AFTER wrapping up back-to-back minor premierships, Sebastopol Vikings will be the warm favourites in Saturday's Ballarat District Soccer Association grand final against Forest Rangers.All the indicators point to a Vikings victory, but there is no way Sebastopol coach Rod Oppenhuis is underestimating the strength of his rivals."We can't determine if we are going to be favourites or underdogs," Oppenhuis said."By the results this year, we probably do go in as favourites, but Forest, the last four or five weeks, have probably been the most consistent team in the league."Obviously it is going to be a challenge for us and we are looking forward to it."Although the Vikings have prevailed in all three clashes against the Rangers this year - winning 3-1 in round three, 2-1 in round 10 and 4-2 in round 17 - Oppenhuis believes Rangers were unlucky in at least one of those matches."We have played them three times this year and you could argue they were probably unlucky on one of those occasions," he said."The other two games, both teams probably weren't at full strength."Of course, my boys are positive. If you go in with a negative attitude, you have lost before you even start the game."We will be positive, but also aware of our opponents."Oppenhuis had grave doubts about his fitness and that of defender Robert Gregg heading into Saturday's clash, as both are suffering from hamstring injuries.Oppenhuis said he would not be taking any risks with unfit players."You can only put fit players on the field. You can't start with blokes that aren't 100 per cent," he said."You are just letting the other blokes down on the field."Oppenhuis, who is keen to avenge the disappointment of last year's grand final loss to North United, will be relying on another consistent performance from his charges, believing the Vikings' strength lies with its overall ability across the board.Forest also has injury concerns, with Stevie Chircup (groin), Wayne Batstra (bruised foot) and Mathew Skontra (hamstring) battling their own problems.But despite these setbacks, coach Rod Brissenden, who guided the Vikings to a premiership success in 1998, was "reasonably confident" and said his team would relish the opportunity to play in a grand final, their first appearance since a defeat at the hands of Daylesford in 2000."We have got nothing to lose," he said."We are just going to enjoy the day and every player is going to give it their best."Brissenden said the club last won a senior premiership in 1994."It's good for the club," he said."I have only been here for three and a half years and when I originally came to the club, they only had a team in the reserves competition."And with a few changes and players coming and going, we've gradually built a team up over those years."We can look forward to the future and just keep improving and getting results."The senior grand final will be held at Trekardo Park from 3pm on Saturday.SENIOR SQUADSSEBASTOPOL VIKINGS _ Matthew Smith, Robert Gregg, Nick Perry, Nathan Biggs, Craig Briody, Justin Robson, Matthew Jamieson, Anton Maggi (c), Jason Hekkema, Rod Oppenhuis (coach), Daniel Aggett, Dave Cannan, Brock Wilson, Michael Busija, Ashley Rodgers, Ashley Mitting.FOREST RANGERS _ Travis Johns (c), Matthew Cannan, Ricky Kennedy, Stevie Chircup, Christopher Webster, Joshua Cartledge, Chris Lee, Jake Bucknall, Jacob Smeaton, Wayne Batstra, Daniel Cook, Mathew Skontra, Gavin Coveny, Calaam Gilmer-Reeves, Anthony Fleming, Luke Evans, Matthew Lee, Mark Gleeson, Jason Thurgood.