LAKE Wendouree knows the bitter taste of grand final defeat all too well.
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The Lakers have lost their last three grand finals in the Ballarat Football League youth girls competition, but coach Matt Newbury feels the breakthrough could come on Sunday.
The Lakers lost last year’s preseason competition and ultimate season decider to Redan, but also went down in the 2014 preseason tournament to Golden Point.
Now they have reached their fourth consecutive grand final in a row and hope the hoodoo is about to break.
“It’s a very sore point with some of the older girls especially,” Newbury said.
“We’re pretty confident we have what it takes this year though.”
In their road stands the undeniable Redan side that is aiming for its third flag in a row.
And if the single meeting between the two sides this season is any indication, it is going to come down to the wire.
Just one point separated the two when they met in round seven and it was the maroon and gold that got the spoils once again on that occasion.
A key point of interest will be Lions’ sharpshooter Jessica Bokma, who is eyeing off a remarkable 100th goal for the season in just her 12th game.
She is currently averaging 8.64 goals per game.
Redan coach Travis Flintoff said he had deliberately not mentioned the three-peat to his side, wary of putting too much pressure on them
“We’re trying not to talk too much about it, the girls know the situation,” he said.
“We only have five or six new girls this year so most of them are going for three in a row themselves.”
TEAM LINE-UPS
LAKE WENDOUREE
Coach: Matt Newbury. 2 Mollie Chew, 5 Kate Jackson, 6 Winona Greenhalgh, 7 Anna-Marie Rice, 8 Maryjane Greenhalgh, 9 Riley Holloway, 10 Jordyn Gilmer, 11 Mimi Arnott, 13 Everly Trainor, 14 Amelia Stewart, 15 Nikkita Alexander, 16 Danielle Jenner, 17 Faith Greenhalgh, 18 Samantha Turner, 19 Tylah Bruhn, 21 Gabrielle Hearn, 23 Amy Jackson, 24 Shannon Hearn.
REDAN
Coach Travis Flintoff. 1 Elisabeth Richardson, 2 Georgina Richardson, 3 Olivia Kyatt, 5 Lauren Murphy, 6 Ebony Tucker, 7 Kristen Prebble, 8 Monique Flenley, 9 Bec Sinclair , 11 Amy McDonald, 12 Isabella Robson, 13 Taylor Dunn, 15 Madison Hayes, 16 Cayla Matkov, 17 Amy Lodge, 18 Ellanor Goyne, 20 Alanah Tebble, 21 Jedda Heard, 22 Jessica Bokma, 23 Ashlee Flintoft, 25 Abbey Cutler.
