The big men from Garfield and Neerim Neerim South will be flying at Longwarry on Sunday, just as they were last week when the sides clashed in the last home-and-away fixture of the year. 68841 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Ken Moore
EDFL 2011 minor premier Garfield meets Neerim Neerim South in the second semi-final at Longwarry on Saturday.
Garfield was undefeated and carried all before them until losses to Bunyip and Poowong in rounds 17 and 18 put a big question mark over its premiership aspirations.
But in hindsight, the loss may have been a blessing in disguise, for the Stars bounced back to defeat Neerim Neerim South by 19 points in the final home-and-away game.
It may have been the wake-up call the Stars needed after far too many easy leads in games. The match was an engrossing struggle and filled with terrific intensity but because of the close margin offered little in the way of answers.
Both teams are expected to enter Saturday’s game with several changes, which only adds more difficulty to picking the outcome.
Garfield will miss Phil Burns (knee) and Shaun Pickering (ankle), both season-ending injuries, while playmaker Ned Marsh (knee) will miss again. But experienced pair Mal McKenna and Nick Marsh, who did not play in the last round, may return.
Since the round 19 clash, Neerim have about six players pressing for senior selection, the most notable probably being forwards Jack Halligan and Chris Redl.
Over the course of the season, Garfield has shown to have more versatility, with the Reid brothers, Jim Bow, Tom Marsh, Ryan Munro and Luke Bee-Hugo all capable of playing a variety of positions.
Their presence tilts the scales in favour of the Stars. Furthermore, the experience of playing three finals games last year as opposed to the Cats’ one, should hold Garfield in good stead to progress to the grand final.
