Too big and too unpredictable – they are the reasons why Yanco-Wamoon coach Simon Watson believes Griffith Waratah Tigers will win back-to-back Group 20 premierships.
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The Tigers finished the regular season in second on Sunday after recording a comfortable 54-18 victory over the bottom-placed Leeton Greens.
Waratahs have now won five games in a row and are looking ominous ahead of their qualifying final against Darlington Point-Coleambally at Exies Oval on Sunday.
Yanco-Wamoon missed the top five by one point, but Watson said the teams taking part in the finals had to watch out for the Tigers.
“I’ve been saying for the last couple of weeks that I think it’s going to be Waratahs,” Watson said.
“They’re so big and mobile and they’re hard to defend against because they have no real structure.
“That’s not trying to be disrespectful to them. That’s just the way they play.
“Kose (Tigers player coach-Kose Lelei) is a pretty good leader and he’s obviously got help off the bench, but they’re just so big and powerful.”
But Watson also isn’t dismissing the chances of other sides, especially minor premiers West Wyalong.
The Mallee Men lost last year’s grand final to the Tigers, and Watson wouldn’t be surprised if the same two teams fought out the 2015 decider.
“If West Wyalong get Waratahs on a bad day, West Wyalong will win,” Watson said. “Wyalong are a very consistent side. There’s not much between their good games and bad games
“On their good days, Waratahs can kill most teams, but they can also get beaten on their bad ones.”
Group 20 finals draw for week one
Elimination semi-finals at Wade Park on Saturday.
10am: Under 16s - Griffith Black and Whites v DPC.
11.15am: Under 18s - Hay Magpies v Waratahs.
12.40pm: League Tag - Griffith Black and Whites v West Wyalong.
1.30pm: Reserves - Waratah Tigers v TLU.
2.50pm: Firsts - Yenda v Griffith Black and Whites.
Qualifying finals at Exies Oval on Sunday.
10am: Under 16s – Leeton v TLU.
11.15am: Under 18s - DPC v Yanco-Wamoon.
12.40pm: League tag - Hay v Yenda.
1.30pm: Reserves – West Wyalong v DPC.
2.50pm: Firsts – Waratahs v DPC.
