Experienced Kolora-Noorat defender Ryan O'Connor says the shift in momentum for his side has been obvious in the second half of the season.
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The former Terang Mortlake backman has enjoyed a strong debut season for the Warrnambool and District league club and will now line-up for his maiden finals appearance for the Power against Panmure on Saturday.
O'Connor said finishing third was a reward for effort for the group.
"It's exciting, especially being lucky enough to drop into that third spot in the last round which we know we were half a chance," he said.
"We were banking on South Rovers to beat Merrivale which they were good enough to do.
"The way we've been playing the last few weeks, we've been really good with our structures and playing as a team, moving the ball well from the backline to the forward line.
"Everyone is super pumped, it should be good."
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The Power was a slow starter this season, juggling injuries, unavailability and COVID but have flicked the switch at the right time.
"It didn't help throughout the year that we had unavailability and COVID, injuries, so the closer we got to the end of the season the more we could get a full squad together," he said.
"The close we got with that the better we started playing - it felt like a build-up and 100 per cent we feel we're building."
On his form this season, which has seen him play 13 matches, including eight times in the best, he says he is simply playing his role as a defender.
"It's sort of familiar territory for me, the majority of my life has been as a tall in the backline - I've had to pinch up forward but I play down back and it's been good," he said.
"The lads down there have been there for a while so they're settled - I've come down and just filled in a role and provided a bigger tall."
He said he was loving his first season at the club.
"I've settled in no worries at all, the fellas make you feel really welcome, got around me really quickly," he said.
"It makes you feel right at home and that's the supporters too, all different people with different roles.
"Being from Noorat originally, I knew a lot of people there anyways so it was an easy fit - it's been a fantastic move."
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