Coolaroo will take on the Dalby Swans in the Darling Downs under 14 competition Grand Final. Only time will tell if it’s history repeating for the Roos.
Last year, Coolaroo easily accounted for their Under 14 qualifying finals opponent, had the week off and ended up going down in the Grand Final.
Despite following a similar path to the 2012 Grand Final, Coach Weidman won’t be letting that happen again when they take on the Dalby Swans this weekend.
Coolaroo are a much improved unit compared to last year and have dominated the competition with all bar one hiccup, way back in Round 13 when they lost to Highfields.
Coolaroo’s Samuel Copland (follower) and Brendan Shelton (ruck) have been in devastating form in 2012.
Shelton is the Roo’s X-factor with his hard running and uncanny ability to kick long and unbelievable goals from anywhere will also play a pivotal role in Coolaroo’s tilt at the flag.
Dalby wasted inside 50 opportunities in the prelim last weekend, but will need to make every shot count against the formidable Roo’s.
A not-so-secret weapon in their arsenal will be league Best and & fairest 4th place winner Danielle Wall.
Wall plays her best football at centre half-back but the Swans coaching staff will look to play her in the ruck as she would be number one in the competition for hit outs and contested possessions.
Lining up for the Swans beside Wall will be be Riley Easton, Sean Melbin and Brigid Gaur.
All three are exciting to watch and can break open a game with their boot in the blink of an eye.
The Roo’s will need to contain all four to ensure they come home with the flag.
The two teams couldn’t have had more different finals journeys.
Dalby won their way through the hard way; finishing the season in third, the Roos had to account for Warwick in the elimination final, before a tough match-up with Highfields last weekend.
Coolaroo on the other hand haven’t lost a game since Round 13 and have only played 2 games in the last five weeks.
And with the under 14s the only Coolaroo team appearing on Grand Final day, the Roos and their faithful fans will be fired up.
Dalby will head into the game as underdogs but as everybody knows, anything can happen in finals footy.
The under 14s take the field from 11am on Saturday at Rockville Oval in Toowoomba.
Previous Results
Round 12, 2011 – Coolaroo 8.7 (55) def. Dalby 5.4 (34)
Qualifying Final, 2011 – Coolaroo 10.17 (77) def. Dalby 2.4 (16)
Grand-Final, 2011 – Dalby 5.5 (35) def. Coolaroo 3.6 (24)
Round 7, 2012 – Coolaroo 8.7 (55) def. Dalby 5.6 (36)
Round 14, 2012 – Coolaroo 12.16 (88) def. Dalby 1.0 (6)
