WGLFL grand final preview

By Ken Moore
MAFFRA is poised to create history and become the first team to win four consecutive premierships in the history of the LVFL, GLFL and WGLFL when it meets Traralgon this Saturday at Traralgon.
If it is to achieve this feat, and it will enter the game a raging oddson favourite, it must eclipse Traralgon, which has won three flags three times, giving the Maroons extra motivation to cause the boilover of the season.
No club has been able to hold a candle to Maffra this season and for the second consecutive season the Eagles have swept aside all comers.
They have now won 46 games in succession to stamp themselves one of the best if not the best team in the VCFL.
Maffra’s spirit and selfbelief have never wavered and just go from strength to strength.
A recent straw poll of fans suggested that the Eagles are possibly a better outfit than last season.
Traralgon has played Maffra three times this season to suffer 64, 51 and (in the second semi) an 81point loss.
Despite the semifinal loss the Maroons were mighty competitive for large portions of play and were less than five goals at the start of the last quarter before Maffra turned on an 11goal exhibition in the last quarter.
Having not played in a grand final since 2000, Traralgon can savour the atmosphere but, showing many new faces since that year, it cannot be overawed by the occasion otherwise it will be crushed.
Maffra’s Hayden and Adrian Burgiel often get the plaudits but the Eagles win consistently because they have a good mix of seasoned and quality players.
It would be foolhardy to completely write off Traralgon but it is hard to go past Maffra’s allover evenness and forward firepower and, around 5pm on Saturday, Wayne Butcher’s charges should be basking in the glory of their fourth consecutive flag.