BY NATHAN DOLE
THE Demons from Nyah Nyah West United will be striving to deny a premiership hat-trick in Saturday’s grand final of the Radio 3SH-backed senior footy across the Central Murray.
The Demons and Blues will play at Alan Garden Reserve in Swan Hill from 2.45pm.
Beaten just once in 16 matches, Kerang ended the home-and-away series on top spot.
The NNWU Demons were second on a 12-4 tally.
Round one of the ’24 campaign included the rematch of ’23 grand finalists, Kerang and Balranald in Balranald’s Greenham Park.
A 105-109 loss was the only defeat the Troy Coates-coached Blues have endured all year.
The Blues played out a 43-all draw with Mallee Eagles in round six at Kerang’s Riverside Park.
Only meeting between Kerang and the NNWU Demons was in round eight where the Blues won 66-55 at home.
After starting with a 64-68 loss to Mallee Eagles in the qualifying final, Nyah Nyah West United hit back to win the first semi-final against Balranald by 26 points.
The Jason Murphy and Nic O’Neill-coached Demons beat Mallee in last Saturday’s preliminary in Nyah by three goals.
Kerang won the second semi-final against Mallee Eagles by 19 points.
A premiership-winning coach and player when he teamed up with Ben Weightman at Mount Pleasant last season, Adam Baird was one of Kerang’s gun recruits.
Wherever he plays, Baird’s experience from grand final wins with Golden Square and a Michelsen Medal as Bendigo FNL fairest and best is a massive plus for the Blues.
Other key players in the Kerang line-up include ruckman Nick Lang, ruck-rover Martin Kelly, Ryan Gillingham, Sam Heavyside, Brett Kennedy, Josh Nitschke and Lachlan Ross.
After passing the century mark in Marong’s premiership-winning seasons of ’22 and ’23, Bradyn Grenfell bolstered Nyah Nyah West United’s attack.
Grenfell has kicked 85 goals in 19 matches and looms as a huge threat to Kerang’s defence.
Other players to watch in the red and blue include Charlie Boulton, Ethan Curran, Corey and Riley Daniels, Dominic Gallo, Jordan and Lucas Iudica.
Kerang’s team:
Adam Baird, Jesse Clark, Tyson Clingan, Troy Coates, Archer Dibsdale, Ryan Gillingham, Rylee Gitsham, Josh Hann, Sam Heavyside, Thomas Hetherington, Josh Hunter, Sean Hunter, Liam Jardine, Martin Kelly, Brett Kennedy, Nick Lang, Cody Makeham, Jordan McNeil, Josh Nitschke, Bradlee Pay, Jarryd Pertzel, Lachlan Ross.
Coach: Troy Coates.
Nyah Nyah West United’s team:
Brayden Bigham, Charlie Boulton, Joel Campbell, Ethan Curran, Corey Daniels, Riley Daniels, Alex Erlandson, Campbell Everitt, Dominic Gallo, Brandyn Grenfell, Jordan Iudica, Lucas Iudica, Blake Larkings, Nic O’Neill, Zak O’Shannessy, Jarrod Skinner, Jaydyn Stirling, Max Thompson, Zack Threadgold, Ethan Saville, Joel Walsh, Liam White.
Coaches: Jason Murphy, Nic O’Neill.
The Blues’ run:
Rd 1: lt Balranald, 105-109 at Greenham Park.
Rd 2: d Tyntynder, 57-42 at Riverside Park.
Rd 3: d Koondrook Barham, 100-37 at Barham.
Rd 4: d Woorinen, 64-44 at Riverside Park.
Rd 5: bye.
Rd 6: dr Mallee Eagles, 43-43 at Riverside Park.
Rd 7: d Swan Hill, 109-26 at Alan Garden Reserve.
Rd 8: d Nyah Nyah West United, 66-55 at Riverside Park.
Rd 9: d Cohuna Kangas, 121-84 at Cohuna.
Rd 10: bye.
Rd 11: d Lake Boga, 138-35 at Riverside Park.
Rd 12: d Tyntynder, 59-43 at Alan Garden Reserve.
Rd 13: d Balranald, 90-28 at Riverside Park.
Rd 14: d Tooleybuc Manangatang, 100-27 at Tooleybuc.
Rd 15: d Woorinen 86-66 at Woorinen.
Rd 16: d Koondrook Barham, 79-51 at Riverside Park.
Rd 17: d Mallee Eagles, 83-43 at Lalbert.
Rd 18: d Swan Hill, 83-62 at Riverside Park.
2nd semi-final: d Mallee Eagles, 109-90 at Woorinen.
Demons’ charge:
Rd 1: d Koondrook Barham, 103-57 at Barham.
Rd 2: d Woorinen, 110-97 at Nyah.
Rd 3: d Tooleybuc Manangatang, 94-60 at Tooleybuc.
Rd 4: d Mallee Eagles, 125-71 at Nyah.
Rd 5: d Swan Hill, 71-58 at Alan Garden Reserve.
Rd 6: bye.
Rd 7: d Cohuna Kangas, 85-60 at Nyah.
Rd 8: lt Kerang, 55-66 at Riverside Park.
Rd 9: d Lake Boga, 91-57 at Nyah.
Rd 10: d Balranald, 75-53 at Greenham Park.
Rd 11: d Tyntynder, 73-69 at Nyah.
Rd 12: lt Woorinen, 59-88 at Woorinen.
Rd 13: d Koondrook Barham, 113-32 at Nyah.
Rd 14: d Swan Hill, 120-60 at Nyah.
Rd 15: lt Mallee Eagles, 72-85 at Lalbert.
Rd 16: d Tooleybuc Manangatang, 112-42 at Nyah.
Rd 17: bye.
Rd 18: lt Cohuna Kangas, 55-86 at Cohuna.
Qualifying final: lt Mallee Eagles, 64-68 at Lake Boga.
1st semi-final d Balranald, 86-60 at Cohuna.
Preliminary final: d Mallee Eagles, 104-86 at Nyah.
In the reserves competition, Kerang tackles Mallee Eagles from 12.30pm.
A 14-2 record meant Kerang finished the home-and-away series on top of the ladder.
The Eagles soared to the third rung on a 12-4 record.
It was one-all in this season’s meetings between the grand finalists.
Kerang won 66-13 on its turf in round six.
The Eagles won 30-20 in the 17th round in Lalbert.
After a 33-point loss to Woorinen in the qualifying final, Mallee hit back to win the first semi-final against Lake Boga by 44 points.
The Eagles won the preliminary final clash with Woorinen by 10 points.
Kerang dominated the second semi-final to mark a 110-28 victory against the Woorinen Tigers.
It’s the clash of the Magpies and Swans in the Colts grand final between Lake Boga and Swan Hill at 10.25am.
The Magpies ended the regular season in top spot on a 13-3 record.
Swan Hill’s tally was 12 wins, three defeats and a draw.
They met in round eight in Lake Boga where the Swans won 47-43.
Swan Hill kicked off the finals by winning the qualifying final against Kerang by 41 points.
A week later and the Swans were beaten, 62-43 in the second semi-final final clash with Lake Boga.
It was 70-46 victory for the Swans in the preliminary final against Woorinen.
First of the footy grand finals will be the Mildura Health Fund under-15s between Lake Boga and Swan Hill from 8.50am.
The Magpies take an unbeaten record into the final.
A great streak for the black and white included a 49-point win at home against Swan Hill in round eight.
Swan Hill finished the home-and-away series in third place on a 12-4 record.
The Swans won the qualifying final against Tooleybuc Manangatang by five points.
A week later and Lake Boga marked a six-goal victory against Swan Hill in the second semi-final.
The Swans struck back for a 46-15 victory against Koondrook Barham in the preliminary final.
Nine clubs will be represented across the seven grand finals played on the courts at Alan Garden Reserve.
An undefeated Lake Boga takes on Swan Hill in the A-grade match at 2.55pm.
Their only meeting in the home-and-away series ended in a 52-36 win for Magpies on their court in the eighth round.
The grand finalists met in the second semi-final which went the way of the Magpies, 44-43.
Swan Hill won the preliminary final against Mallee Eagles by 18 goals.
Schedule for Saturday’s netball grand finals:
15-and-under, court one at 8.45am: Lake Boga v Tyntynder.
17-and-under, court one at 10.15am: Cohuna Kangas v Kerang.
13-and-under, court two at 10.15am: Lake Boga v Tooleybuc Manangatang.
B-grade, court two at 11.50am: Swan Hill v Woorinen.
A-reserve, court one at 1.20pm: Mallee Eagles v Balranald.
B-reserve, court two at 1.20pm: Swan Hill v Cohuna Kangas.
A-grade, court one at 2.55pm: Lake Boga v Swan Hill.