The medical ward at Highgate Recreation Reserve is almost empty, in an ominous sign for the rest of the TAC Cup competition.
The Calder Cannons nearly have their entire list to choose from ahead of their qualifying final with North Ballarat Rebels on Saturday.
“Of the 57 players on our list only four are unavailable,” said coach Andrew Jago. “That’s a real credit to our medical team.
“The list is very healthy so our preparation has been really good.”
The teams last met in round 17 in Horsham, and the Cannons came away with a hard-fought 19-point victory that helped them lock away the minor premiership.
At home in round five, the Cannons dished out a 52-point hammering to the Rebels.
But, Jago said, the Cannons cannot afford to be complacent, owing to the Rebels’ fiercely competitive nature.
“There will be several changes to each side [from round 17] but one thing we are very aware of is that their pressure is as good as any side in the TAC Cup.
“They put us under immense pressure early and the move the ball exceptionally well, so if we aren’t on our game, if we don’t rise to their pressure, they will hurt us very quickly.”
Jago said the Cannons staff have been drilling into their players that a step-up is required for finals football.
“The intensity goes up about 20 per cent,” he said. “Even last year when we didn’t have many players on the draft radar the intensity went up about 20 per cent.
“Regardless of where you’re sitting, you need to bring that intensity.”
The winner of the Cannons-Rebels game will move to the preliminary final in two weeks’ time, while the loser will play the winner of the Dragons-Bushrangers elimination final in a semi final next weekend.
The Dragons had two impressive wins over Eastern Ranges and Gippsland in the final two rounds of the season, while the Bushrangers recovered from a round 16 loss to Calder with two hard-fought wins to end the season.
On the other side of the draw the Western Jets will be hoping to bring some joy to the western suburbs with a win in an elimination final over the Dandenong Stingrays. The Jets have been in impressive form, and beat the Stingrays in round 17.
The other qualifying final will pit Oakleigh Chargers against Geelong Falcons. The Chargers held top spot up until the final round, when they dropped a game against the Rebels, while the Falcons are in better form than perhaps any side aside from Calder – and they also pipped the Chargers by a point in round 17.
