Coming into Saturday's GNLW grand final, Queechy are more than happy with the underdog tag against South Launceston.
Finishing the home and away season in fourth, the Penguins knocked off West Devonport and City Marians in the past two weeks, building belief along the way.
"We are pleased that we are the underdogs, we have been for the past two weekends and we've been able to come through in close games," coach Nic Duffy said.
"I have heaps of respect for Suns and the group that they've got and the experience they've got.
"We've got a young group and a lot of them haven't had this seniors finals experience so it will be up to the older players, and I'm talking late 20s as being the older players, to provide the direction and support to the others."
Starting the season off slow, to Duffy's admission, the Penguins found their feet after their state club cup encounter with Premier League side OHA.
Since that game, they've won five out of their last eight, propelling them into the finals.
"That was really our turning-point game for us, we lost 6-0 to OHA, the best team in the premier league competition but for our girls that was a really good learning experience and we took a lot away from that," she said.
"Since then I've seen the girls progress in their game style, game play and hunger for the ball."
South on the other hand built off the momentum from last season, winning two out of their last three games despite missing the finals.
"There's been a lot of field goals for us ... not as many conversions off our short corners as we would've liked to have," coach Andrew Lanacster said.
"Towards the tail end we've had a few issues with injuries being a long season and some niggles from players and the unfortunate loss of Lauren Buchanan with a broken arm in the warm-up of the second-last roster match.
"We are going in positive for the final, obviously Queechy are a fast, young team and we can't take our foot off the pedal, they are going to be a challenge for us."
Both teams qualified for the grand final in nerve-wracking shoot-outs against City Marians but it has been South Launceston that have had the upper hand on the Penguins this season with two wins and a draw.
The big game will be played at Devonport's Meercroft Park, starting at 1pm before the men's.
MEN'S
Despite coming into Saturday's GNL grand final undefeated, it hasn't always been easygoing for Burnie Baptist.
The minor premiers face South Burnie at Meercroft Park to end the perfect season, with coach Khan Riley pleased with his core group of players.
"Most of the year we've played with the bare 11, so it's tested our depth fairly well especially after last year, where we had 14-15 available most weeks," he said.
"I think it's more continuity to the team without having substitutes, so as a group we've built really well this year."
"We've obviously lost a few players this year but everyone that's there has basically been there for the past three years, which bodes pretty well for the style we want to play and the structure we want to play."
With either Baptist or South Launceston playing in the past seven grand finals leading up to this season, the Suns were expected by many to join their rivals in the big dance.
But South Burnie shocked the competition to swoop in.
"We sort of built ourselves to play South Launceston all year but you can't underestimate what South Burnie have done," Riley said.
"They've really come on strong in the last half of the year."
South Burnie coach Tom Trevarthen said he thinks a lot of people wrote off the Hawks before last week's preliminary final.
"To go down to Launceston, play against South Launceston with their home crowd and get across the line, it's put a lot of belief into our players," he said.
"At the same time, they are keeping it pretty cool because obviously Baptist has gone through undefeated and they have been the team to beat for the last few seasons."
Respecting what Riley and Baptist have done this season, Trevarthen has taken the Hawks' group to the grand final in his first year at the helm.
He said his phone has been running hot with past clubmen wishing him and the boys good luck.
"The support South Burnie has given myself and the whole team leading up to the finals has been great but it's been a team effort," he said.
"I wasn't one to just come in and say 'this is how we are doing it', I threw questions around, got people to take drills and just tried to involve everyone.
"I put my hand up as coach but it's definitely been a team effort with everyone involved."
The men's decider will get started at 3pm.
Josh Partridge
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
