There will be a sense of deja vu for the Swans when Nick O’Farrell pulls on the red and white on Saturday, as he tries to emulate the feats of his grandfather, Terry.

Terry O’Farrell won a BFL premiership for Ballarat in 1962 and to this day is a permanent fixture at Ballarat matches.

Tomorrow, his grandson will set out to recreate history and put the O’Farrell name down in the Ballarat Football League history books once again.

Nick, 20, has played every match for Ballarat this year in his second full season of senior footy and says he would love nothing more than to lift the BFL premiership cup alongside some of his best friends.

And, of course, in front of his grandfather, aged 79.

“He comes to pretty much every game we play, he’s always around,” Nick said of his grandfather, the former Swans star.

“It’s good having that family history there, he was quite the young player in his day – or so he says.”

Terry was named best on ground as team captain in Ballarat’s losing 1963 grand final, once again at the hands of North Ballarat, but it is Terry’s feats in 1962 that Nick is hoping to recreate.

Terry kicked three goals for the Swans that day as it defeated Geelong West, which back then competed in the BFL.

“Geelong West were always the real heavyweights in those days, they were going into that match as favourites,” Terry recalled.

“We were the underdogs – like Ballarat probably is going to be this week – and we won, so we’re hoping we might see the same sort of thing happen.

“I remember Ted Lovett won the Henderson Medal before North won the premiership and with Shane Hutchinson winning it this year for Ballarat, maybe that’s a sign.”

Nick is under no illusions – his side has its back up against the wall; even the most one-eyed Swans supporters could find it difficult to see Ballarat dismantling the might and power that is North Ballarat City.

But then again, Ballarat was not even expected to beat Redan in the preliminary final last week and it went on to win by 10 goals.

“It’s a testament to the mateship that exists at Ballarat, we all want to do it for each other,” the speedy pocket-rocket said.

“You see your mate put his head over the ball and it gives you a boost and you think ‘well now I’m going to do the same thing’.”

Adding even further spice to the O’Farrell tale is the fact that Nick used to play for the Northies.

He played his junior football at Eureka Stadium before crossing to Ballarat for a season of under-18.5s in 2011.

In 2012 he played football in Canada with close friend and fellow Swans player Tom Stapleton, before returning for the last two years of senior footy.

A notorious speedster with the ability to get in the heads of opponents, O’Farrell said a win on Saturday would compete every footballers’ dream.

“It would mean absolutely everything, it’s what everyone plays for all year,” he said.

“For us, it’s not about North City or any other club, we are all in it together as a team and it’s about doing it for your mates.”

patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au