IN JUST its 10th season in the competition, Strathfieldsaye is heading into its fifth BFNL grand final on Saturday when it meets Eaglehawk at the QEO.
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Having joined the league as a start-up senior club in 2009 the Storm has played in grand finals in 2013 (loss to Golden Square), 2014 and 2015 (both wins over Sandhurst), 2017 (win over Eaglehawk) and now this year as the club chases its fourth senior premiership.
This year, though, it’s a new coach who has guided the Storm to the grand final in Troy Coates, who took over after Darryl Wilson’s successful seven-year stint.
Coates is no stranger to coaching on grand final day – he’s a four-time premiership coach with Central Murray league club Kerang.
And he’s no stranger to Eaglehawk either, having previously played at the club, including in the Hawks’ 2011 grand final team.
The Storm ended the home and away season on top of the ladder – at one stage winning 11 games in a row – but had to take the long route into the grand final after losing the second semi-final to Eaglehawk by 40 points a fortnight ago.
But they responded in style last week with an impressive 29-point preliminary final victory over Sandhurst to set up a crack at back-to-back flags.
Despite star goalkicker Lachlan Sharp having spent almost half the season out injured, with a round 18 broken leg to keep him out of the grand final, the Storm have been the highest scoring team this year averaging 118 points per game.
Bryce Curnow has had a significant impact inside 50 in his return to Tannery Lane, kicking 56 goals in 14 games following a delayed start, while the strong-marking Hugh Robertson (24 goals) has also been a welcome addition.
Captain Kallen Geary, along his brother Shannon Geary, have been outstanding in setting the Storm up from half-back, with Shannon one of four players in the grand final side, along with Jayden Donaldson, Kellan Smith and Lachlan Bonney, who have played in all three of the club’s previous premierships.
Ball magnet Josh Formosa, Trent Donnan and Jake Moorhead have all been strong performers through the midfield for the Storm and have teamed well with Harry Crone, who has relished the responsibility of being the No.1 ruckman.
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