East Coast, Lilydale prepare for battle in NTFA division 2 grand final

Swans vice-captain Michael Musicka has starred since making the move from Launceston earlier this season, recording seven best-on-ground performances in just 13 games.

Lilydale coach Thane Bardenhagen has also been a revelation since returning to his junior club for the 2016 season, leading the Demons to consecutive grand finals.

After the Demons fell to Old Scotch in the decider last year, Bardenhagen said his troops were hungry to taste grand final success.  

“Losing last year, that still burns a bit,” Bardenhagen said. 

“We thought we were a good chance last year, Scotch were obviously the favourites but we were probably a year too early, a little bit immature and it was our first year as a group together.

“We’re feeling a lot more prepared this year.”

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Two of the competition’s most free-scoring and fast-moving sides, Lilydale and East Coast are both in hot form ahead of the Windsor Park clash.

Lilydale have lost only once in their past 10 games and had last week off after defeating Evandale in the second semi-final.

The Swans have won their past seven games - including two wins over top-five sides Old Scotch and St Pats - and have been restricted to less than 100 points only twice in the past 13 rounds.

Musicka, who has been an important cog in the Swans’ scoring mechanism, said he was expecting an exciting contest on Saturday. 

“I think both teams have done a really good job to get to where they are,” he said. 

“It’s going to be really exciting and I suppose it comes down to the day as well and how everything pans out.”

Both Musicka and Bardenhagen said maintaining routine was key to their preparation.

“Yes it’s a big game, but it’s also another game of football,” Musicka said.

“I think a lot of boys try and over-think it and it gets in their head a bit early, so you try and keep the same routine and do what you normally do.”

The game starts at 2.15pm.

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The desire to go one step further than last year has driven Lilydale’s 2017 season. 

The Demons lost only four matches on their way to accumulating a league-high percentage of 233.75, finishing the home and away roster in third place before ousting Perth and Evandale to reach Saturday’s grand final. 

But it hasn’t all been easy going for the Demons.

Between last year’s grand final and the 2012 flag the Demons spent several years at the lower end of the table, finishing eighth, ninth and 10th after losing more than a dozen players to other clubs.

Then in 2016 the club attained the services of Wil Lockhart, Reuben Rothwell, Trent Griggs and coach Thane Bardenhagen and strengthened with the inclusion of Jack and Louis Venn at the start of this year. 

Bardenhagen said it was exciting to see the club experiencing success once more. 

“The main reason I wanted to go back was that the club was struggling a bit, we had a few down years,” he said.

“A lot of the boys who previously played at the club (came) back as well and a lot of young fellas we picked up from State League have come back to their home town as well so there’s not many outsiders in the club, but there are (some) and they fit in very well.

“I think it’s our third grand final in seven years of being in the competition so it’s a great achievement and there’s a good home town feeling about it.”

Lilydale should go in the fresher of the two sides on Saturday after winning the right to a week off by defeating Evandale in the second semi-final.

Bardenhagen said last year had taught his charges plenty about preparing for grand finals.

“Last year there were a lot of unknowns, you don’t know how the day’s going to pan out or how the week’s going to pan out.

“But this year I’ve felt a lot more prepared and I know what’s going on and the boys know what’s going on (throughout) the day so it’s a calmer feeling.”

Ned Hyland wasn’t sure how his team would stack up in its first season in the NTFA’s second division.

But a dramatic run to the grand final has proven that his East Coast side is as good as any in the competition, and very much a chance of taking out the club’s first silverware for 17 years.

“We’re on a real high at the moment, we’re playing the best footy we’ve played all year,” Hyland said.

“There’s talk about teams being in form - we’re as good as we can be, we’ve come off some good strong wins against quality opposition so this whole week has gone pretty quick.”

Upon their arrival from the NEFU the Swans welcomed a host of new players, including its 2017 best and fairest winner Jack Rushton and the competition’s two leading goal-kickers Nick Child and Jake Sushames.

Many of the club’s recruits grew up on East Coast, and Hyland estimated 90 per cent of his players were locals. 

“Being realistic about it, our team from last year wouldn’t have stood a chance in NTFA division 2 so we knew we had a fair bit of recruiting to do. 

“As soon as we got in a lot of guys who lived locally who were already playing football in NTFA division 1 were pretty excited about us getting in and came straight back.”

Hyland said premiership success would be “unbelievable” for the club and the East Coast region.

“A lot of us have been here for quite a while and put in a lot of hard years at the football club, and there’s a lot of guys there that deserve success for their loyalty and their service to the club. 

“We’re very excited and the whole East Coast is behind us.”