WEE Waa Panthers are back at full strength for Sunday's Group 4 first grade grand final against a Moree Boars sticking with a winning formula at Cook Oval, Wee Waa.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While injured Panther stars Lee Stanford and Sean Kelly return to the Panther pack for the clash, Moree coach Paul Raveneau will almost certainly start at prop in the season finale.
While naming John Craigie at prop, Raveneau has been starting in his place with Craigie coming off the bench to give the side plenty of power in attack and defence at the first interchange.
"We've been doing that the last six or seven weeks and I think we'll go with it again," Raveneau said this week.
"Our forwards have been going well the last two weeks too."
The Boars have also been frugal in their first-half interchanges, containing them to just two exchanges in the first 40 minutes allowing another 10 in the second half.
Wee Waa captain-coach Matt Hogan said yesterday Stanford and Kelly had been cleared to play the biggest games of their Wee Waa careers.
"Lee went to the doctor and is right to play.
"He and Toot (Kelly) trained strongly last night.
"We had a run in the local hall because of the rain and did some short sharp stuff and some physical as well as run through a few moves."
Sunday's grand final is a major occasion, he said.
"It's just going to be a huge day for the club and the town.
"We want to win this not only for the boys but the town. We haven't won since 1992.
"Every shop in town is decorated, everyone is talking about it.
"It might be a little town but everyone's going. It's only the sick who won't be there."
Wee Waa's last first grade grand final success was in 1992 when it won the juniors and first grade.
Matt Hogan and Lee Stanford were members of that junior team.
"I remember it like it was today," Hogan said.
"We were playing under 19s then so we were all allowed to drink in the Bowling Club. We partied for a week."
GROUP 4 GRAND FINAL
Cook Oval, Wee Waa - Sunday
WEE WAA: 1 Ben Russell, 2 Matt Freeman, 3 Tom Wilson, 4 Graham Smallwood, 5 Michael Knox, 6 Jamie Lyon, 7 Dave Toomey, 8 Lee Stanford, 9 Peter Wenner, 10 Ben Wilson, 11 Ken Anderson, 12 Wade Mallinson, 13 Matt Hogan (c/c), 14 Sean Kelly, 15 Lyndsey Pawley, 16 Kevin Baker, 17 Luke Dewson, 18 Isaac Jacky.
MOREE: 1 Warren Sampson, 2 Ed Saunders, 3 Luke Raveneau, 4 Marshall Barker, 5 Dallas Brown, 6 Alex Barker, 7 Kerry Haines, 8 John Craigie, 9 Scott Fulton, 10 Daniel Hobday, 11 Col Marchant, 12 Trevor Tighe (capt), 13 Jeremy Ritchie, 14 Matt Hill, 15 Paul Raveneau (coach), 16 Nathaniel Phillis, 17 Michael Squires.
