South Tamworth and City United have felt their share of heartache’s jolting pang in recent times, but for different reasons. While South Tamworth had bettered every team bar one in each of the past five seasons, having lost five successive grand finals, City United had failed to make the finals – winning one game in the previous two seasons.
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They clash in the minor semi-final at Riverside 1 this weekend. The winner will advance, the loser will exit the competition.
Souths veterans Tom Groth and Troy Osborne are the only survivors of all five grand final defeats, which Groth believes has lessened the scarring. “But there’s a lot of guys in the team that have sort of been hurting for a couple of years, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
There’s also no doubt the losses had made Souths hungrier, the NSW Country keeper said. “And it’s probably put a little bit more pressure on us to get there and actually win it,” he added.
Groth said City would go into the match “with nothing to lose” and may play with “a bit of freedom”. “We’re probably expected to win, so we’ve got a little bit of pressure on us,” he said.
He added: “We were a much better side last week [against Norths], when we knew we had to turn up and perform. I think sometimes that brings the best out of our playing group.”
Souths secured third spot on the ladder with a defeat of Norths.
City skipper Brad Smith has stood up in the run to the finals, scoring half centuries in three of his past four innings as City stormed home to finish in fourth place. He is rightly proud over City winning the club championship this season “for the first time in a very long time” and to have all four grades in action this weekend.
A key to City’s first-grade success has been the return of paceman Jack McVey. After originally deciding to sit out the season, McVey answered Smith’s Christmas SOS and in five matches he has taken 13 wickets at an average of 17.6 and with best figures of 5-36 against Norths two rounds back.
Smith said McVey had added venom to a high-performing attack. “Tait [Jordan] and Joey [Mead] have bowled good lines all year – that's what they do,” he said. “But I was missing that guy who bowls with a bit of extra zip.”
He added: “Jack brings a huge amount of passion to the side. He was there when the times were tough and he knows how much this semi-final berth means for the club. He’ll give his all for the boys.”
Smith said he had a full-strength squad, with two players set to miss out.