By DAVID NAGEL
CASEY Cardinia football’s main title contenders, Cranbourne and Narre Warren, are set to touch gloves and go toe-to-toe in Sunday’s second semi-final at Berwick’s Edwin Flack Reserve.
This promoter’s dream could in fact be titled ‘Who’s coming back to Edwin Flack’ as the purse on offer is a place in the 2012 grand final on this very canvas in two weeks time.
Behind the scenes both coaches, Cranbourne’s Doug Koop and Narre Warren’s Chris Toner, have been throwing jabs and even the occasional low blow.
This is no trash talk – they’re fighting for the same belt and second prize just ain’t going to cut it for either man.
Cranbourne, the title holder, has led with its chin in both preliminary bouts this year. In round two it was stuck on the ropes, 47-points down midway through the third quarter, before it produced a perfectly-executed counterpunch to win a split-points decision.
It then couldn’t recover from a first-quarter body blow by the Magpies, 6.6 to 0.0, in a 52-point round 11 defeat.
The Magpies turned football into a sweet science that day and pound-for-pound looked the better team, although they did have the assistance of a massive wind in the first term that basically stopped at quarter time – it was freaky how it happened.
Let’s go ringside and see how the Tale of the Tape stacks up.
Both sides have century goal kickers, with the Eagles’ Marc Holt and the Magpies’ Kerem Baskaya leaving defenders punch-drunk all season.
Holt looked proppy on a dodgy calf in last week’s qualifying final win over Tooradin, while Baskaya will be ready to go the distance after a two-week freshen up.
Andrew Hunter will more than likely clinch with Holt while Stuart Morrish will look to put a few straight rights through the Sherrin against Baskaya.
Two All-Australian half forwards, who can float like a butterfly or sting like a bee, will be looking for huge games.
Cranbourne’s Justin Berry and Narre’s Nick Scanlon can go to the air or dance on a dime, stick and move, and extricate themselves from trouble.
Mobility, extreme football smarts and a clinical finish make them both equally as dangerous. These two alone are worth the price of admission.
Narre has a band of hard-running southpaws in Adam Giobbi, Jackson Parker, Andy Soumilas and Josh Tonna who can tear a game to shreds.
Throw in the competition’s most powerful force in Michael Collins and you can see the challenge that confronts the Eagles.
The wildcard for the reigning champs is live-wire forward Michael Theodoridis. He is the barometer for the Eagles, with his aerial exploits and ability to exert pressure and lock the ball inside 50 critical to their success.
It’s hard to believe the 21-year-old has played fewer than 30 games of senior football.
Andrew White kicked six in the reserves last week so he could return to gain a reach advantage up forward.
TIP
HOW do you tip confidently against these two great sides? Cranbourne has lost one game in two seasons of footy while the Magpies were just one-point away from the perfect season.
The Eagles’ propensity for slow starts is a crucial factor – if they don’t come out ready to play their absolute best football they’ll be on the receiving end of a standing-eight count that will quickly turn into a knock-out blow.
Cranbourne was super impressive last week but lingering doubts on the fitness of Marc Holt and the Magpies’ fresh legs tilt the scales in their favour.
The Magpies will march through the biggest bout of all by roughly three goals.
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