Morning all ! Before you start reading, go to the toilet, make yourself a coffee and get a comfy seat because your going to be here for a while.
Grand Final eve is upon us, and can you feel/taste the excitement ! Firstly some quick stats to summarise the year.
- In the C1 competition this year clubs used enough strapping tape to circle the circumference of the earth 3 times, and enough Deep Heat to keep Adam Goodes warm for 3 games
- There were 44 yellow cards and 11 red card dished out.............to Bassendean players alone
- Gosnells players used enough tattoo ink this season to paint the roof of the Sistine Chapel twice, including such gems as 'C2 Premiers 2016'
- Willetton Blues went through 132kgs of Vaseline during 'team bonding sessions'. - A total 3 players from Kinsgley got haircuts since February pre-season started (if you need a hairdresser, get down to Kinsgley and support a local business as it has been slow)
- The total amount of fuel used by players, coaching staff and supporters to drive to games at Quinns and back this year would be enough to keep all machinery on Rio Tinto's Pilbara ore mines running for 18 months.
- Bull Creek Leeming's coach abused the umpires a total of 1567 times during the year, down from 2674 times last year which is great effort on his behalf
- Melville Rams supporters on the balcony 'smashed the sign' a total of 182 times during home games this year, resulting in it needed to be replaced 4 times
- Heathridge Park received 425mm of rain this calendar year, and 424mm of that is still sitting on the surface. The WA government are looking at using this oval as a catchment area to solve Perth's water woes during the summer months
- 216 cars were broken into in the Lynwood-Ferndale car park this year. Again, a new record surpassing last years mark of 186. This number is expected to triple in C2 next year
- 21 Carlisle players got 'C1 Premiers 2015' tattooed on the left arse cheek after round 9. This was removed through a combination of anal tearing from opposition across the next 11 games, and the sudden drop 'back to reality'
- Willetton have the most health conscious facilities in the WAAFL. Fans and players walked a total of 8,857 kilometres to the club rooms to take a piss from their bar facilities and benches this year, losing a combined weight of 2.6T !
Now before I start my game preview, I want to get something off my chest. Something which has been bugging me all season. There is an epidemic in the WAAFL. Its started as a small infection last year in some C1 league sides, but has spread like Ebola this year across almost the entire C1, C1R and Colts and dare I say it all WAAFL grades. That disease is singing the team song on the field after a regular home and away season win ! That honour is for grand final winners only you muppets ! It has gotten so bad, yours truly watched the Kingsley C1R side earlier this year sing the song once on the field then a second time back in the room for good measure ! Seriously what is wrong with these people, do they expect a medal ceremony and a trophy to be presented at the end of every game also?!?! I don't think anyone can handle 18 Mad Mondays a year ! What a bunch of grippers !! This should be high on the agenda at the next WAAFL AGM, and clubs docked points for being total flogs and singing on the ground. Enjoy the moment and companionship that comes with singing the team song after a hard earned win in the confines of your locker room, that moment is earnt by you ,your teammates and your coaching staff only . And please, keep the public singing for the grand final like 99% of other associations do! That's the time to allow supporters and members the moment to join in and celebrate the clubs success which they all played a part in achieving. CAN I GET AN AMEN !!
Now, onto the game. For these clubs who started pre-season in early Feb, 32 weeks, 64 training sessions and 21 games of blood, sweat, stitches, blisters, sprains, corks, knocks, bruises, victories and defeats has lead them to the final sprint of the marathon at Shark Park on Saturday. Quinns and Melville have booked their 4th date with each other for the season, clearly the best 2 sides in the comp and worthy of the centre stage. Their last 2 contests have been rippers, decided by less than 2 goals and each team getting a taste of the chocolates. The last match up was in the 2nd Semi. A much talked about game, which Melville thinks they should have won. And they should have, bad kicking is bad football, but they were on top in that game for 85 minutes and should have sealed it at 3 quarter time. If Quinns weren't worried about that I'll walk east. Still the loss presented the Rams another chance to get some game time into players against Kingsley, and they feasted to the tune of 95 points and came out injury free. Quinns spent another week wondering what the feel of contested football is like, and the GF will be there 2nd outing in a month. Quinns has the QUI engraved on the trophy after 9 rounds, but must have done the same as Collingwood at the half way point, because they have been vulnerable since. On the flipside, Melville hit the turn and went on an impressive 11 game winning streak before being beaten in the 2nd semi. These teams play different brands of football. Quinns like to press, get on the outside and get the ball into the hands of their good users to find targets up forward on the lead. They play quarterback well, feeding it back into space, switching wide and running the ball along the wings. Melville play a contested game, preferring 1 on 1 in the back line, and using pressure through the middle and forward line to cause turnovers and repeat entries to keep the scoreboard ticking over. They are the best tackling side in the comp, and have used a physical approach this year to overpower the opposition. The wide expanses of Shark Park will pay a role in this, however even though the oval looks big the game is normally played in a small part of the ground as the wind dictates where the games will be played. This will play into Melville's hands as it will make the game contested which they love. This will be a belter of a game, I can't wait. My tip, and in case you haven't noticed during the year I am a bit biased, but I truly think the Rams will win it by 11 points. This will earn them the right to sing the best song in WAAFL football on the oval after the final siren for the first time this year, as all clubs should do.
In the Reserves, Ocean Ridge by less than a kick,
In the juniors, Quinns to bring at least one flag back to south Geraldton.
Have a great weekend everyone. What a weekend for WA football ! Eagles and Dockers in home Qualifying Finals, WAAFL GF's galour and WAFL finals about as interesting as a lady bug walking across a rock. Stay safe anyone, drink plenty, be respectful and above all else, winners enjoy the piss !!
