Battles within the battle key to who wins todayMOST times there is a grand final match-up that is right for the time and occasion.
One of those times is today.
What better way to mark the new AFL Central Australia (AFLCA) competition's first grand final than for the two most successful town and country clubs playing off for the premiership?
That is what we will see in Alice Springs from 3pm (CST) today when Pioneer and Yuendumu take to Traeger Park to contest the new-look league's first grand final.
It will be a contest between the best-performed teams with proven big game players having timed their run just right.
The ultra-successful Eagles will be hoping to add to their 28 CAFL premierships (from 1947) while Yuendumu will be just as keen to add to their five Country Cup flags from 1990, including a hat-trick between 2003 to 2005.
It shapes as a match of intrigue, too. Can the desert challengers, Yuendumu, topple minor premiers, Pioneer, in a repeat of their only clash this season? We won't know until around 5pm but Brad Puls, who calls local football for CAAMA Radio, says it could be close.
I can't see the result being more than three goals either way, they're so evenly matched," Puls said, before adding: "But I am tipping Pioneer. I think they will have done their homework from seeing what Wests did last week."
What an under-manned Wests did in last week's preliminary final with Yuendumu was apply a heavy tag on dangerous forward Sherman Spencer. Magpies coach Lindsay Williams was forced to swing the 53-goal forward in the middle in the last quarter to find some ball and to carry some confidence over for the big game.
Pioneer will have similar plans for him (today)," Puls said.
Also coming into play will be Josh Hampton's efforts on Yuendumu's Liam Jurrah, the one-time VFL Collingwood Magpie, in that Round 14 match. Hampton matched it with the clever Jurrah up until he, too, was swung in the middle to turn the game the Magpies' way.
Another key match-up will be Yuendumu full-back Simon Fisher on Dillon Measures, who has booted 76 goals this season (including finals). The key forward was top-scorer with five goals in his team's loss to the Magpies in Round 14.
"That will be critical," Puls said. "Good backmen don't get too many accolades and it will be interesting to see how he goes on Dillon."
Other duels to look out for will be Minahan medallist Joe Cole going head-to-head with Christopher Walker.
Tilting favouritism Pioneer's way, for Puls at least, is the Eagles' all-round evenness.
"The way I read it, Pioneer have a very evenly balanced group of players; from 1 to 20, they all play good footy," he said.
"Whereas Yuendumu have some real superstars, then a bunch of serviceable players, with their tail not as strong as Pioneer's remaining eight or 10 players."
Whatever transpires, history beckons the brave 44 souls ready to lay it all on the line.
* The game will be called live on CAAMA Radio and streamed via its website.
* The Under-17s grand final between South Alice Springs and Anmatjere will begin at 11am, the B grade between Souths and Wests at 1pm, before the big game at 3pm. Gates open at 9.30am and entry is $5.
The game we had to haveIT'S THE grand final match-up those in Alice Springs say is a fair reflection of the season's results and justification for merging two competitions into one.
Cal Dean, who knows Central Australian footy like nobody else, reckons despite a few teething problems, the AFLCA's first season has sorted itself out just fine.
"I think the new competition is a good thing and its proved that its worked by bringing these two teams together for the grand final," Dean, a long-time match commentator now match steward, said yesterday.
A handful of late-season forfeits and blowouts visited upon under-manned sides where about the only lowlight in the AFLCA's first year as a combined CAFL and Country Cup competition, with a strict no-alcohol policy at games.
"It's only natural you'll have teething problems but the whole thing has been good for footy," Dean, 75, said.
"The country teams which play pure, old-fashioned footy have had to learn fast that the hip-and-shoulder is there for a reason. Those sides have had reason to be physical to survive because before they seldom bumped each other.
"And the town teams have got to learn to get a player and hang on to him, but I think they will sort themselves out."
Tigers staking their TerritorySEVERAL Richmond Football Club players will be at today's AFLCA Grand Final.
The Tigers, aiming to strengthen their relationship with Northern Territory communities, will have Richard Tambling, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, Daniel Jackson and Richmond CEO Steven Wright in the region to build up the club's commitment to local football.
The group will take part in pre-match festivities, assist with the presentation of the premiership cup and medals to the winning team and will also hold football activities.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Last Modified on 21/09/2008 15:31