Rovers aiming for a fourth consecutive CAFL flag when finals football kicks off on Saturday

Premiership favourites Rovers facing challenges from three sides as the serious part of the CAFL season kicks off

Rovers' Tosh Kunoth sets his sights on the goals on the way to booting six against Federal in a minor round game. Picture: Charlie Rowson

WEEK one of the CAFL finals has arrived and Rovers’ pursuit of a fourth consecutive senior flag is underway.

The Damien Hall coached Double Blues won six of eight games in a shortened season brought on by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finding another gear in the tough field of finals football is Hall’s next task.

Saturday’s early 12.30pm first bounce for the second semi-final and a Federal side desperate to take the short route to the September 19 decider are major obstacles.

“Right now we’re concentrating on ourselves and controlling what we can control,’’ Hall told the NT News.

“It hasn’t been an ideal preparation for us with the extra week off due to the bye.

“But the players have worked really hard and tried to do the right thing as far as keeping themselves in good nick for the finals.

“So I think we’ve done as much as we can and hopefully we can perform.’’

Hall knows Federal have a dangerous forward line and two big ruckmen who are a lot bigger than anyone else Rovers have got on the ground.

“We lost our first choice ruckman Travis King early in the year and while he’s working hard at trying to get back, Geordie Lelliott has stepped up and has filled the void admirably,’’ Hall added.

“Our forward line has been good with Toshie (Kunoth) good for us all year and Nigel (Lockyer) obviously.

“And our midfielders who rest down there generally get on the scoreboard with one or two goals.

“I’m talking about Gareth Remfrey, Cammy Ilett when he’s been down there and Dylan Barry as well.’’

Hall said all four sides in the finals had earned their spots .

“We’re one and one with Feds this season and had a tough game with Pioneer when we last played,’’ he said.

“Souths have beaten us as well, so we definitely rate everyone and know they will be hungry for success.

“They seem to lift and play well against us, but having said that they’ll be more worried about themselves and finding a way to beat us.’’

Rovers have never achieved a fourpeat in Central Australian football.

Their opponents Federal won six flags in a row from 1958-63 and Wests did the only league fourpeat when they won flags from 2004-07.