It’s a showdown

by Peter Sweeney and
TRADITIONAL rivals Berwick and Narre Warren will kick off finals in the Casey Cardinia Football League on Saturday, after an amazing form turnaround in the last round.
Berwick was staring down a first week knockout final appearance before the team ‘pantsed’ second side Hampton Park at home on Saturday.
The Wickers went into the match a game and a big percentage behind the Redbacks, but jumped above them with a thrashing.
And Narre Warren’s shock loss – no, a thrashing – at the hands of Beaconsfield – which they beat in last year’s grand final – has opened the door for a classic Berwick-Narre Warren clash.
The winner of Saturday’s game – at Berwick’s home ground – will meet the unbeaten Cranbourne in the second semi-final the following weekend, while the loser will meet the winner of Sunday’s do-or-die final between Hampton Park and Pakenham, at the home of the latter.
Nothing has separated the Wickers and the Magpies this year.
Both had away wins over each other in their two contests. Berwick beat Narre by 24 points in the first game of the year, Narre were 27 points too good for the Navy Blues at Edwin Flack Reserve in round 12.
Meanwhile, in big news at both clubs, Berwick has reappointed Dean Rice as coach for 2012, while Narre’s Brett ‘Birdman’ Evans has played his last game.
Rice, a 234-gamer with St Kilda and Carlton – 116 with the Saints between 1987-1993 and 118 with the Blues between 1994-2001 and whose uncle Colin captained Geelong – is in his first season at Berwick.
“He’s happy and we’re happy so it was agreed to continue the relationship,” Berwick president Cliff Donegan said yesterday.
Rice and Berwick agreed on terms at the end of last week. Their showing a day or two later indicated all was well.
Evans’ final game for his beloved Magpies last Saturday didn’t have the ending he, or the club, wanted, as the Magpies were taken to the cleaners by the Eagles.
A five-time premiership player, Evans struggled to overcome a serious ankle injury that reduced him to just three matches this season.
In 2005, Evans kicked 19 goals in a match against Keysborough.
He played 28 matches for AFL club Richmond from 1997 to 2000 and booted 26 goals and also played with Springvale in the VFA.
“Brett’s the best player I’ve seen play country footy,” Narre Warren coach Chris Toner said.
“And as far as our club is concerned, there has been none better. He’s a one-club player, primarily, the only time he left was to play at a higher level.
“His values and culture that he’s put into the footy club has rubbed off on the younger blokes like the Collins and the McGills, who are then passing it on to the next group of kids like Ben King, Matt Lee, Ben Wragg and these sorts.”
Turn inside for all the finals footy fever.