by Rob Popplestone
Mid Gippsland football finals have arrived, with two huge elimination finals this weekend to get the campaign underway.
Saturday elimination final: Foster v MDU
Toora Recreation Reserve at 2.20pm
A week is a long time in football. But, that is all these two sides have had after meeting in the last round of the home and away season.
In that encounter, it was third placed Foster that proved superior, winning by eight points. They overcame the Demons' fast start and validated their quality and confidence under pressure.
Make no mistake, sixth placed MDU are more than capable of turning the tables. But, they are also under no illusions as to the enormity of the challenge that awaits them on the neutral venue of Toora.
"Last week was a really tight game all day with plenty of momentum swings," MDU coach Nathan Allen said. "Foster were able to convert when going forward better than us."
"We are all really looking forward to finals footy," Allen added. "Will be a tight battle across the ground and whoever can take their opportunities up forward will move on."
In finals that is often key. Opportunities taken can prove the difference and mistakes made can sometimes not be corrected.
Foster had the better of the Demons in round five by 17 points, last week's margin was just eight but but what matters now is this weekend.
"We now saddle up and play Meeniyan again this week," Foster coach Sam Davies said. "We'll watch a lot of footage after the weekend's game."
"I thought they were on top for a lot of the day, but we found a way and played a great 20 minutes to create a big enough lead and held on," Davies added.
Players know 20 minutes can turn a game, one "bounce" can turn a game and, despite the Tigers' 2-0 record over MDU, very little separates these two sides.
In a season where very little separates all sides between first and sixth, a premiership awaits the side that can pull it all together at just the right time.
Sunday elimination final: Morwell East v Newborough
Hill End (Willow Grove Recreation Reserve) at 2.20pm
There are two distinct form lines from these two teams as we approach this do or die elimination final.
Fourth placed Morwell East bring three successive losses in a row, a block of games that has seen the Hawks drop from first to fourth. On the other hand, fifth placed Newborough enter with winning form, one of which was a one-point victory over this week's opponent just a fortnight ago.
On form, Newborough starts favourites. However, coach Craig Skinner is far too experienced to expect what has happened in previous weeks to have any impact on what might happen this weekend. As much as winning form is good form, having access to your best 18 is also invaluable.
"No injuries was a highlight from last week, and we will now reset for another battle with Morwell East," Skinner said.
The trip to Hill End for an elimination final provides some pressure that clubs have not experienced for a very long time, and some players may not ever have experienced.
For the Hawks, it was identified that some were just hanging on after a long, demanding and very competitive season. As a result, the coaching staff decided to rest a few last week in their surprising loss to Thorpdale.
Morwell East coach Paul Henry said he felt his boys were in "preservation mode ahead of our finals campaign" in the final round.
"We take on Newborough again after only playing them a couple of weeks ago," Henry said. "Finals footy, what else would you rather be doing?"
The opportunity to create lifelong memories between players starts now. There is nowhere else a player, or coach for that matter, should want to be.
The pressure is heightened come finals and that in itself is a privilege.
Other finals:
In the reserves, Yinnar play Fish Creek on Saturday and Morwell East play Stony Creek on Sunday. Both games start at 12.30pm.
With a top five in the under 18 competition, Yinnar play Newborough on Saturday in a qualifying final. Fish Creek/Tarwin will take on Mirboo North in Sunday's elimination final. Both games start at 10.45am.