By Trevor Jackson
THIS weekend will be a chance for Kalangadoo to make amends for its semi-final loss to Port MacDonnell last week.
The formerly undefeated Magpies simply could not get the job done against the Demons in the Mid South East football semi-final clash, as Port MacDonnell stormed home from a four-point half-time deficit to an 11-point win.
The Magpies face Hatherleigh in the preliminary final at Kongorong this weekend, with the Eagles fresh from a week’s break and a six-point victory over Robe.
The Eagles would take plenty of confidence from that results and boast the league best and fairest in Joe Ferguson-Lane to add further to their chances.
The likes of Jake Dowdy, Louis Brown and Jordan Galpin are dangerous and will certainly test Kalangadoo’s chances.
However, the Magpies were not undefeated for no reason, with a strong lineup and a classy style of play.
The list of stars goes on for the Magpies – Andrew Stone, Ben Gregory, Lachy Jones, Chris Mules, Ben Mules, Mitch Lowe and more.
The two sides have faced off just once this season due to coronavirus restrictions.
In that clash Kalangadoo claimed a comfortable 24-point victory.
Goals were shared around, with the injured Michael Krieger on the list, along with Jones, Stone, Gregory and Brett Lindner.
It is very hard to mount a case for Hatherleigh in this game.
While the Eagles are every chance to stage an upset, the class of the Magpies should shine through.
They would certainly want to atone for last week’s road-bump and have another shot at the Demons to show who is the better side in 2021.
It would have been an ideal scenario to complete the season undefeated and a fitting one considering the dominance of the side this year, then to go on to claim the premiership flag, but that is obviously beyond the Magpies now.
At this stage it is all about the flag, which the Kalangadoo faithful would undoubtedly consider their own this season.
The Eagles will like their chances, but will feel the desire of the Magpies from the first bounce.
Kalangadoo should settle in and run away with the preliminary final by a fair margin, then go on to claim the top honours the following week.
