Lake Grace-Pingrup ready for the challenge against Gnowangerup in Ongerup Football Association grand final

Gnowangerup will chase a third successive premiership when they face Lake Grace-Pingrup in the Ongerup Football Association grand final at Lake Grace on Saturday. The Bulldogs will be out to win a flag three-peat and become the first club in the OFA to do so since Jerramungup won four straight from 2008-11. The Bombers will be buoyed by a home grand final in the same season their club is celebrating 100 years as they look to end a nine-year premiership drought. In the recent second semifinal the Bulldogs were 21-point winners over their grand final opponents, and coach James Culleton said his side were looking forward to the challenge. “It’s an exciting time for the club but just getting into the grand final doesn’t mean it’s a win,” Culleton said. “We’ve got to play all four quarters. “We’ve lost our captain due to injury but it doesn’t take one player to make a team. “Everyone is getting around each other and we have plenty of depth.” Bulldogs skipper Scott Anderson will miss the decider after having surgery on a broken thumb. Culleton kept quiet as to whether his side would make any changes, but said the Bombers’ midfield will be tough to crack. “Our midfield will need to match it with their bigger bodies and we will need to stop their spread,” he said. “It is no doubt they are a great side. We’ve known that all year and they have good depth. “I’ll be leaning on our leaders to show the way: Fraser (House), Lewis (Davis) and Tyler and Ethan Caldwell. “Once the ball goes up, it’s up to them really. The players have to do the job and they are guys who lead from the front.” The Bombers responded to their second semifinal loss with a tense 11-point preliminary final triumph over Newdegate last Saturday. They go into the decider chasing their first league premiership since 2012, and coach Kelvin Holmes said his side were ready to perform on the big stage. “At the start of the year we all knew the year that was unfolding with the 100 years of the club,” he said. “The boys were pretty keen to have a crack and at least get into the grand final being at home. “We are a very young side but the boys are switched on and pretty excited to be there. “(Gnowangerup) are a good side. They’ve lost one game all year, but as I said to the boys on Saturday afternoon once you are there, anything can happen on that day.” Karl Fleay and Bodhi Clifton will be missing from the Bombers side, having gone down with season-ending knee injuries. However, the Bombers will regain Mitch O’Neill and Josh Giles, who did not play in the preliminary final with bad corks. “It will be the first time all year we’ve had our strongest team in,” Holmes said. “We have to match it with them at centre bounce, especially Fraser House. “They have a handy key forward (Lewis Davis) who we have to try and stop as well. “So we’ve got to be switched on, not have any lapses, and play the whole 100 minutes of the game.” The league decider will start at 2.10pm, with the juniors at 12.35pm and the reserves at 11am. The Ongerup Association Sport will also hold its netball and hockey grand finals on Saturday in Lake Grace. OFA GRAND FINALS Saturday at Lake Grace Reserves 11am Boxwood Hill v Lake Grace-Pingrup Juniors 12.35pm Jerramungup v Lake Grace-Pingrup League 2.10pm Gnowangerup v Lake Grace-Pingrup