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BRIDGEWATER v BEARS LAGOON-SERPENTINE - 2.15pm Saturday at Riverside Park, Newbridge.
Since 1995: BL-Serpentine 25; Bridgewater 18.
Last final: 2013 grand final - Bridgewater 15.11 (101) d BL-Serpentine 13.15 (93).
This season's meetings:
Round 1: Bridgewater 20.22 (142) d BL-Serpentine 9.12 (66).
Round 10: Bridgewater 22.12 (144) d BL-Serpentine 13.7 (85).
BEARS Lagoon-Serpentine faces what has been mission impossible in the Loddon Valley Football League this year - trying to beat Bridgewater in Saturday’s second semi-final at Newbridge.
The Mean Machine powered their way through an undefeated home and away season that included two beltings of the Bears - their grand final opponents of last year - by 76 and 59 points.
Bridgewater freshened up last week courtesy of finishing four games clear at the top of the ladder, while the Bears defeated Pyramid Hill by six points in the qualifying final at Backhaus Oval.
The Mean Machine will start raging hot favourites to make a fifth-straight grand final, with the Bears needing to make the most of every opportunity to be a chance.
COACHES COMMENTS:
Andrew Collins (Bridgewater) - “We know we’ve got to take another step-up in intensity in the finals and lift our energy to another level, so that’s what we’ll be aiming to do on Saturday.
“We’re going to have some good opposition on Saturday and we’ll need to be at our best to beat them.
“We’ve been consistent all season with our training standards, but definitely over the past fortnight there has been a real sense of hunger.
“We’ve got some players in the side who haven’t played in a premiership, and others who are going for their fifth in a row, so there’s lots of different motivations to try to get into another grand final.”
Damien Featherby (BL-Serpentine) - “The players have got to have the belief that they can win and then put that belief into action.
“We’ve been belted twice by them, but if they can have that mindset that the players can win the game, then we’ll be a chance.
“We’re under no illusion it’s going to be a hard task. They’ve got good players everywhere, but we don’t think we’re that bad either.”
TALE OF THE TAPE
Bridgewater:
Won: 16. Lost: 0.
Average for: 138.2. Against: 47.8.
Quarters won: 58/64.
Flag: $1.20.
BL-Serpentine:
Won: 12. Lost: 5.
Average for: 110.8. Against: 82.9.
Quarters won: 43/68.
Flag: $5.