WEDDERBURN and Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers will fight to be first to the Goldacres North Central senior footy grand final when they meet in Saturday’s second semi-final in Wycheproof.
The big clash starts at 2.30pm
It’s been a superb run by the Tom Metherell-coached Wedderburn which ended the home-and-away series on a 15-1 record and top of the ladder.
Sea Lake Nandaly which has Boyd Bailey and Wade Donnan as joint playing coaches was a victory behind.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Redbacks and Tigers.
Wedderburn marked an 84-44 victory at home against the yellow and black at Donaldson Park in round six.
After 12 consecutive wins the red and black was beaten in Tigers’ territory at Sea Lake in the 13th round by 62 points.
Win on Saturday and Wedderburn will be through to its ninth grand final in the NCFL when it plays the Tigers or Birchip-Watchem on September 19 at Lord Nelson Park in St Arnaud.
Most recent premiership for the Redbacks was 2014 which capped four-in-a-row.
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers is chasing a fourth seniors premiership cup.
The yellow and black was number one in the ’23 and ’24 seasons.
A crucial match-up for Wedderburn will be in the centre where Zach Pallpratt takes on Tigers’ co-coach Boyd Bailey.
Redbacks’ ruckman Dane Keuken teams up with Mitch McEwen and Hamish Lockhart at centre ball-ups and stoppages against Connor Michael, co-coach Wade Donnan and Zac Kelly.
In attack Wedderburn has Oscar Holt, Matt Perri, Tom Campbell and Noah Furlong as targets.
It will be a big test for a Tigers’ defence led by Cooper Roberts, Kane Duncan, Trent Donnan and Charlie Cox.
Wedderburn defenders Isaac Holt, Danny Benaim, Adam Postle and captain Jackson McEwen will be aiming to limit the impact of Billy McInnes, Adam Pattison, Bryce Delmenico and Max Cahoon.
A multiple premiership winner with North Bendigo, Tom Metherell provides strong defence and rebound off half-back.
An X-factor for Sea Lake Nandaly is former Richmond and North Melbourne player Robin Nahas.
Sea Lake Nandaly has also brought in Cruz O’Sullivan who was among the best in eight of the 16 matches he played for Bendigo Pioneers in this season’s Talent League action.
The defeated on Saturday will face the Ash Connick-coached Birchip-Watchem Bulls who charged to a 71-point victory against ’25 premiers, Calder United Lions in last Saturday’s first semi-final.
It’s the Tigers against the Saints as Sea Lake Nandaly tackles St Arnaud in the Haeuslers reserves second semi at 12.35pm.
The Tigers had a 14-2 record across the home-and-away series as the Saints finished on a 13-3 tally.
These teams first met in round three where St Arnaud marked a 75-24 victory on Sea Lake Oval.
In round 10 the Tigers clawed their way to a 51-44 win on St Arnaud’s ground at Lord Nelson Park.
Best for Sea Lake Nandaly across the season include Brayden Allan, Tom Considine, Isaac Durie, Codey Elliott, Tye Griffiths, and Brody Kelly.
Players to watch for St Arnaud include Sean Bridgeman, Simon Elliott, Ben Greenaway, Beau Knight, Heath McNally, Kurtis Torney and Aidan Wickham.
The defeated will meet Wedderburn in the preliminary final.
Boort’s and St Arnaud’s young guns meet in the Charlton and District Community Bank under-17s second semi-final at 10.55am.
Both teams have 13-3 records.
In round six, St Arnaud won 43-34 at Boort Park.
Next time around it was the Magpies who swooped for a 134-13 victory on the Saints’ ground at Lord Nelson Park.
Boort’s squad includes captain Jake O’Flaherty, Rylan Chislett, Tommy Evans, Cooper Gooding, Cooper Gould, Brodie McPherson, and Darby Perryman.
The St Arnaud line-up includes Jack Batters, Chad Hendy, Declan Kay, Austin Lowe, Stefan Murdzevski, Archer Reyne, Nathan Saludes and William Thomas.
Day one of the finals included a 70-45 win for Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers in the under-17s first semi-final against Donald.
Saturday’s action kicks off at 9.30am with the Uniting Church under-14s match between St Arnaud and Birchip-Watchem.
The unbeaten Saints will start favourite.
St Arnaud’s run includes a 39-9 victory in the Bulls’ pen at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval in Emergency Services Round on May 23.
The Saints marked a 37-29 win at home against the Bulls in the 12th round.
Darcy Brooks-Oakes, Charlie Kirk, Ned Ezard, Lewis Lowe, Finn Evans and Spencer Kay were the Saints’ best in that contest.
Players to watch for Birchip-Watchem include Jed Coffey, Morgan Greenaway, Liam Spezza, Oscar Sharp, and Archie and Denley Tyler.
Charlton marked the trek to Sea Lake by winning the first semi against Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers by 13 points.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Wycheproof Recreation Reserve:
Uniting Church under-14s at 9.30am: St Arnaud v Birchip-Watchem.
Charlton and District Community Bank under-17s at 10.55am: Boort v St Arnaud.
Haesulers reserves at 12.35pm: Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers v St Arnaud.
Goldacres seniors at 2.30pm: Wedderburn v Sea Lake Nandaly.