NERVOUS WAIT: Creswick's Tyler Booth. FILE PHOTO.
A DECISION by the Ballarat Central Independent Tribunal tonight will determine whether or not Tyler Booth plays in Creswick’s long-awaited return to finals.
The midfielder was reported for charging Rokewood-Corindhap’s Dylan Bourke in the Wickers’ 23-point win at Hammon Park on Saturday.
Creswick coach Damian Lubeek says the club will fight the charge, which threatens to keep Booth sidelined for the Wickers’ first finals appearance since 1987.
“He’s devastated because he’s given so much to the club and he really wanted to see the club get to where we are and continue on,” Lubeek said yesterday.
“To have that distraction this week is going to be a big one for him.
“Tyler would be a big loss. His strength around the ground is important, but I’m more than comfortable. The depth is there.”
Booth has played most of his junior and senior football with the club, which he returned to from Redan at the start of last season.
Lubeek said he had been a big part of the team’s success in 2012.
“He did a really big pre-season and has been fantastic for some of our kids coming through.
‘‘He works quite closely with them and they look up to him,” Lubeek said. The Wickers will meet reigning premiers Waubra in a knockout elimination final at Learmonth this Saturday.
Lubeek said his team would approach the match with an element of confidence, despite being beaten by 85 points in a round eight clash with the Roos.
“We played poorly against them up at home and we had a few of us out, but that’s no excuse.
‘‘We go into this week, it’s a completely new game and these guys have belief,” Lubeek said.
There were two other senior reports from the weekend’s final round of matches.
Carngham-Linton’s Dale Larkin was booked for misconduct during the clash with Bungaree, while Beaufort’s Anthony Bourke had his number taken for forceful front-on contact against Jason Clarke from Gordon.
tim.oconnor@thecourier.com.au
