IF THE form guide is anything to go by, Horsham Saints are in line to win Saturday's reserves grand final.
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The Saints and Dimboola have met four times this year, alternating wins.
The Saints claimed victory in the first and third matches and the Roos won the second and fourth.
The latter was a semi-final meeting, which booked the Roos an automatic grand final berth.
Dimboola co-coach Josh Cook hopes to break the trend on Saturday.
“They’ve beaten us twice and we’ve beaten them twice and it’s gone game for game – hopefully that trend doesn’t continue,” he said.
“We need all 22 players to put in 100 per cent and that’s what it comes down to on grand final day.
“The boys have put in the effort right from the word go.”
No more than 15 points has separated the teams in any meeting, which sets up a tantalising premiership bout.
The Saints claimed the minor premiership and are coming off a confidence-boosting preliminary final win.
They trailed Warrack Eagles by six goals early before triumphing by 19 points.
“They’ve beaten us twice and we’ve beaten them twice and it’s gone game for game – hopefully that trend doesn’t continue.''
- Dimboola coach Josh Cook
Saints coach Dennis Hobbs said his side would have to work hard to overcome the Roos.
“We’ve got a lot of work in front of us,” he said.
“After our last encounter they’ve got the upper hand, so we’re coming in as underdogs but really looking forward to it.
“Dimboola is a bigger side so we’ll try to move the ball quickly around the ground.”
Hobbs said the Saints would look to the likes of Bowen Friend, Jack Peachey, Justin Amor, Andrew Moore and Tom Ballinger to lead the way.
George Walker has kicked 51 goals for the Saints this season and Hobbs anticipated he would have his work cut out for him up forward.
“They’ll be right on him and we’ll have to help him out,” he said.
“He’s definitely a lead-up player and they’re well aware of that.”
Co-captains Dean Toet and Ash Avery will lead Dimboola.
Last year’s reserves best and fairest winner and 2014 runner-up Jackson O’Neill will also be pivotal.
“Jackson is a week-in, week-out performer, his game doesn’t change and you know what he’s going to give you,” Cook said.
“He has started to hit form at the right time of the year – he can play anywhere you want him to.”
Cook said Avery and Daniel Greig, who both played in the Roos’ senior premiership in 2014, would both be important – but the side’s versatility would be a major factor.
