By Tyler Lewis
The pressure of grand final footy can do perplexing things.
Narre Warren knows that, in fact, the Magpies once famously benefited from it.
Just ‘a season’ ago in 2019, the shoe was placed quite firmly on the opposing foot.
In what feels like an eternity ago, the Maggies had no chance in their grand final clash with Berwick.
Particularly after losing to the old-foe in the final round of the home-and-away season, before failing once again to the Wickers in the second semi-final.
But the reality is, home and away and even early finals form accounts for precisely nothing when the Sherrin is tossed in the air for the first time on grand final day.
Consequently, a scenario like this for Shane Dwyer’s men is more so a test of complacency and character than footballing ability.
Their ability will never be questioned, this side can truly play footy… it’s just whether they can manage the expectation of being red-hot favourites for another 120 minutes… the 120 minutes that actually count.
“Generally, any team that goes straight into the grand final is going to start favourites in the grand final,” Dwyer said.
“Whether it’s us – who have had a great year and lost just the one game – or it’s a team that’s lost just as many games as you.
“The team that goes in and has the week off will generally start as favourites, but you’ve seen in other results over the course of the last two weekend’s that the favourites don’t always get over the line.
“It doesn’t mean much, we just have to make sure we turn up to play and play well.”
And while it may seem strange from an external perspective, Dwyer is adamant the round 15 loss to this week’s opponent has assisted his Pies in shifting to a more explosive gear.
“I think the main thing will be that the mental attitude will be different this week,” he outlined as the learnings from the defeat to Woori Yallock.
“I think the fact we hadn’t lost a game, we were a little bit off mentally which put us behind the eight ball.
“We have figured out a few things from then, they played pretty well, we took a fair bit out of that.
“It was probably the only game we have reviewed with footage this year… I would like to think we figured out what we did wrong and what they did right.”
Woori Yallock coach Jack Cole isn’t quelled by illusion of grandeur, knowing full well that his side will come in at heavy odds.
“We’ve been underdogs all year, we know that,” Cole said.
And although the Tigers coach is filled with uncertainty surrounding the fitness of star midfielder Liam Odea, Cole is confident on a pair of certainties.
Firstly, it was the Tigers run and dare with the footy that won them the game against Narre Warren seven weeks ago, and secondly… this game will NOT be a slog.
“I think we took risks a bit,” he said.
“You can’t play worrying about them, you just have to have a go and see what happens.
“It definitely won’t be a slog, because I don’t think you can control a side like that for long enough, with (Trent) Cody and (Kurt) Mutimer in the middle, it’s just too hard.
“You have to score yourself and I think that’s where a lot of the Yarra Ranges sides have found it hard.
“You can’t stop them from scoring.”
Contrastingly, Dwyer isn’t ill at ease by the way in which the game is played, nor should he be.
The Magpies have kicked over 100 points for 17 consecutive weeks.
“We will play how we play and it’ll unfold how it unfolds,” Dwyer said.
“Last time we played them we let them get away with a lot, letting them chip it around.
“We weren’t accountable, it turned into a shoot-out, I think it was 109 to 101 that day.
“We’ll back ourselves to kick a score if we give them enough opportunities, but whether that’s eight goals to seven like yesterday (Sunday) or 15 goals to 14 whatever, we will just back in our guys to get the score on the board.
“We’ve done it all year, we’ve kicked good scores all year – we know we go alright in attack.
“If we have to carry a few, they (Woori Yallock) play super well and they’ve got more playing better than we have, then it’s going to become a scrap.
“When we beat them at home, the first time we played them, I think (Will) Howe and (Jake) Richardson only kicked two between them.
“So they don’t necessarily have to kick our score, there’s other avenues I think.”
Stranger things have certainly happened, but it’s Narre Warren to win this one, with Lachie Benson to monopolise the midfield battle in tempestuous conditions.
