Based on statistics, Wallaroos will be favourites when they meet reigning champions Past Brothers in the Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership qualifying final at Salter Oval at 6pm Saturday.
But results of the 15 fixture rounds mean nothing now, and finals are a new ball game.
After the last round a fortnight ago when they halted the Wests Panthers juggernaut 24-16 at home in Maryborough for their seventh victory in their last eight matches, 'Roos finished on 22 points, equal with Waves at the top of the table.
The Tigers, who slumped to their third straight defeat being upset by the late swooping Hervey Bay Seagulls 46-30, still claimed the minor title with a massively superior points differential of +234 to +76.
Brothers recorded their first win in six games, white-washing wooden spooners Easts Magpies 76-0 with hat-tricks of tries to star centre Corey Findlay and second row game breaker Lachlan Andrews. Under-18 wingers Joseph Doyle, their leading try scorer in 2024, and Lucas Brough, on his A grade debut, scored doubles.
Brothers beat Roos in two of their three showdowns this campaign, 26-18 on April 27, and 24-16 on June 1, but the Maryborough marauders came from behind to get the points 26-24 when they last met on June 29.
The Brethren will be without two of their powerhouse forwards in Max Shorter and Luke Stillinovich, but they will welcome back vastly experienced winger Benaiah Kambanei from concussion and 19-year-old classy fullback Mitchell Sly from injury.
Coach Andrew Hamilton has backed his side to get the job done.
“Our preparation has been good and I’m confident. In our three clashes this year, we’ve won two and they won one, but we didn’t play our best last time against them, and they will play a good side this time,” he said.
Hamilton will be looking to 2023 premiership winning captain and centre Tyrell Priestley and Andrews to lead from the front.
“Our young halves (Zander Evans and Carter Vincent) have had a good year too, and when we click, we are as good as any side in the competition.
“But we have got to be better in the middle - that has let us down at different stages this year - but we have to do that to minimize their attack when they go to the edges.”
Meanwhile, Wests Panthers will be warm favourites against Hervey Bay in the elimination final at 4.15pm after plucking the Seagulls in each of their three duels this campaign.
The Panthers were on the prowl with six in a row until their last-start hiccup against 'Roos, while the Seagulls have taken flight late in the season, drawing with Brothers 26-all, thrashing Easts 70-14 and taming the Tigers with their 2022 premiership halfback and first-season captain David Woodbridge getting a haul of 26 points.
Woodbridge did not play last year and made a late start to this season due to injury, but he is back to his form of two years ago, when was a match winner with 18 points in their 34-14 ambush of Brothers in the grand final.
Long-serving Wests coach Corey Tanner was naturally disappointed with the outcome in their last match, especially with so much at stake, but even though they will be without four big guns, he expects his players to again rise to the challenge after making it to the “big dance” a year ago and leading until the last 10 minutes before going down to Brothers 18-6.
“Roos got the majority of the big calls last time, but losing those four points on the ladder (for repeated infringements in relation to suspensions earlier in the season) definitely hurt us most, but we are confident we can get the job done,” Tanner said.
“We have Dan and Nick Tanner suspended from last game and Tariq (Tanner) is still on suspension and forward Caleb Navaoo is still unavailable due to work commitments, so we will have to dig deep but our depth this year has been key as to why we have played well all season.
“The key to beating Hervey Bay is to stick to our style of play - they scored a lot of tries off chip kicks against Waves and we are well aware they will throw everything at us to get the win.
“If we get big efforts from our forwards and attacking plays from our halves and fullback, we will have our chances to win also.”
Main image: Corey Findlay, Lucas Brough, Joseph Doyle and Lachlan Andrews were well in the tries in Past Brothers’ last round 76-0 whitewash of Easts Magpies.
