Jack Toft
Years ago
ABL 2011 Grand Finals
Women
Norwood-Forestville
Norwood enter this grand final as hot favourites, but they should remember that General Custer's team was the favorite until the opposition turned up. Forestville just keep on winning and have sliced and diced the other three finals teams like a Bamix to get to the last game of the season, the 96th game of the season. The Eagles are going for a three-peat and no player will be more nervous than Kelsey who will be trying just that little bit harder to be the fly in Forestville's chardonnay.
The Herrick-Borrego battle will be one of the highlights tonight. Norwood have been a cut above the rest all season, and their perfect season was marred on 16th July by a pesky Eagles outfit, particularly Bello who iced 5 x 3 point daggers. Tonight, Norwood face the only team that has beaten them this season - can the cunning coaching of Simon be enough to hold off the lucky Eagles? If any team can upset the Flamettes, the Eagles can. I expect that the brains trust of both teams would have spent the week pouring over video tapes and I tend to think Norwood will be fresh enough to wrap this up and while a Halls is a good individual achievement (well done to Jess, Duchess of Norwood), nothing beats the joy of winning a GF, as those pesky Eagles know. My head says Simon will be smiling like a Cheshire Cat, but something tells me Forestville have been taking lessons from Steven Bradbury.
Men
Norwood-Forestville
Both teams are worthy of their GF spot so fans should be in for a treat tonight. I think the women's game will impact this game more than people think. A win in the girls will spur their boys not to be outdone, yet it should spur the other team to at least get one win for the night. The Dome should be louder than a Bieber concert.
The Flames get better each time these teams meet. The last time these teams met Motts was rested on the bench and the exciting Deng was given court time, last week it was the other way. Could this be code as to how they intend to cut the Norwood forward line down to size? Is Motts Andy Simons’ weapon of mass destruction? Varifran bor du Hans Blix? Would love to see Motts don his face shield as a sign to the Norwood talls he means business. Cooper is the key for the Flames and The Rash for the Eagles. Both are rebounding machines picking off rebounds like a Lenswood orchadist picks apples (before NZ Blight hits!) This gives opportunities for threes to rain down like Brisbane hailstones. Reckon they’ll be jacked up like a ’68 Monaro.
Sullivan and Webber is a Battle Royale with both looking for bragging rights over who can swish the most 3’s.
Davidson’s coaching prowess should be confirmed tonight. Even though he is smarter than McGyver with a paper clip, the art of coaching is to avoid getting into the position where you need a paper clip, foam cup and shoelace to get out of trouble. The Addams family understudies to bag another grand final. Someone gatorade Davo when that happens.
