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SANDHURST coach Brett Fitzpatrick acknowledges the underdog status of his side heading into Saturday’s Bendigo Football League grand final against Strathfieldsaye at the QEO.
But he’s also quick to point out that the grand final doesn’t always follow the pattern of what’s happened previously.
In 1981 Fitzpatrick was part of a Castlemaine team that won a high-scoring second semi-final against - ironically - Sandhurst by 29 points.
But a fortnight later, the Dragons turned the tables on the Magpies, winning the grand final in a canter by 69 points.
Two weeks ago Sandhurst lost the second semi-final to the Storm by 42 points.
“It was a long time ago, but that experience of 1981 shows that what has happened previously doesn’t have to happen again,” Fitzpatrick said on Friday.
“There’s an opportunity to re-write it, and that’s one of the messages we’ll be giving the players.”
The Dragons are playing in their first grand final since 2004 and have earned their shot at the flag on the back of an 18-3 record.
But they go in as the outsiders on the back of not only the superb form of the Storm that has continued to get better as the year has progressed, but the preliminary final injuries last week to dual Michelsen medallist Tim Martin (ankle) and key midfielder Nick Stagg (shoulder).
Martin has been declared a certain starter, while Stagg will be given until Saturday to get up for the game.
Captain Blair Holmes and Joel Wharton have both battled hamstring injuries during the finals, but both have been selected to play on Saturday.
“I’m not fussed what people think our chances are and I’m happy for them to have strong ideas and opinions,” Fitzpatrick said.
“It’s up to us to realise as a group what we want to achieve on Saturday.”
The Storm hold a 2-1 advantage over the Dragons this year.
Sandhurst has been the only team to defeat Strathfieldsaye when it thumped the Storm by 79 points in round three.
But the Storm were severely weakened by injury that day and as a result, it's a match that Fitzpatrick has barely looked back at.
“Given the number of players who were out that day for them, we knew if we çouldn’t take control of that game we’d be in strife playing against them later in the year,” Fitzpatrick said.
After the round three hiding, the Storm have won the past two games against the Dragons by 22 points in round 12 and 42 points in the second semi-final.
The Dragons started well in the second semi-final to lead by 15 points at quarter-time, but the game was quickly taken away from them when the Storm kicked 12 goals to two in the second and third terms.
“To have had control of the game at quarter-time on the scoreboard in the second semi-final and then to give it up so easily was disappointing,” Fitzpatrick said.
“In that second quarter they had 10 scoring shots to three and we can’t afford on Saturday to let a side of that quality get on top and be that dominant for any period of the game.
“We’ll have to make it as tight a contest as we can without giving up one of those periods.”
And as has been the case all season when talking about the Dragons, Fitzpatrick knows conversion in front of goal is going to be vital.
The Dragons - who have kicked more behinds than goals in 13 of their 21 games - average 0.3 more scoring shots per game than the Storm, but eight points per game less.
Their ordinary conversion has continued through all three of their finals, with their combined scores 38.43.
The Dragons earned their spot in the grand final after a five-point preliminary final win over Gisborne last week.
“We’ve given ourselves an opportunity to take on a very good side. We’ve got the belief that we can create something out of this opportunity,” Fitzpatrick said.
SIX KEY PLAYERS:
1. BLAIR HOLMES - the captain returns to the side and will have to be a tackling machine through the middle of the ground, even more so if Nick Stagg misses.
2. MITCH DOLE - the livewire small forward has been solid inside 50 without tearing a game apart yet this year. Maybe he’s saved his best until the big stage.
3. HARRY O’MEARA - the coach has indicated the youngster is going to get another crack at Stephen Milne. Big ask to contain Milne and to also run off him and create.
4. TIM MARTIN - the star ruckman has been declared fit to play. Equally as important as his influence around the ground will be the lift his inclusion gives his team-mates.
5. LACHLAN ROSS - not one of the big-name players in the side, but super important with his ability to offer a target across half-forward or switch to defence if required.
6. RYAN MALDENIS - the midfield battle will be crucial and there have been few better onballers in the BFL this year than him. Two or three goals would help the cause, too.
GRAND FINAL TEAM:
B: Andrew O’Connor Pat Jennings Harry O’Meara
Hb: Tom Hartney Lachlan Ross Codie Price
C: Alex Wharton Blair Holmes Jake McLean
Hf: Mitch Dole Ben Anderson Lee Coghlan
F: Brodie Montague Ryan Haythorpe Tom Cole
Foll: Matt Thornton Billy Evans Ryan Maldenis
Interchange: (from) Albert Weddell, Joel Wharton, James Coghlan, Lachlan Tardrew, Liam Ireland, Tim Martin, Nick Stagg.