SKIPTON coach Tim McKay refuses to get caught up in the fairytale hype about Lexton.
McKay said his team was well aware the Tigers had been playing ''exceptional'' enough football to make their first Kingprint Lexton Plains Football League grand final.
His vastly more experienced Emus, the reigning premiers, were chasing their own bit of fairytale-like history before the league disbanded.
Skipton boasts four LPFL senior premierships since the league's formation in 1999 _ but not once have they gone back-to-back.
McKay, who coached the 2003, 2005 and 2009 premierships, said this was a ''new challenge'' for the club.
''They're all tough to win, if you get the opportunity to try and win one. All premierships have been sweet,'' McKay said.
''We've set ourselves to try and win a back-to-back one at the start of the season and it turns out it's going to be the last one.
''It's not a driving force though, being the last one, because everything gets thrown into it.
''It's been a long season so a fair bit of work has gone in.''
The Emus were forced to take the long road to their title defence after an eight-point loss to the Tigers in the second semi-final.
Saturday's grand final at Eureka Stadium will mark their fourth meeting this season.
Lexton coach Eamon Johnson had his Tigers out watching last week's preliminary final at Linton.
Johnson said they were as prepared as they could be.
Players had been pumped-up at training and relished a week's break to refresh.
''It's been one of those things having been down the bottom for so long motivation is really difficult, so (a grand final) is to get some reward for the effort,'' Johnson said.
''The effort from last year to this year is really no different but a reward certainly helps in numbers, enthusiasm and particularly with our reserves, getting a few of those guys out there.''
While Lexton has not contested a grand final since 1998, ironically the last year of the Lexton Football League, key players Matt Stasse and Robert Mosby are well-versed in success with Carngham-Linton.
''No doubt they've made a big difference,'' Johnson said.
''Stasse in particular with his leadership about the club has been very good.
''He had a desire to coach and got an opportunity at our club to be assistant coach.
''In that role he's been fantastic.
''Mosby has basically put his whole pre-season into getting fit so he can play finals footy this year so his form has been absolutely outstanding.''
Once out on the field, McKay said his own players' finals experience was only an advantage to an extent.
''There is an air of having experience going into it mentally prepared and physically prepared but it comes down to how much you want the footy on the day,'' McKay said.
''It'll come out in some players and some it won't affect.''
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