WITH the memory of last year’s grand final loss still burning, Leeton-Whitton have all the firepower they need to come out champions this weekend.
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The Crows are heading into Saturday’s grand final with huge support from the town and wider area.
Leeton-Whitton have never won a premiership in their current entity, but coach Jade Hodge and his charges are hoping to bring it home on Saturday.
The Crows will be taking on Collingullie-Glenfield Park in what should be a blockbuster match in rising temperatures.
The mercury is set to climb above 30 degrees, but Hodge wasn’t concerned. “I don’t think it’s going to be a real factor on the day,” he said.
“We’ve been making sure we’ve been getting the run in our legs the last two weeks while we haven’t been playing. It’s going to be about getting away to a good start and, probably, who settles first.
“The first 10 minutes of a grand final at any level is always pretty crash and bash, so we’ll want to get rid of the nerves and just get into playing the game.”
The two teams have had some interesting battles so far this season. In their first encounter, the Demons had a 99-48 win before the Crows came out in round two and recorded a 57-38 victory.
Come finals, the Crows easily took care of their first opponents in MCUE before recording an 88-61 semi-final win over the Demons to land them straight in the grand final.
Hodge said their past form against the Demons would count for nothing if they couldn’t get across the line on Saturday.
“I think we’ve been playing some our best footy in the last couple of games, so we need to make sure we’re replicating that form,” he said.
“It’s going to come down to pressure as well. If we can be hitting our tackling quota for each quarter, that’s going to hold us in good stead.
“We’ve got good firepower … we just need to nullify them.
“Make sure we aren’t making silly mistakes and capitalise when they do.”
It’s been a big build up to the grand final for the Crows, who have had two weeks to ponder how the game will play out.
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