by Nicholas Duck
The future is bright for the Warragul Football Netball Club footy team, if this Saturday is anything to go by.
With the Gippsland League's four grand finals being played on the day, the Gulls will be featuring in both the under 18s and under 16s deciders. Both sides have enjoyed incredible years on the field, and will be looking to bring some silverware home for their club's trophy cabinet. Here's how both grand finals are shaping up.
Fourths: Maffra vs Warragul
The first game of the big day will see Warragul's under 16s side run out against Maffra with their attention firmly on a good dose of revenge.
The Gulls have made it to the grand final the hard way after losing to the Eagles in a one-point thriller in week one of the finals. After trailing by 35 points at three quarter time and looking down and out, Warragul fought their way back into the game in incredible fashion before falling just short of an incredibly comeback victory.
After that point the Gulls have accounted for Leongatha and the raging favourites for the flag in Traralgon to earn their chance to avenge that defeat. They'll be hoping for a four-quarter effort this time around, so as to avoid having to come back from such a precarious position once again.
One player to keep an eye on is captain Jasper Alger, who up until this point has had an outstanding finals series. Alger has booted 11 goals in the Gulls' three finals matches and has very much been their spark up forward. Maffra will be looking to curtail his influence but if he is able to get off the chain then watch out.
Warragul's three matches against Maffra have all been decided by 10 points or fewer, so fans may be in for a classic here as the Gulls' future is on display for all to see.
Thirds: Warragul vs Maffra
After a week off to rest and recuperate, it's all systems go for the Warragul under 18s team as they also face off against Maffra.
The Gulls last met the Eagles in the most recent game they played, two weeks ago in the second semi final. That day, Warragul, who have used players from their fourths side to bolster their team all year, were up against it after those players became unavailable and they were forced to play with just 17 men. Somehow, being so short of players and against the top side for the year, the Gulls managed to pull off one of the most incredible wins you will ever see, building a lead early before just barely managing to defend it by five points after tiring from the strain.
The game continued a winning trend for Warragul in their matches against Maffra this year. The Eagles finished on top of the ladder, having lost just three games for the year. One was in the final round against Traralgon when they were already assured of a first-place finish and had little to play for. The other two losses? Both against Warragul.
It will certainly give the Gulls a mental advantage coming into this one, as they look to win the club's first under 18s premiership in the Gippsland League since 1985. But they'll know that they can't get too comfortable, as winning on grand final day is a whole new challenge they must face.
The Gulls have made this finals series a heart-stopping one for their fans so far, having won their first final against Drouin with a last-second behind before their aforementioned thriller against Maffra.
Observers can certainly expect another close one here, but one way or another Warragul won't be backing down.