FEEDING FRENZY: The TLU Sharks under 18s are keen to end their era together with a championship.
TULLIBIGEAL Lakes United under 18s coach John Hatley will tell his young side to win their grand final against Bidgee, not just for themselves, but also for a notable omission from the weekend's side.
Rising star Dylan Hatley was in the middle of a breakout year before an injury knocked him out of action for up to 18 months.
The talented playmaker hyper-extended his knee, tearing every tendon and ligament including snapping his anterior cruciate ligament in half.
And nerve damage from bleeding into the area could mean it will be up to six months before the full extent of the damage is realised.
"It's all his mates playing out there this weekend, and I said to the guys ahead of the weekend as an 18s side this will be the last chance they have to play together," John Hatley said.
"Some of them are going all over the state for work next year, so this is an opportunity for them to have a bond for the next 40 years, if they can go out there and win this weekend."
Bidgee Hurricanes coach Michael Thomas said he would prefer to face a side without Hatley, but in the same breath said the Sharks have shown they can win without him.
"We have to stick to our basics, complete our sets, cut down the mistakes and hang on to the ball, whoever can do that better this weekend will probably win," Thomas said.
"We came away with a pretty good win last weekend (against Leeton), I think it was a good game to have coming into a grand final because it was a tough battle all game.
"So hopefully that attitude that is going to flow on for this weekend."
TLU definitely come out on top in the grand final experience stakes and will look to use the pain of losing last year's decider against Leeton as fuel late in the game.
On the other hand, Thomas leads a young Hurricanes side that does not possess a single player who had played in a grand final.
"If we can get a couple of early tries it might test them, but in saying that we were only down by 10 a couple of weeks ago against them (TLU) at Wyalong and we got ahead by a try," Thomas said.
"But I think we lost our heads a bit, so I think we can defend a lead, but it would be nice to go out there and put a couple of tries on them, really quickly."