BRING IT ON: Leeton’s reserves (back, from left) Matt Holt (manager), Sam McGrath, Kyle Tuckett, Graham Traynor, Kurt Boller, Dale Witham, Hayden Southgate, Tim Del Guzzo, David Stevens (c/c), Pat Fiumara, Ben Boller, Dwayne Simpson, Shane Leighton, James Hodge, Rodney Coelli, Warren Weir, Aiden Heeb, Tyler Boller, Tim Hodge, Garry Gill, Dean Pauling, Mathew Grundy, Kye Longford.
LEETON Greens reserve grade coach Dave Stevens believes his side's thumping at the hands of West Wyalong in the semi-finals was the best thing possible for them.
Speaking before his side's grand final this Sunday at EW Moore Oval, where they will have their rematch against the Mallee Men, Stevens said the 26-point thumping was the "wake-up call" they needed to have.
"I was hoping to go straight in (to the grand final), but I think it works in our favour because it gave us a bit of a wake-up call, that we weren't playing as well as what we could have," Stevens said.
"So we went away and worked on a few things and we managed to put it all together against Yenda last weekend."
The Greens shut the Blueheelers out of their preliminary final 24-12, with Stevens saying Yenda's size and style of play was a good warm-up for their rematch with West Wyalong.
"They were a very big forward pack and I think we controlled them quite well and Wyalong are going to be exactly the same because they're big and mobile," he said.
"So we have to replicate what we did last week and work over the ruck and get the game to our speed.
"We're not the biggest side in the forwards, so hopefully the little guys can get in there and do a bit of the work to take a bit of the pressure off the big boys, so they maybe speed it up and exploit some gaps."
West Wyalong coach Jason Wheatley said continuity has been the biggest asset for his side as they have surged into the decider.
"All year we haven't been able to put the same side on the paddock for more than a couple of weeks, the old saying goes if first grade have an injury, that's three for you.
"But by the finals we've got only one or two guys who aren't available, as the game against Leeton started to go on the guys started to gel better and better."
At one stage, 18 senior players were on the sidelines for the Mallee Men, but Wheatley said the club has been able to find hidden gems.
Dan Wallace from the 18s has starred, while Mitch Scealy, normally a backrower, has accustomed well to his move to the centres and Steve Donaldson has found a new home at fullback.
Leeton have no injury concerns, while West Wyalong centre Grant Lange is unlikely to play due to strained ligaments in his arm, with Wheatley saying Grant Worner will get the call-up if he fails a fitness test.
