EXCITED and eager rather than pessimistic and resigned to defeat.
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Leitchville-Gunbower is already one step ahead of its HDFNL rivals as it prepares to play reigning premier North Bendigo in Saturday’s HDFNL blockbuster at Atkins Street.
While North Bendigo’s aura of invincibility tends to have a negative effect on the rest of the competition, the Bombers will take a no fear attitude into the clash of the two unbeaten teams.
“North is a very mature side and they play their tight ground really well,’’ Bombers’ coach Matt Hawken said.
“We know there’ll be a lot more contested footy and we need to be clean with the footy and absorb that pressure.
“We’re looking forward to it because that contested style of footy is what holds up well in finals.”
The pain of two grand final defeats to North Bendigo in the past two years still lingers for the Bombers, but Hawken won’t use those results for motivation on Saturday.
“We’ve probably got six or eight players who have lost a preliminary final and two grand finals (to North Bendigo), but you probably reflect on those as an individual rather than a group,’’ Hawken said.
“We’ve probably had more changes to our team than what North has had and this group is forging its own way.
“This year is a new year and we’re trying to create our own destiny. The first goal is to get ourselves into the best possible position for September.”
The Bombers will field a much younger side than North Bendigo on Saturday.
“We’ve had a wretched run with injuries and we’ve regularly had six to 10 senior players missing,’’ Hawken said.
“What’s that meant is we’ve promoted several young players from last year’s under-17 premiership side.
“We’ve had to throw them in at the deep end and they’ve played their role really well. We’re very happy with what they’ve achieved.
“We’ll still be missing four five senior players (on Saturday), but in saying that we have a group now where no-one is assured of a game.
“We’ll get some experience back in because we expect Steve Pretty and Jack Lunghusen to play.
“They’re both mature players and that will help us on the North Bendigo ground. They’re both good in the contested ball area.”
Hawken said the Bombers’ ability to match or beat North Bendigo at the stoppages would be vital on Saturday.
“It’s a small ground and whoever controls the centre square will win the game,’’ Hawken said.
“If we can win that battle it will go a long way to us winning. North Bendigo’s forward line is very dangerous, and I’ve been very happy with the way our backline is going, but if we allow North to get more inside 50’s than us then the result is probably going to go against us.
“It’s going to be a battle of the midfields.”
