Illawarra Mercury Premier League 2009 Grand Final Preview
In what promises to be a real spectacle with many quality players on show, the match will be decided between the two best teams in the competition this season.
A few weeks ago, Dandaloo captured their third League Championship in four seasons when they finished nine points clear of Bulli in second place.
To go with their league title, Dandaloo had already won the Bert Bampton Cup so they are now shooting for the treble in what will be Dandaloo?s first Grand Final appearance. Ironically, the last time treble was completed was in 1995 when Adrian ?Noddy? Alston was in charge at Port Kembla. Alston is now in control at Bulli who are in their third Grand Final in four years after previously finishing runners up to Dandaloo on the other two occasions that ?The Dandy? won the league. They also were runners in the two Grand Finals so they will be keen to make amends.
Dandaloo will go into the Grand Final as one of the shortest favourites in history on the back of their star studded line up which includes the likes of Noel Spencer, Alvin Ceccoli, New Zealand International Chris Jackson, David Reid, Paul Harries and Jason Kencevski to name a few.
However, Bulli will take great heart going into the big game as two weeks ago in the major semi Bulli pushed Dandaloo all the way before losing a seven goal thriller, 4-3 to a Kencevski 119th minute winner.
In that game Dandaloo were coasting at 3-0 with only twenty five minutes left of normal time when Bulli produced a rousing comeback to get back to 3-3 and had the opportunity to snatch a memorable victory in the last minute with a gilt edged opportunity going begging.
Bulli will be looking to Matthew Bailey (2008 NSW Premier League Grand Final Winner with Wollongong Wolves) and in his fourth straight Grand Final to drive them forward and the team will be full of confidence after scoring ten goals in the final series on the road to the big one.
Dandaloo on the hand could be short of a gallop after only playing the one game (against Bulli) in the final series leading up to this weekend. On top of that, their form leading into the final series was not great with two losses and a draw in their last three competition games after comfortably winning the league.
All in all this game has the potential to be a classic with both sides capable of scoring heaps of goals and should be full of entertainment for the big crowd that is anticipated.
Don?t miss any of the action on Grand Final Day with the full program as follows:
10-00am Division One ? Balgownie Rangers versus Bulli
12-15am Youth Grade ? Port Kembla versus Tarrawanna
3-00pm First Grade – Dandaloo versus Bulli
