ALLIED PICKFORD'S CUP
Eastern Swans v Mackay City Hawks
3:45pm
Harrup Park, Mackay
Saturday 12th September
The 2015 Grand Final will be the fifth time the Eastern Swans and Mackay City Hawks have met in a season decider, the first time they met in 1982 Mackay City defeated the then East Mackay and wasn't until 1998 that the two proud clubs met again.
The Swans defeated the Hawks on that day in September and then their next two Grand-Finals against each other have all gone the Hawks way, season 2000 and most recently 2013.
Mackay City have appeared in 16 Grand-Finals across with a 50% success rate in the season decider.
Twenty-three Grand-Finals in total for the Eastern Swans, with Premiership Cup returning on only 7 occasions. Three of those Cups came from the East Mackay days and one from Trend United, when in fact Trend United defeated East Mackay. In season 1987 East Mackay and Trend United amalgamated to become the Eastern Swans.
With only a 30% success rate on Grand-Final day, history and statistics are against the Swans and an old football myth that you don't want to go the entire season undefeated. With many sides going through many season undefeated until Grand-Final.
However, this isn't just some oridinary football team, there is something special about the Eastern Swans in season 2015 but standing in their way is the powerhouse of the modern era the Mackay City Hawks.
Since the Hawks won their premiership win in 1997 against the North Mackay Saints, Mackay City have appeared in eleven Grand-Finals, with 2015 to be their 12th in total. Five Grand-Final wins and seven losses, may not ring ultimate success over an 18 year period but to even win one Premiership Cup takes a lot of hard-work.
If we go back to the most recent Grand-Final match up, in the 2013 decider Mackay City below the Swans off the paddock and the men in red and white had to play catch up.
The 7 goal to 2 opening half was impressive by a slick Hawks outfit and so was their 12 goal to 5 second half, many players in this years decider played in that game and no doubt still very fresh for the Swans that lost that match.
However, fast forward to season 2015 and it is the Swans who is blowing teams away.
The Eastern Swans know they have been slow-starters through-out the home and away season but in the Qualifying Final a few weeks ago, looked to have found the method to starting quickly. It was 7-goal to 1 opening term that put the game to rest in the first 25 minutes.
Mackay City had no answers and looked slow to react at pivotal moments in the match.
Though, as all strong and proud clubs do they bounce back and Mackay City did so against the North Mackay Saints in last weekends Preliminary Final.
They set the victory up on the back of impressive second and fourth quarters, were they booted 6 and 7 goals respectively. The return of Nabako Stow seemed to lift the Hawks, with his exciting dash and carry and ability to weave and duck out of contested situations impressive.
Saltmarsh also returned to his best, booting six majors and will need to again fire if the Hawks are to defeat the Swans.
Stand in Captain Tim Bone was also impressive playing a high half-foward link role, slotting four games in a best on ground performance for his side. As always, Hawks midfiedler and dual MJ Miller Medalist Desmond Hayes was superb and will no doubt be watched closely by the Swans midfield.
Last time these two sides met, the Swans didn't go with a direct, 'tagging' opponent for Hayes but made sure their entire midfield was aware of Hayes whereabouts around the contests.
For the Swans, club best and fairest winner Mitchell Cook will be an important cog across half-back as will veteran Ivan Walker, outside mid Rocklyn Miller and in and under Dean Backwell.
Cook has been the Swans rock down back and a major reason behind his sides rise to success this season. Cook is a natural leader and the Hawks will need to show respect to the quarter-back type player that is Cook.
Rocklyn Miller likes to talk the talk on-field but he also walks it, he works hard on the outside and is someone the Swans defensive unit look for when rebounding opponents attacking raids. Add to Miller and Cook, is the midfielder Dean Backwell, more than likely we will see a Hayes versus Backwell match up and the last time this happend Backwell took the points.
A good user by foot and very clean at ground level, Backwell like Cook and Miller will be important for the Swans.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
QF - Eastern Swans 20.11 (131) def. Mackay City 8.4 (52) @ Rogers Oval
Rd 13 - Eastern Swans 14.15 (99) def. Mackay City 11.6 (72) @ Harrup Park
Rd 6 - Eastern Swans 13.10 (88) def. Mackay City 8.4 (52) @ Rogers Oval
It has been all Swans this season, with their average winning margin over the Hawks by 38 points this season alone. All statistics point towards a Swans win BUT Mackay City do have the Grand-Final experience and as it is always mentioned, Grand Final day is a different beast.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Eastern Swans
#1 Nicholas Kempe - Medium/Small Forward who finished second in the leading goal kicker for the Allied Pickford's Cup. He can take a hanger, very clean at ground level and can slot them from fifty.
#32 Mitchell Cook - Can play tall or small, very strong contested mark and exceptional kicking ability to always create something. Natural leader who will start as a strong favourite for the B.O.G Medal.
#3 Matthew Oakford - Finished third in the MJ Miller Medal and runner up at his club best and fairest, goes about his business each week and goes under the radar. Not anymore. Very agile and quick of the first 5-10metres and silky skills by either foot.
#20 Ivan Walker - One of the nice blokes you'll meet and this Swan veteran with over 300 games experience will be one to watch. More than likely play as a link half-forward but may be thrown down back or into the midfield. Experience counts for everything and there will be no other player on the field with more experience then Walker.
Mackay City Hawks
#1 Brodie Saltmarsh - The Hawks number one man when they go inside forward fifty and if he is on, so are the Hawks. Will be interesting to see who gets the match up this time round. Strong overhead and on the lead marking medium forward.
#2 Nabako Stow - Played two games and looked underdone last weekend. However, Stow is all class one of the best kicks in the competition, very agile and can get out of heavy traffic like no other.
#15 Trevor Rowler - Not much has been spoken about the key defender for the Hawks but Rowler is by far the leader of the Hawks defensive unit and has the golden fist. His impact on discharging the Swans attacking roles and his ability to rebound, which he has done all season will be pivotal.
#10 Desmond Hayes - What more can be said, Hayes has just about won every individual accolade available this season and will be looking to add one, maybe two to his cabinet. Favourite no doubt for the B.O.G Medal, Hayes is agile, fast, skillful by hand and foot and the ultimate team player. He is the Hawks barometer, if Hayes is on the Hawks are in the match.
THE FINAL SAY......
Pick a winner if you dare, a lot of statistics point towards the Swans and a lot of other statistics point towards the Hawks.
However, a winner will be decider and one thing is for sure we will have a new premier after the Allied Pickford's Cup Grand-Final.
Photo by Kaz Morrison
Possible team lists for the 2015 AFL Mackay Grand Final
EASTERN SWANS |
|
|
7 |
Backwell, Dean |
31 |
Bailey, Terry |
51 |
Ball, Luke |
49 |
Bugeja, Thomas |
11 |
Burdon, Chris |
32 |
Cook, Mitchell |
39 |
Evans, Grant |
8 |
Evans, Kane |
14 |
Fraser, David |
1 |
Kempe, Nicholas |
19 |
Leithhead, Andrew |
22 |
Lyons, Samuel |
16 |
Miller, Rocklyn |
34 |
Miller, Sam |
3 |
Oakford, Matthew |
55 |
Overall, Dale |
12 |
Overall, Leigh |
46 |
Picken, Aaron |
5 |
Porter, Liam |
41 |
Power, Boydee |
13 |
Saunders, Bo |
29 |
Squires, Cameron |
33 |
Stokely, Kristjen |
4 |
Svaikauskas, Mark |
20 |
Walker, Ivan (Capt) |
37 |
Windsor, Cameron |
|
|
Coach: Brad McLaren |
MACKAY CITY HAWKS |
|
|
18 |
Archer, Kale |
19 |
Baulch, Thomas |
21 |
Berts, Mark |
7 |
Bessell, Mitchell |
26 |
Best, Brad |
6 |
Bone, Tim (Capt) |
12 |
Brown, Scott |
17 |
Churches, Jack |
3 |
Donovan, Josh |
14 |
Fazackerley, Lee |
8 |
Garrett, Jason |
16 |
Gibbons, Mayson |
13 |
Harper, Dylan |
10 |
Hayes, Desmond |
9 |
Holohan, Nathan |
20 |
Jacobson, James |
11 |
Leembruggen, Craig |
23 |
Morton, Nicholas |
5 |
Polkinghorne, Michael |
22 |
Pollock, Daniel |
24 |
Roderick, Kurt |
15 |
Rowler, Trevor |
1 |
Saltmarsh, Brodie |
25 |
Scanlon, Kim |
4 |
Shepherdson, Bryson |
2 |
Stow, Nabako |
|
|
Coach: Matt Crowley |
Last Modified on 14/09/2015 12:16