamarine ready to rumble ahead of blockbuster EDFL Division 1 clash
THEY have been the competition’s best two sides all year and a grand final berth is potentially just one win away for one as EDFL finals kick-off this weekend.
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THEY have been the competition’s best two sides all year and a grand final berth is potentially just one win away.
Minor premier West Coburg and second-placed Tullamarine will do battle in what shapes as a blockbuster Division 1 semi-final at Windy Hill on Saturday.
The victor will earn a direct passage through to the grand final.
West Coburg — which had still only lost one game for the season last week — shapes as the undeniable favourite.
But on the back of a 109-point thumping of fellow finals contender Westmeadows last weekend, Tullamarine coach Ash Manning said his side was ready to take it right up to the premiership favourite.
The two teams have met twice this year.
West Coburg got over the line by one-point in Round 4 and 19 points in Round 13.
But Manning said if his side could lift in two areas, it would be a strong chance of turning the tables.
“They beat us in two key areas,” he said of the Round 13 clash.
“Their ball use was far superior.
“They just hit targets and we didn’t hit targets and that’s probably been our big downfall for most of the year.
“Even though we’ve beaten a lot of the sides against the top sides that’s probably been an area we’ve struggled.
“And I’d say their midfield beat us. In my opinion we’ve got a better backline and they’ve got a better forward line but if you don’t get the ball inside 50 more times it makes it hard to kick a winning score.
“So I’d say if we can break even in the midfield we’re going to be a better than even chance of winning I think.”
Burgers coach Digby Morrell said given the form of Taylors Lakes in the back end of the season — beating West Coburg and Tullamarine in consecutive weeks in Rounds 15 and 16 — winning this weekend’s semi-final was all the more important to avoid a knockout preliminary final battle with the Lakers.
“Taylors Lakes showed in the two weeks where they beat both the top sides that they’re definitely a threat,” he said.
“I don’t think either team would like to come up against Taylors Lakes the way they’re playing at the moment.
“So I think the first final’s going to be a pretty important game to win.”
Taylors Lakes will tackle Westmeadows in the other semi-final at Windy Hill on Sunday.
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