THE Mid South East Football League second semi-final at the Port MacDonnell Oval on Saturday is shaping up to a crackerjack contest, with a Brodie Foster-inspired Glencoe Murphies tipped to narrowly win at the expense of the undermanned Hatherleigh Eagles.
The two teams are evenly matched, but Glencoe has more of its upper echelon players available for selection including the ace recruit.
With a record 113 goals for a 16-game home-and-away season, Foster’s class and goal-scoring ability will take his side to the season decider at Mount Burr on September 21.
As some measure of the potency of Foster, he booted more than the entire output of Nangwarry this season and almost as much as Tantanoola.
It is little wonder the pundits rate Foster as a strong chance for the Mail Medal, along with Kalangadoo’s Andrew Stone and Robe’s Jake Wehl.
It will be announced at the gala function on Sunday afternoon at the Millicent War Memorial Civic and Arts Centre.
A Foster victory in the Mail Medal to go with his league goal-kicking trophy would set a new MSEFL record and cap off a winning weekend for Glencoe.
After missing the past three major rounds, Foster has provided the Murphies with a target.
The club has scored almost 300 points more than any another club in 2019 and finished the minor round with an impressive percentage of almost 68pc.
Much of the credit for the revival of Glencoe can be given to coach Zacc Cocks who has borne a heavy on-field and off-field load.
When he was elevated to the job three years ago the Murphies had just finished second-to-bottom.
His personal form did not suffer with the extra responsibility of playing coach as he continued to be chosen in representative sides and won the 2017 Mail Medal.
Cocks has been hampered by a knee injury this season and missed four games, but was best-on-ground in round 18.
In their head-to-head contests in 2019, Hatherleigh won at home by 20 points on April 30 and then slumped to a heavy 49-point defeat in the last meeting of the home-and-away season.
It might only be the second semi-final, but I believe the winner is almost guaranteed of taking home the premiership flag and Wilf Sprengel Premiership Shield in just over two weeks from now at Mount Burr.
By 5pm on Saturday, either Cocks or Hatherleigh’s Gerard McGrath will assume the status of favourite for the coveted Phil Muhovics Memorial Medal as the winning grand final coach.
McGrath has been reappointed for a second year as coach, while Glencoe has yet to make a public announcement about its mentor in 2020.
The loser of the second semi-final contest will also have their colours lowered by the Kalangadoo Magpies in the preliminary final.
After winning the first semi-final against Robe at Kongorong, the black-and-whites will have fresh legs.
Kalangadoo already had the benefit of a bye in round 18.
Glencoe does not want to meet a fresh Kalangadoo on that day as it could lose its 13th consecutive match against its traditional rival.
The last time the Murphies sang their song against the Magpies was in Round 13 on July 13, 2013
These references to “unlucky 13” would interest numerologists.
On the injury front, Glencoe has nearly a full list on offer with key forward Adam Gregory an obvious exception.
After booting 26 goals in eight games, a back injury has kept him on the sidelines since mid-June.
Over in the Hatherleigh camp, there is a deserved positive buzz with all four teams featuring in the major round.
However, the injury list is much longer than any club would like to see in the major round.
Missing in recent weeks have been players of the calibre of ex-coach Jase Faulkner, along with Matt Fabris, Joe Rayson and the Wight brothers.
Some of this quintet may play against Glencoe, but they will lack the all-important match fitness.
Veteran players Joe Ferguson-Lane and Caolan Buckley have been back in the 18 in recent weeks, but do not have many A Grade matches of late.
The minor premiership was deservedly won by Hatherleigh, but its inability to settle its A Grade side in recent weeks will be a major stumbling block at Port MacDonnell on Saturday.
There is also that outstanding opponent in a long-sleeved guernsey at the goal front to contend with.
