Post by stuartcapel on Sept 15, 2011 16:07:34 GMT 10
It’s Grand Final time in the DBA, and in all, fourteen teams enter the weekend’s matches hoping that they will be Premiers in their respective grade. Come this stage of the season, there’s no real need for inspiring words or acts as all players will be focussed and ready to go…unless you’re Adam Bonnadio, and you’ll turn up to the Grand Final in a pair of jeans and thongs about 55-65 minutes before the start of the A1 game, have a kick of the footy, take a swing or two. Only then will you be ready to play.
In all, Berwick lead the Grand Final charge with three teams (A1, A3 and A4) in action this weekend, while Bonbeach, Chelsea and Dandenong all have two teams gunning for Premiership glory. To these clubs, along with Cheltenham, Dingley, Moorabbin, Dingley and Pakenham, congratulations on your efforts in reaching your respective grades Grand Final and to all players, coaches and officials, best of luck to you all over the weekend.
Grade: A1
Who: Cheltenham Rustlers vs. Berwick Dodgers
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Sunday 2.00pm
Previous Meetings: Berwick 9-6 Draw 4-4 Cheltenham 12-10
For the third successive year, Cheltenham and Berwick will do battle in the A1 Grand Final, and for the Dodgers, they will be hoping that it will be third-time lucky, with the Rustlers having taken the title in both 2009 and 2010.
While Cheltenham will undoubtedly begin the game as favourites, there is little doubt that the Dodgers do worry coach Clarkson and his team, with Berwick actually holding the slightest of advantages in the head-to-head this season given they scored a total of 23 runs to Cheltenham’s 22 over their three meetings that were perfectly split - Berwick winning the opening meeting, the teams drawing the second clash and Cheltenham winning the final duel between the two clubs in the regular season.
Complacency won’t be an issue for the Rustlers – coach Clarkson will see to that, and many of the players have been there before and know what to expect, and how to respond when required. Cheltenham does have an A Grade rookie or two, Brendan Horne perhaps the most notable, and while he has not yet tasted A Grade success (though he has won several Frank Nobilo look-a-like contests), his performances over recent weeks suggest he won’t let the side down on Sunday.
Cheltenham has the luxury of turning to a number of pitching options, though will likely go with Blake Cunningham, Adam Blackley and Matthew Blackmore, giving coach Clarkson the luxury of calling upon three Melbourne Aces to do the dirty work on the hill. For Berwick, they’ll go with Glenn Richards off the mark, however whether coach Robinson turns to Alex Da Silva or Scott Wearne in first relief does offer a little intrigue. My guess is that Wearne will be first as Da Silva is unable to hit and his inclusion would potentially unstable the Berwick hitting order.
Both teams feature solid hitting and defence, and in reality. It’s only the extra pitching options that for me give the edge to Cheltenham, however as the season series suggests, this is going to be a close one.
Grade: A2
Who: Dingley Dingoes vs. Dandenong Angels
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Sunday 11.00am
Previous Meetings: Dandenong 2-1 Dandenong 3-2 Dingley 6-4
My sobriety when writing the column for the Second Semi Final was questioned following Dingley’s 6-4 win given I had tipped the Angels following their two regular season victories, however the closeness of Dingley’s victory suggests that my statement of the two teams being evenly matched was indeed correct, and that a walk or error could make all the difference.
I stand by both comments heading into the Grand Final. I doubt the margin is going to be greater than three runs and I just can’t tip a winner. Two good pitchers are likely to start for their respective teams, with Nathan Cook likely to go for the couch burners and Scott Baillie for the Dingoes. For mine, if Cook can make adjustments against hitters that beat him a fortnight ago such as Declan Ferguson, then the Angels will have a good chance of reversing the Second Semi Final result, however if Baillie improves on his last outing, then the Angels may be pushing uphill and into the wind.
All alcohol-related sledges and bum bags aside, the A2 Grand Final is perhaps the hardest one of all seven matches this weekend to confidently tip a winner. My interactive tipping method suggested Dingley, but I wasn’t confident, so I tried it again. This time it said Dandenong. I tried it again and Dandenong came up again. Given that they won the interactive tipping 2-1 and won the season series 2-1, that’s enough for me to tip the couch burners, but without any real confidence. This one may be headed for extra innings, but hopefully not the extent of 2006.
Grade: A3
Who: Berwick Dodgers vs. Bonbeach Blue Jays
Where: Dandenong (Back Diamond)
When: Sunday 1.45pm
Previous Meetings: Berwick 14-10 Berwick 9-6 Berwick 15-7
In the Second Semi Final preview, I noted that the best defensive team in the A3 competition (Bonbeach) were hosting the best offensive team (Berwick), and while I generally believe that defence does win Championships, perhaps the defensive side of the Bonbeach game has been exposed over the course of the season by the Dodgers, who have swept all three games against the Blue Jays in 2011.
Bonbeach did enter the finals conceding just on six runs per game, however following the Second Semi Final, the stats showed that against everyone but Berwick, they were conceding 4.5 runs per game, a number that blew out to 12.66 runs per game against Berwick in 2011.
The Blue Jays actually conceded a higher score last week than in the Second Semi Final when they allowed 16 runs to Cheltenham in the Preliminary Final, but managed to get their bats going to earn the victory in walk-off fashion. But I doubt they can manufacture enough offensive firepower against the Berwick battery of Sean Howe and Ben Bartlett, who doesn’t have to worry about his beloved Collingwood losing this week…that will happen at some stage over the next fortnight.
Berwick’s 3 from 3 in 2011 against the Blue Jays. Expect them to make it 4 from 4.
Grade: A4
Who: Dandenong Angels vs. Berwick Dodgers
Where: Dandenong (Back Diamond)
When: Sunday 11.00am
Previous Meetings: Dandenong 12-5 Dandenong 23-3
The Dodgers have endured somewhat of a roller-coaster journey over the past month, however they find themselves in a Grand Final on Saturday, though their task of winning appears near insurmountable against the A4 juggernaut that has been Dandenong in 2011.
With two rounds remaining, Berwick’s fate was in their own hands, being in second place, however a Round 17 draw with Dingley dropped them to third, and a loss to Frankston in the last round should have seen them drop to fourth, however Cheltenham failed to capitalise on Berwick’s misfortune, losing to Dingley to ensure the Dodgers somehow fell into a home final in third position.
In that first final, a couple of muffed fly balls was all that stood between the Dodgers and elimination, however they survived the challenge of the Rustlers only to face Frankston, the team that had beaten them just a fortnight earlier, and who had not lost to the Dodgers over the course of the regular season, in the Preliminary Final.
So of course in the Preliminary Final, the Dodgers beat the Tomatoes – go figure!!
A roller-coaster month it may have been, however it will be an effort worthy of Lazarus for the Dodgers to take the pennant from the Angels on Sunday. Dodger catcher Terry Van Iersel will miss and pitchers John O’Connor Snr and Mr Michael Wearne will have to weave a fair web to have any chance of trapping the Angels on the day. I just can’t see them doing it against a team that belted the Dodgers twice over the course of the season and recorded 13 mercy-rule victories in 2011.
Grade: B1
Who: Moorabbin Panthers vs. Boneo Braves
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Saturday 2.15pm
Previous Meetings: Boneo 10-5 Moorabbin 15-5
At the start of the season I did expect to see Boneo in the Grand Final, although they had lost a couple of personnel from 2010 when they struggled to make their presence felt in the A Grade competition, however I will freely admit that I didn’t have Moorabbin on my shortlist of teams that would be up there challenging for the B Grade title, let alone be Minor Premiers and Premiership favourites.
The Panthers have made their presence felt in their re-entry to the DBA, and ride a B Grade best 10-game winning streak into the Grand Final, a streak during which they have beaten every other team in the B1 competition.
In all, the Panthers lost just twice over the course of the regular season, and the Braves will be hoping that they can repeat the result of Round Two, when they beat the Panthers down at Boneo 10-6, however the Panthers were still finding their feet at that stage. They have since, found their feet and are firing on more cylinders than Boneo have in reserve.
I think this one may actually finish in seven innings, with Moorabbin winning comprehensively.
Grade: B2
Who: Chelsea Dolphins vs. Pakenham Pumas
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Saturday 11.45am
Previous Meetings: Chelsea 8-7 Pakenham 10-6 Chelsea 18-5
The Chelsea-Pakenham B2 game is one of four Second Semi Final rematches for the weekend, and for the Pumas, they will be out for some revenge having been depantsed by the Dolphins in the Second Semi, with Chelsea having strolled to an 18-5 victory.
I’ve waxed lyrical about the Pumas this season, and their Grand Final appearance so soon after having to forfeit the 2009 season in the same grade is a just reward for all those who have worked diligently to rebuild the club, however I fear the Dolphins will spoil the party.
While the final margin will be closer than that from the Second Semi Final, the winner will be the same.
Grade: B3
Who: Bonbeach Blue Jays vs. Chelsea Dolph-Dolph-Dolphins
Where: Dandenong (Back Diamond)
When: Saturday 2.00pm
Previous Meetings: Bonbeach 7-6 Bonbeach 10-7 Chelsea 12-3 Bonbeach 14-2
The fourth Second Semi Final rematch comes in the B3 competition, with the Blue Jays getting the chocolates comfortably in the Second Semi Final, before Chelsea earned the right to have another crack at Bonbeach thanks to a 14-8 victory over Carrum Downs in last week’s Preliminary Final.
While Chelsea’s Round 13 victory over Bonbeach marked the Blue Jays only loss over the course of the season, I think a repeat of the Second Semi Final result will be the most likely outcome. Bonbeach for me.
In all, Berwick lead the Grand Final charge with three teams (A1, A3 and A4) in action this weekend, while Bonbeach, Chelsea and Dandenong all have two teams gunning for Premiership glory. To these clubs, along with Cheltenham, Dingley, Moorabbin, Dingley and Pakenham, congratulations on your efforts in reaching your respective grades Grand Final and to all players, coaches and officials, best of luck to you all over the weekend.
Grade: A1
Who: Cheltenham Rustlers vs. Berwick Dodgers
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Sunday 2.00pm
Previous Meetings: Berwick 9-6 Draw 4-4 Cheltenham 12-10
For the third successive year, Cheltenham and Berwick will do battle in the A1 Grand Final, and for the Dodgers, they will be hoping that it will be third-time lucky, with the Rustlers having taken the title in both 2009 and 2010.
While Cheltenham will undoubtedly begin the game as favourites, there is little doubt that the Dodgers do worry coach Clarkson and his team, with Berwick actually holding the slightest of advantages in the head-to-head this season given they scored a total of 23 runs to Cheltenham’s 22 over their three meetings that were perfectly split - Berwick winning the opening meeting, the teams drawing the second clash and Cheltenham winning the final duel between the two clubs in the regular season.
Complacency won’t be an issue for the Rustlers – coach Clarkson will see to that, and many of the players have been there before and know what to expect, and how to respond when required. Cheltenham does have an A Grade rookie or two, Brendan Horne perhaps the most notable, and while he has not yet tasted A Grade success (though he has won several Frank Nobilo look-a-like contests), his performances over recent weeks suggest he won’t let the side down on Sunday.
Cheltenham has the luxury of turning to a number of pitching options, though will likely go with Blake Cunningham, Adam Blackley and Matthew Blackmore, giving coach Clarkson the luxury of calling upon three Melbourne Aces to do the dirty work on the hill. For Berwick, they’ll go with Glenn Richards off the mark, however whether coach Robinson turns to Alex Da Silva or Scott Wearne in first relief does offer a little intrigue. My guess is that Wearne will be first as Da Silva is unable to hit and his inclusion would potentially unstable the Berwick hitting order.
Both teams feature solid hitting and defence, and in reality. It’s only the extra pitching options that for me give the edge to Cheltenham, however as the season series suggests, this is going to be a close one.
Grade: A2
Who: Dingley Dingoes vs. Dandenong Angels
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Sunday 11.00am
Previous Meetings: Dandenong 2-1 Dandenong 3-2 Dingley 6-4
My sobriety when writing the column for the Second Semi Final was questioned following Dingley’s 6-4 win given I had tipped the Angels following their two regular season victories, however the closeness of Dingley’s victory suggests that my statement of the two teams being evenly matched was indeed correct, and that a walk or error could make all the difference.
I stand by both comments heading into the Grand Final. I doubt the margin is going to be greater than three runs and I just can’t tip a winner. Two good pitchers are likely to start for their respective teams, with Nathan Cook likely to go for the couch burners and Scott Baillie for the Dingoes. For mine, if Cook can make adjustments against hitters that beat him a fortnight ago such as Declan Ferguson, then the Angels will have a good chance of reversing the Second Semi Final result, however if Baillie improves on his last outing, then the Angels may be pushing uphill and into the wind.
All alcohol-related sledges and bum bags aside, the A2 Grand Final is perhaps the hardest one of all seven matches this weekend to confidently tip a winner. My interactive tipping method suggested Dingley, but I wasn’t confident, so I tried it again. This time it said Dandenong. I tried it again and Dandenong came up again. Given that they won the interactive tipping 2-1 and won the season series 2-1, that’s enough for me to tip the couch burners, but without any real confidence. This one may be headed for extra innings, but hopefully not the extent of 2006.
Grade: A3
Who: Berwick Dodgers vs. Bonbeach Blue Jays
Where: Dandenong (Back Diamond)
When: Sunday 1.45pm
Previous Meetings: Berwick 14-10 Berwick 9-6 Berwick 15-7
In the Second Semi Final preview, I noted that the best defensive team in the A3 competition (Bonbeach) were hosting the best offensive team (Berwick), and while I generally believe that defence does win Championships, perhaps the defensive side of the Bonbeach game has been exposed over the course of the season by the Dodgers, who have swept all three games against the Blue Jays in 2011.
Bonbeach did enter the finals conceding just on six runs per game, however following the Second Semi Final, the stats showed that against everyone but Berwick, they were conceding 4.5 runs per game, a number that blew out to 12.66 runs per game against Berwick in 2011.
The Blue Jays actually conceded a higher score last week than in the Second Semi Final when they allowed 16 runs to Cheltenham in the Preliminary Final, but managed to get their bats going to earn the victory in walk-off fashion. But I doubt they can manufacture enough offensive firepower against the Berwick battery of Sean Howe and Ben Bartlett, who doesn’t have to worry about his beloved Collingwood losing this week…that will happen at some stage over the next fortnight.
Berwick’s 3 from 3 in 2011 against the Blue Jays. Expect them to make it 4 from 4.
Grade: A4
Who: Dandenong Angels vs. Berwick Dodgers
Where: Dandenong (Back Diamond)
When: Sunday 11.00am
Previous Meetings: Dandenong 12-5 Dandenong 23-3
The Dodgers have endured somewhat of a roller-coaster journey over the past month, however they find themselves in a Grand Final on Saturday, though their task of winning appears near insurmountable against the A4 juggernaut that has been Dandenong in 2011.
With two rounds remaining, Berwick’s fate was in their own hands, being in second place, however a Round 17 draw with Dingley dropped them to third, and a loss to Frankston in the last round should have seen them drop to fourth, however Cheltenham failed to capitalise on Berwick’s misfortune, losing to Dingley to ensure the Dodgers somehow fell into a home final in third position.
In that first final, a couple of muffed fly balls was all that stood between the Dodgers and elimination, however they survived the challenge of the Rustlers only to face Frankston, the team that had beaten them just a fortnight earlier, and who had not lost to the Dodgers over the course of the regular season, in the Preliminary Final.
So of course in the Preliminary Final, the Dodgers beat the Tomatoes – go figure!!
A roller-coaster month it may have been, however it will be an effort worthy of Lazarus for the Dodgers to take the pennant from the Angels on Sunday. Dodger catcher Terry Van Iersel will miss and pitchers John O’Connor Snr and Mr Michael Wearne will have to weave a fair web to have any chance of trapping the Angels on the day. I just can’t see them doing it against a team that belted the Dodgers twice over the course of the season and recorded 13 mercy-rule victories in 2011.
Grade: B1
Who: Moorabbin Panthers vs. Boneo Braves
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Saturday 2.15pm
Previous Meetings: Boneo 10-5 Moorabbin 15-5
At the start of the season I did expect to see Boneo in the Grand Final, although they had lost a couple of personnel from 2010 when they struggled to make their presence felt in the A Grade competition, however I will freely admit that I didn’t have Moorabbin on my shortlist of teams that would be up there challenging for the B Grade title, let alone be Minor Premiers and Premiership favourites.
The Panthers have made their presence felt in their re-entry to the DBA, and ride a B Grade best 10-game winning streak into the Grand Final, a streak during which they have beaten every other team in the B1 competition.
In all, the Panthers lost just twice over the course of the regular season, and the Braves will be hoping that they can repeat the result of Round Two, when they beat the Panthers down at Boneo 10-6, however the Panthers were still finding their feet at that stage. They have since, found their feet and are firing on more cylinders than Boneo have in reserve.
I think this one may actually finish in seven innings, with Moorabbin winning comprehensively.
Grade: B2
Who: Chelsea Dolphins vs. Pakenham Pumas
Where: Dandenong (Main Diamond)
When: Saturday 11.45am
Previous Meetings: Chelsea 8-7 Pakenham 10-6 Chelsea 18-5
The Chelsea-Pakenham B2 game is one of four Second Semi Final rematches for the weekend, and for the Pumas, they will be out for some revenge having been depantsed by the Dolphins in the Second Semi, with Chelsea having strolled to an 18-5 victory.
I’ve waxed lyrical about the Pumas this season, and their Grand Final appearance so soon after having to forfeit the 2009 season in the same grade is a just reward for all those who have worked diligently to rebuild the club, however I fear the Dolphins will spoil the party.
While the final margin will be closer than that from the Second Semi Final, the winner will be the same.
Grade: B3
Who: Bonbeach Blue Jays vs. Chelsea Dolph-Dolph-Dolphins
Where: Dandenong (Back Diamond)
When: Saturday 2.00pm
Previous Meetings: Bonbeach 7-6 Bonbeach 10-7 Chelsea 12-3 Bonbeach 14-2
The fourth Second Semi Final rematch comes in the B3 competition, with the Blue Jays getting the chocolates comfortably in the Second Semi Final, before Chelsea earned the right to have another crack at Bonbeach thanks to a 14-8 victory over Carrum Downs in last week’s Preliminary Final.
While Chelsea’s Round 13 victory over Bonbeach marked the Blue Jays only loss over the course of the season, I think a repeat of the Second Semi Final result will be the most likely outcome. Bonbeach for me.
