GSFL grand final: Red-hot Royals to face surging Denmark-Walpole for league premiership glory on Saturday

Coach Andrew Ruck says his Royals are hungry for more premiership glory and he hopes to see another group of players with medals around their necks on Saturday afternoon. The undefeated Lions host Denmark-Walpole at Centennial Stadium in the Great Southern Football League grand final. After a breakthrough premiership last season, the Lions will be chasing back-to-back flags for the first time since 2003-04. The Lions are likely to go in unchanged from their preliminary final victory last week, with six new players in that team from last year’s premiership 22. “It would be tough to make a change, and if everyone gets through training it is unlikely the team will be different,” Ruck said. “I think it’s been 16-odd years since we last went back-to-back so that would be nice, but it will just be good to have six or seven new premiership players if we are to win. “We have had a big turnover in players this season like every other club, and given guys opportunities, which they have taken. “We are definitely going to be in for a tough contest. “Hopefully our boys are hungry to win and go back-to-back. “We aren’t really feeling the pressure being undefeated and the favourites. We are just excited to be playing in another grand final, we aren’t nervous at all.” The Lions have had the upper hand over the Magpies this season, winning by 28 points in round four and then 72 points in round nine, but Ruck said his side should not take them lightly. “They (Magpies) were fantastic on the weekend, they had someone on each line that was good so we need to be wary of that,” he said. “We will need to be up and about and do our best, I think it will be a physical game early but hopefully we can absorb that pressure and run over the top of them. “We are banking on all 22 players to contribute for us, we don’t leave it to just two or three players.” Ruck said Hamish McMorran would go to Magpies star Shayne Zanetti if he plays forward, while Tom Maslen is likely to shadow electric Magpie Jayden Woods. The Magpies will be in search of their first premiership since 2010 and could make changes to their winning preliminary final team. Magpies co-coaches Ryan Gaerth and Simon Barker believe a team collective performance is a way to stop the red-hot Lions. “Youngster Leighton Rogers and Noah Madaffari along with Jayden Pickett are the three that could come in, but we will have a better idea after our final training session,” Gaerth said. “To win on Saturday would be huge for the club after the injuries we have had. “It would be a special effort to win and a huge credit to all the people at the club over the past few seasons. “We need 22 guys playing the best they can, they are fantastic across the board but it’s more about us on Saturday and how we play and our brand of footy.” Gaerth said his team would have to be at its very best to cause an upset. “Hopefully we can get things on our terms early and hit the scoreboard and put the pressure on, because if we have to play catch-up it is going to be hard,” he said. “We need to take our chances when they present themselves as well. “They get a lot of run and drive off their half-back line and that hurt us last time so we will try to prevent that. “But we need 22 guys to nullify the impact of all their players, they have good players everywhere so we need a team collective.” The game kicks off at 2.30pm on Saturday at Centennial Stadium.