The undefeated Waldren Construction Brahmans will take on the Harden Hawks at Binalong in the George Tooke Shield Grand Final this Saturday. The Hawks are rumoured to be full of confidence that they can end Binalong's domination of this local rugby League competition but with Harden unable to beat the Brahmans in two years, they are going to have to be at their best.
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What Binalong boasts
Andrew Swaffield is a very talented sportsman, who is also captain of the Bowning Buffalos cricket side. Swaffield was a Boorowa Rovers player and then joined the Yass Magpies and played 15 games for eight tries in a very talented first grade team in 2012. Unfortunately "Swaffy" has been forced to rotate with Matt Cooke and Craig Irwin in the fullback position.
Dave Brown at left wing and Daniel Poidevin on the right, are both ex-AFL players who have been able to sniff-out tries regularly in 2014. Poidevin has scored eight tries and kicked four goals in the George Tooke Shield this season.
Centres Craig Irwin (seven tries and eight goals in 2014) and Phil Sparnon are both 'intercept-merchants' and very dangerous. Irwin will probably play at fullback so this brings Guy Sherratt into the centres. A loose or ill-directed pass in front of these players will likely result in a try. Sparnon is particularly athletic and has scored 10 tries this season and can turn a lost ball into a try in an instant.
Captain/coach Chris Rawlinson has a serious hand injury which will probably see him on the sidelines. At five-eighth and director of play, Rawlinson is a cunning and brilliant reader of an opposition's play. If his charges listen to his calls in the Grand Final, he will effectively make a 14th player for the Brahmans. In this writer's opinion, there is just no substitute for a non-playing coach; Rawlinson will see the overall state of the game from front to back.
At halfback, a very gifted player in Matt Cooke will need to be watched closely by Harden. Cooke has a very handy kicking game and a step off either right or left foot. His replacement in Matt Lawrence has an equally adept kicking game and directs play alternatively with Cooke.
The Brahman's forwards are spearheaded by their right prop Tony Worthy; a tradesman performance by Worthy each week mostly goes unheralded. What most people don't see from this former halfback is a really solid pathway for the next hit-up. He hurts opposition players in attack and defence. On the other side of the front row is Reuben Olah. Probably the find of 2014 for Binalong, this left prop has really blossomed during the season. A tall and hard running forward with a little off-load game has impressed from season opening.
Binalong's dummy half Brad Wylie, who played eight first grade games for the Magpies in 2012, is pivotal to getting the sets completed. Wylie can dart from the ruck in an instant to disrupt an opposition defence. Close to the try-line, Brad is very dangerous indeed. The back row leads us to Binalong's two 'hard-men' in Ben Spencer and James Blair. Neither of these players seems to fear injury, although Blair will probably come from the bench, the regular left second rower in Shaun Davis will provide a trio of potent ball carriers. Defence from all these players is close to impenetrable.
In the lock position, Scott Naughton will be pivotal to the Brahmans game. An ex-Magpie, Naughton played 17 first grade games in 2012 at halfback for 10 tries. Naughton is also a masterful reader of the game and is blessed with a side-step capable of beating the best defence. The chief play-maker for Binalong, Scott is heavily marked by oppositions but can be contained for only so long.
To the Binalong bench and Ben Potts is a former Hawks player and Tom Johnson from Boorowa Rugby both bring the ball up hard each week. Adam, Alex and Jai Waters are all brothers who add real starch to the Brahmans attack. Tim Barrie, Jono Butt, Mick Spencer and Andrew Stadmiller have replaced injuries with enormous zeal for most of the season.
What can we expect this Saturday?
In the west, the Hawks are very confident that they can win the trophy. They seem to feel that if Rawlinson doesn't play then they will prevail. This could be their first mistake. Harden took great glee from defeating the Magpies last Saturday, but for some reason the Yass side seemed intimidated by their hosts and were decidedly 'flat' on the day, the Magpies made mistakes they shouldn't have, they were better than that.
If Harden come to Binalong with the same state of mind next Saturday that they did last weekend, they might be in for a rude surprise! The elementary mistakes of the Magpies won't be repeated at Binalong Rec. Ground.
If Chris Rawlinson doesn't take the field, nothing will matter for Harden. The Hawks do hold the record of 18 points against Binalong, but Cooke, Naughton, Wylie, Blair, Spencer, Davis and Sparnon are all waiting.
The Brahmans will need to be wary of Ben Drew; he really creates a lot of penetration. Hawks captain Luke Brown and hooker Jon Hill will cause difficulties for the premiers.
Bos indicus.