The two top ranked teams of the League competition will do battle for the Dale Alcock Homes South West, SWFL Premiership, with defending Champions South Bunbury taking on 2023 Champions Busselton tomorrow evening at Hands Memorial Oval.
This will be South Bunbury’s 30th Grand Final, with the Tigers looking for Premiership number 17. Busselton meanwhile are into their 15th decider and looking for their eighth flag.
The two teams have met just once before in a Grand Final, way back in 1966, where South Bunbury 14.10.94 def Busselton 12.10.82.
Today will be Busselton’s fourth Grand Final in six years, while for South Bunbury it will be their third in four seasons, so both teams will have players who know the feeling of winning a Premiership and also will know the agony that goes with losing, with both being on both sides of the result in the last six seasons.
This season, the two sides have met on three occasions, with the Tigers winning the most recent match at Sir Stewart Bovell Park in wet and windy conditions by three points, in which both teams led in the final minutes. The Tigers won the round seventeen match by 18 points, while in round six it would be Busselton successful by 22 points.
Busselton have the most potent forward line in the competition with Liam Creighton and Ryan Ekert finishing as the top two goal kickers in the competition, finishing with 117 goals between them. Blaine Johnson of South Bunbury kicked 48 goals in the home and away season, to be the competitions third highest goal kicker, which could lead to a shoot out at either end with fine weather expected.
While the focus can be on the forwards, both teams have great back-lines with Tony Notte adding an additional layer to Busselton, while Tom Gorter has been rock solid for several seasons now, so the forwards won’t have it all their own way.
The midfields boast plenty of talent, plenty of run, and plenty of tackling power, making this a much anticipated Grand Final. There is just one variable South Bunbury have not been exposed to this season and that is night football. Busselton have played five games under lights, while the Tigers will play their first match under lights in a Grand Final – will that be a telling factor? We are about to find out!
Earlier, the Tronox Women’s Grand Final will be played between perennial finalist Bunbury and debutants Donnybrook. The match will feature both Nola Marino Medallists in Kloe Bassett and Ella Smith going head to head.
The Reserves match will feature HBL playing Carey Park, with the Panthers the only side to defeat the Lions this season.
The Colts match will start an epic day at 8.30am, with HBL playing Bunbury, with both sides playing in last years decider.
