WBFL: Grand final clash

READY TO RUMBLE: North Gambier's Nick McInerney and East Gambier's Frazer Scanlon are sure to come face to face in tomorrow's Western Border football grand final, with everything on line. Picture: FRANK MONGER

WITH Western Border football grand final today at Island Park, Casterton, excitement is building in both camps.

Speaking to The Border Watch this week, both coaches shared their thoughts on the biggest day of the season.

Winis Imbi – North Gambier

NORTH Gambier will start as outright favourite to claim the Western Border football premiership, but first the Tigers have to dispatch East Gambier, which will not be an easy task.

At the end of the day back-to-back titles await, but for cor coach Winis Imbi it is all about the one day.

“If we were to win, it will be good, but I’m not thinking about back-to-back,” he said.

“It is all about this year.

“We have some different players in there that haven’t played in a grand final so it is really exciting for a whole host of reasons.”

Despite having the wood over the Bulldogs head-to-head this season, Imbi said there was no complacency among his group.

“We are not a team that can be over confident,” he said.

“We know we can play good footy, but we also know we are coming up against a very good team who have shown that throughout the year.”

Whatever the conditions throw up, Imbi said his side would be ready for the challenge, with its running game adaptable.

“We played East four time this year – one was in the wet, the others were in the dry,” he said.

“At the end of the day conditions are conditions.

“Players just have to apply the game plans that are going around.”

Desperation can make a big difference to the outcome of a grand final and on paper East will certainly be keen, after spending so long in the premiership wilderness.

But Imbi said that same desperation will be on display from his side.

“Whether you haven’t played for a while, or just want to win one, I would be very disappointed if our boys weren’t desperate,” he said.

“At the end of the day it comes down to playing the footy you know you are capable of.

“I would be very surprised if both sides weren’t willing, because we are both playing for the same thing.”

In order to claim that premiership flag, Imbi said it was a simple matter of playing the game as the Tigers have done all season.

“There are a lot of different measures you can take to win,” he said.

“We need to use the ball effectively when it is our turn, then we need to defend when we haven’t got it.

“That is about as complicated as we get.

“We just try to do what we set out in terms of the roles for the boys, then we expect and hope they will apply what it is we are trying to do.”

DETERMINED: North Gambier coach Winis Imbi.

Matt Willson – East Gambier

FOR East Gambier co-coach Matt Willson it would be a dream come true to claim a premiership in his first year at the helm.

But there is more riding on the grand final hit-out with North Gambier than personal accolades.

“It has been a really exciting week for the club, having both grades playing in the grand final,” he said.

“It has been a while since that has happened.

“The first reaction is excitement, but as a group we are pretty focused on the job.”

Willson said a victory would mean a lot to the club as a whole.

“Every premiership is special for a club,” he said.

“Going without one for so long – we’ve had three cracks at it in the past 15 years and lost those – for the wider East Gambier community it would be massive.”

Willson said after coming to the club this year, his main focus was on those players who had not tasted success with the Bulldogs, but had been around the club for some time.

“What has been driving me is the players who have been there for a number of years – the Jayden Eldridges, Shem Balshaws, Matt Dempseys and the like,” he said.

KEEN: East Gambier coach Matt Willson.

“To see them enjoy some success is what is really driving us at the moment.”

To have that success will be a tall order, with such a strong adversary to face.

“North are terrific with their skills – they move the footy really well,” Willson said.

“We have to match them in that area and obviously defend really hard.

“They attack so well and are really structured, so it is a matter of working them out and defending them as much as going forward on our own.”

While much has been said about the Tigers’ running game, the Bulldogs have certainly shown the ability to move the ball well this season.

Willson said the side’s loss to North in the finals series showed the Bulldogs can match the Tigers.

“We do take confidence out of that game,” he said.

“We showed in patches throughout that game we can match it with them in a high-quality game of football.

“I think it will be pretty tight – they have been the benchmark for a long time.”

But Willson is still confident his players can get the job done, if all goes to plan tomorrow.

“Everyone is aware of what is on the end of this weekend, but at the same time we know it is a massive job in front of us against North Gambier,” he said.

“Everything that has happened this season up to now means nothing.

“We are both there and level pegging, so it is whoever shows up on the day and performs will win.”