Matt Beggs
KYBYBOLITE
WHAT a season it has been for Kybybolite to be in this position and searching for their first premiership in fifty years against a football club which wins them often.
Kybybolite has had and almost perfect season by winning 16 of their 17 games so far.
They will be hoping number 17 is the best feeling of them all.
Kybybolite appointed Jack Kelly as their coach ahead of the 2023 season.
Kelly has seen great growth in the two years in charge and with some good recruiting, he has Kybybolite back up the top of the ladder.
Players such as Jared Deep and Oscar Clark have added much-needed class to the lineup.
Kybybolite has such an interesting mix of players.
The forward line is packed with talent.
Stephen Craig is the key forward who kicks bags of goals on his day.
Billy Laurie is a smooth-moving target that is hard to contain because of his athleticism.
Laurie can get you five goals or he can get you 30 disposals.
He is the ultimate utility.
There is also Charlie Hillier who provides a different look to Kybybolite’s forward line.
Hillier might pop up and give you two to three goals when the key forwards are being held.
Kybybolite has had some great consistent output across the board and the work and play of players like Tom Woodard, Tom Curnow and William Russell have been vital to the team having a turnaround season.
The return home of Jack Trengove and Andrew Bradley was a huge bonus.
Not much has gone wrong in their 2024 season so far and the club would be buzzing at the thought of it ending up with the ultimate prize on Saturday.
MUNDULLA
THE other team in the grand final is Mundulla and most of their players have been here before.
The Moots have done it the hard way by playing the first three weeks of the finals.
The first week against Keith wasn’t what you would usually expect from Mundulla in a final.
The following two games showed that the Tigers are back to their best.
The way the Tigers played against the Crows was Mundulla at their best and when they attacked with the ball, they looked dangerous while defending hard without it.
Nathan Studham was outstanding against the Crows.
Studham’s lethal left foot can cut a team to shreds.
James Hinge was also back to his best and his big game and first half in particular was what set up the win over the Crows.
Hinge kicked eight goals for the game.
Hinge forms a potent forward line with Darcy King, the other key forward and Billy Wiese who has been a revelation in 2024.
The big question will be whether Nick Mosey is fit to play.
Mosey has been out for the finals so far and he is the class mover of the team with great kicking skills.
Elliott Jaeschke has stepped big time in Mosey’s absence in the past few weeks.
Jaeschke belts in and gets clearances for Mundulla.
Jake McGrice also is no stranger to starring on the big day.
McGrice is getting a bit older but is still one of the main threats running around for Mundulla.
PREDICTION
When making a tip in this game it becomes clear that either team has got a great chance to win the premiership.
Kybybolite has lost one game all year and that loss was to Mundulla.
Kybybolite were overtaken in the fourth quarter after leading by ten points at three-quarter time.
The next time the two teams faced they had another close encounter.
This time it was Kybybolite getting the victory.
The season series stands at 1-1 and what a perfect day to settle the ledger in the ultimate test.
Kybybolite will be fresh after the week off and their players and supporters will be full of voice and hoping the 50-year drought comes to an end.
Mundulla are back to their best though and they match up against Kybybolite better than any other team in the league on paper.
They lost in week one of the finals and it seems to have them more focused and determined to get the job done.
This is why I feel Mundulla might just get across the line.
They are peaking at the right time and might be too much to handle on grand final day.
I would not be surprised if Kybybolite get up as they have been the best team all year but it is Mundulla who I think will get up in a close game.
Margin Prediction: Mundulla by 12 points
Best on the ground: Nathan Studham-Mundulla
