Preliminary final
North Ballarat v Oakleigh, 2pm
at Princes Park, Carlton
on Saturday
NORTH Ballarat Rebels head coach David Loader and his players know one thing going into a TAC Cup preliminary final on Saturday – they cannot afford to give Oakleigh a head-start.
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The Rebels got away with allowing Geelong Falcons to get a jump on them in a qualifying final of the under-18 football competition.
Oakleigh Chargers are not likely to be so generous if they are given the same latitude.
Loader said his coaching panel had spoken to the players extensively after the escape. “It was a wonderful effort to get back, but we won’t be able to continually do that. You can’t always get out of jail.”
Loader said the Rebels would focus on harnessing its strengths – something which did not happen until the second half against Geelong.
He said North Ballarat had a powerful midfield group, which once on top led to benefits across the board.
“We want to the midifeld to go to work early.”
North Ballarat Rebels are striving to reach only their second grand final, having won a premiership in 1997.
They have gone close with several preliminary final appearances. In his fifth season in charge, Loader took the Rebels this far in 2012 – only to lose to Oakleigh and no one is more aware than him of what it would mean to to play off for the premiership.
“It would be enormous for this group and the program,” he said.
Securing a grand final berth would also cap off a big week for Loader, who earlier in the week was named the TAC Cup coach of the year for a second year in a row.
Loader said the award was a reward for his whole coaching panel. “It’s testament to the work everyone does.”
Loader, who is an indigenous officer at St Patrick’s College, has extensive support team at the Rebels – Damien Ross (head assitant), David Runge (midfield), Grant Polkinghorne (backline), Matt Battistello (forward line), Wayne Sharp (bench) and Ricky Andrews (on-field/runner).
The Rebels expect their line-up to be unchanged: