THE return of captain Adrian Bos has boosted Hawkesdale-Macarthur’s hopes of a Mininera and District league qualifying final victory in today’s showdown against Tatyoon at Caramut.
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The Eagles skipper was unavailable for their final round win last Saturday but coach Danny Chatfield said he would be a welcome return to the on-ball division.
But the Eagles are coming to terms with the loss of wingman Simon Sharrock who suffered a finger injury in the final 10 minutes last week.
Chatfield said Sharrock was in Geelong yesterday having surgery. The Eagles can ill-afford injuries after match-winning midfielder Dylan Herbertson’s season came to a premature end last month.
The Eagles finished the home-and-away season third on the ladder, percentage behind Tatyoon, but in their only meeting this season in round eight, Hawkesdale-Macarthur claimed a 40-point win. Chatfield is not reading too much into that result.
“I’m not over-confident,” he said. “I think they had some boys out in that round.”
He said the Eagles wanted to start well today and produce a consistent four-quarter effort.
The Eagles were bundled out of last year’s finals by Tatyoon in the elimination final, but Chatfield said his side had matured since then and was keen to win today.
“If we can win we will play next Saturday and who knows, we haven’t beaten the top side, but it’s finals, anything can happen.
“If we could get a shot at a grand final and have a week off that would be ideal. But it’s one game at a time and a quarter at a time.”
In tomorrow’s elimination final, Penshurst faces Lismore-Derrinallum at Hawkesdale.
Neighbouring South West District league’s finals also start today with Heywood meeting Coleraine in a highly-anticipated qualifying final showdown and tomorrow Westerns clash with Tyrendarra in the elimination final.