As September approaches, local winter sports competitions have finished or are just about to.
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Southern Inland is done and dusted for the year, GDFA grand finals are on this weekend whilst Riverina League and Group 20 finals start on Saturday.
In this week’s At The Bar, Michael ‘Speedy’ Stratton – who’s played a final or two in his day – and The Area News sports journalist Ben Jaffrey discuss all things local sport.
Ben: Can you smell that?
Speedy: Did you let one go?
Ben: No. That’s the smell of finals footy.
Speedy: Ah, yes. I can smell that now and what a great time it is.
Ben: It is indeed. What about the Group 20, can you remember a closer competition?
Speedy: I can’t and I can’t remember a time when all three local sides missed out on the finals either.
Ben: I’ve been around a marginally less time than you but it’s a bit weird not having the Black and Whites, Yenda or Waratahs in there.
Speedy: Well, it usually swings. If one or two teams are going not too well, the other local sides step up to the mark.
Ben: I just think it shows how close the competition is. Black and Whites and Waratahs only missed out on for and against.
Speedy: It’s good for Group 20. It’s a shot in the arm they need and it’s what supporters want.
Ben: For sure. The majority of people around are loving it. At the end of the day – who wants to go watch a team lose by 50 points every week?
Speedy: Not even supporters of other sides want to see that happen.
Ben: It gets boring. Now, are you brave enough to give me a tip as who’s going to win it?
Speedy: They can all win it but I’m a punter and I’ll have a lash and say the Point will win it.
Ben: I’m not game enough to pick a winner. Now, as the local teams bow out of Group 20, the Swans will return to finals this week.
Speedy: It wasn’t a real good return on Saturday. I can’t believe that – just eight behinds in a first grade game of football.
Ben: It was a shock to see. They had a couple guys out and Pav said it was just one of those days.
Speedy: I’m not writing them off, I know Adrian Pavese very well and I’m sure he can rectify it.
Ben: They have Collingullie-Glenfield Park – who are in red hot form.
Speedy: When they’re hot, they’re hot. We’ve got the football grand finals on this weekend, don’t we?
Ben: We do. Who’s your tip?
Speedy: I have to go with Hanwood FC over Yoogali SC.
Ben: I agree. I think it’ll be close one. Maybe 3-2 again.
