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Momentum favours East Gambier

Posted on September 12, 2008, 9:09am

Momentum in football could be East Gambier’s greatest asset in tomorrow’s cut throat preliminary final in the Western Border Football League.

Despite finishing fifth on the ladder and three spots behind tomorrow’s Blue Lake Sports Park opponent, Imperials, East will start the nominal favourite.

Since losing to South Gambier on home turf in Round 14, East have found form, stringing together six successive wins, including elimination battles against South and Hamilton in the first two weeks of the finals.

On the same day that East lost to South, Imperials limped over the line by 1-point against Hamilton and since then has been patchy to say the least.

An 11-point against Millicent in Round 15 has been followed by three losses, an uninspiring 75-point win over Heywood and a come-from behind 4-point qualifying final victory over Hamilton a fortnight ago.

Last week Imperials in the 2nd semi against Portland were insipid after half time, blowing a 5-point lead and getting smashed by 51.

East on the other hand, crushed Hamilton by 74-points and that’s where the momentum is.

East are playing a confident brand of football and one that smacks of leading from the front, backing teammates and taking risks when and where necessary.

Imperials in the third and fourth quarters against Portland looked shell shocked, lifeless, totally down on confidence and almost as if it didn’t want to be there.

Its time for East to deliver.

The SA Bulldogs are starting to get a little desperate in breaking a 20-year premiership drought and although Jason Dawe looks to have a potential flag side at his disposal, there are still a couple of hurdles to overcome.

Whilst it has earnt an unlikely favourite tag for the pre-final, East had the same mantle in last year’s corresponding match against North Gambier and there’s probably n need to remind Bulldog supporters what happened then.

Forget about playing Portland next week, if you don’t beat Imperials tomorrow, there’ll be no next week.

Don’t get ahead of yourself, don’t keep watching the scoreboard or timeclock — keep an eye on your immediate opponent and ensure that he doesn’t get to that bag of leather before you do.

If he does, make him earn it.

Dawe won’t want of his players to walk off BLSP tomorrow with anything left in the tank.

It’s all or nothing.

Only the very best teams get to play in a grand final, there’s never been an ordinary side qualify for the biggest match of the year. There’s been some ordinary end results, but teams that get there, do so because they’ve earnt the right.

Enough of the pep talk, East it’s now your turn to produce the goods.

Verdict: East Gambier by 27-points.

ROD MORRIS

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