GRAND finalists in ’24, Birchip-Watchem and Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers meet in the Goldacres North Central senior footy preliminary final this Saturday in St Arnaud.
The Bulls and Tigers will fight to qualify for a grand final showdown with Calder United Lions when they compete at Lord Nelson Park from 2.30pm.
Last September it was Sea Lake Nandaly which beat Birchip-Watchem in the grand final to mark back-to-back premierships for the yellow and black.
After an unbeaten run to the finals, Birchip-Watchem was outplayed by Calder United Lions in last Saturday’s second semi-final at Boort Park.
The Ash Connick-coached Bulls faced a 35-point deficit at half-time and was four goals down at the start of the final quarter.
Although Birchip-Watchem won the last, 15-2, it was the Lions who roared into the grand final as it marked a 65-54 victory.
The Tigers watched on after they kicked off the finals by winning the first semi-final against Boort by nine goals at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval.
This season’s meetings between the Bulls and Tigers stand at two-nil in favour of Birchip-Watchem.
The Bulls won 82-72 at Sea Lake in round three and then scored a 100-60 victory on home turf at George Cartwright Oval in the 10th round.
One of the biggest match-ups this Saturday will be in the Bulls’ forward line.
Ben Edwards has kicked 125 goals in 16 matches for the Bulls and looms as a huge threat to the Tigers chances.
Sea Lake Nandaly named the experienced Kane Donnan at full-back.
Two of the league’s best ruckmen in Hamish Hosking for the Bulls and Ryan O’Sullivan for the Tigers will lock horns.
At ground level Birchip-Watchem has Sam Simmons, Nicholas Rippon and Oscar Brownless to take on Trent and Wade Donnan, and Meyrick Buchanan.
A Bulls’ defence led by Jacob Noonan, Ben Lakin, Lachlan Ryan and captain Dale Hinkley takes on Josh Jenkins, Adam Pattison, co-coach Bryce Delmenico and Max Cahoon.
Birchip-Watchem also has Rhona Conboy, Tom Gibson and Marshall Rippon as scoring options.
The Sea Lake Nandaly defence includes co-coach Billy McInnes, Jack Poulton and Brodie Adcock.
In the Haeuslers reserves competition it will be Boort against Birchip-Watchem from 12.35pm.
Boort is on the rebound from a 33-58 loss to Calder United Lions in the second semi-final.
The Bulls marked a 51-35 win against Sea Lake Nandaly in the first semi-final.
In round six, Boort scored a 48-33 win at home against Birchip-Watchem.
The Magpies then swooped for a 46-34 victory in the Bulls’ pen in the 13th round.
Boort’s best in the second semi-final were Jack Baker, Cameron Ross, Fraser Millar and Angus Trethowan.
The Bulls’ squad for Saturday includes Lochlan Sirett, Bodie and Ty Colbert, Riley Doran and Stefan Pye.
St Arnaud will take on Boort in the Charlton and District Community Bank under-17s preliminary final from 10.55am.
The Saints beat the Magpies at Lord Nelson Park in round one by nine points.
In round eight, St Arnaud won 36-28 at Boort Park.
Boort won the first semi-final against Calder United Lions by 17 points.
The Saints are on the rebound from a 28-39 loss to Sea Lake Nandaly in the second semi-final.
St Arnaud’s squad for Saturday includes Archie and Jack Batters, Finn Green, Austin Lowe, Aidan Wickham, and Chase Zander.
Best for Boort in the first semi-final were Luke Boyd, Riley Wagner, Brodie McPherson, Rylan Chislett, Cooper Gooding and Darby F. Perryman.
Preliminary final days kicks off with the Uniting Church under-14s match between Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers and Boort at 9.30am.
The Tigers will be snarling after a 34-37 loss to St Arnaud in the second semi-final.
Boort won the first semi-final against Donald by 22 points.
It’s two-nil the way of Sea Lake Nandaly in this season’s meetings with the Magpies.
The yellow and black won 37-13 at Boort Park in round four.
A closely-fought contest in round 11 at Sea Lake ended in a 47-40 victory for the Tigers.
The Sea Lake Nandaly squad for the preliminary final includes co-captains Riley Allan and Henry Cox, Finn Austerberry, Max Conlan, Hamish and Lenny Landry.
Seth Muller, Archer Lee, Noah Howe, Liam King, Tyler Stringer and Jed Perryman were Boort’s best against Donald on day one of the finals series.