SPIRIT chairman Greg Bickley understands his team has an enormous challenge when they face rivals Townsville in the WNBL final.
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But he is remaining confident the championship trophy will be in Bendigo’s hands on Sunday afternoon.
The club is attempting to create history when it plays for its third consecutive title against Townsville.
“They have the job ahead of them, but if anyone can do it the Spirit girls can,” Bickley said.
Bendigo and Townsville have played out some fierce battles over the past three seasons, but Sunday’s grand final is perhaps the most important.
Bickley said the Fire had created a whirlwind of attention over the past week and they would go into the match as favourites.
“Bendigo is going into the match with nothing to lose, they are the underdogs,” he said.
“They (Townsville) have high expectations about the game, but we have a lot of heart and they will dig deep.
“We will go up there and show them how to play.”
This season the record stands at two wins apiece between the rivals, however Bendigo has come out on top in the games that have mattered, winning the past two grand finals against Townsville.
Bickley said it would be a great feat if the team were able to win the final in-front of the Townsville faithful.
“Bendigo will be heading into the cauldron,” he said.
“It will be a parochial crowd, but the girls will have to stay focused.
"It's been good that the game isn't been played here, the pressure has been off and the girls have just gone about their training like normal."
Bickley said central Victoria should be proud of what the Spirit have been able to achieve over the past three seasons.
“I don’t think we appreciate what the Spirit has done for Bendigo,” he said.
“They have really put Bendigo on the map.”
I am excited, we will go up there and show them how to play.
- Greg Bickley
The grand final will be played at Townsville RSL Stadium on Sunday at 3pm with ABC 1 showing the game live.