ROBINVALE Euston will be sweating on a fitness test today for key midfielders Andrew Richardson and Justin Marriott on the eve of the Eagles’ elimination-final clash with Ouyen United at Quandong Park.
Playing coach Richardson was having his best season in years before suffering a hamstring strain in the round 13 clash with Red Cliffs, while Marriott went off with a hamstring niggle against the Kangas a fortnight ago.
Both players, who give the Eagles enormous run and service from the midfield, will undergo a fitness test at 1pm today, when the team will also have a captain’s run.
“Richo” said he and Marriott, along with a few others in doubt, were “likely” to get up for the do-or-die encounter tomorrow.
He also said the Eagles – who come into the finals on the back of seven straight victories – were well accustomed to playing under must-win pressure.
“We’ve been playing an elimination final every week for the past couple of months,” he said.
“We feel like we’ve got it down pat.”
Richo said his team would have a plan to try nullify the attacking brilliance of the Kangas’ Adelaide-based stars, former Hawthorn player Dallas Willsmore and Holcroft Player of the Year Kaine Stevens.
“We’re really looking forward to the challenge against them,” he said.
“Ouyen have got a few other stars, too. Brad Vallance is pretty damaging, and Jermarl (Daly) has been playing well.
“We’ll be aiming to bring that same intensity around the contest that we brought to them a couple of weeks ago in a strong four-quarter effort.”
The Eagles stormed home in the second half to beat the Kangas by 10 points in round 17.
Kangas’ co-coach Scott Grigg said his team had learnt some lessons from the loss.
“We dropped off in the last quarter and you can’t afford to do that against a quality top-four team,” he said.
“It was also the first time I’d seen some of their newer players like Isaiah Johnson.
“The thing that turned the game around for them was the team momentum they’d picked up. They were winning the stoppages and took their opportunities, while we dropped off.
“We can’t allow that on Sunday.”
Asked what the keys were to victory for his side tomorrow, Grigg said: “I think strong defensive pressure helps win finals.
“The belief is there within the group that if we play at our best for the four quarters, then we can make a run deep into September.”
