International is yet to taste defeat in the 2020 Limestone Coast Football Association season, but Gambier Centrals believes it has the firepower to score a breakthrough win when it matters most in this Sunday’s grand final.
The Lions have been the nearest challengers to Inter and came within one goal from glory in the qualifying final.
The side has not been victorious against the black and blue since round one 2019 and is eager to get the monkey off its back.
Despite the lack of recent success facing Inter, Gambier Centrals coach Chris Fleetwood believes his team has what it takes to secure a first title in four years.
“We have had some very competitive games against Inter,” he said.
“I thought we were unlucky in the first game when we lost one-nil and when we had chances in the qualifying final.
“We will stick to our plan and hopefully we can expose them using our strengths.
“Tactically we certainly match them, so I will be telling our boys if we can play our best, we could get the chocolates.”
Centrals has won every other encounter in 2020 and safely secured second place on the ladder.
The Lions made a significant jump clear of rivals Apollo and Naracoorte this season and Fleetwood has been impressed with how his team has played.
“I am really proud of the boys,” he said.
“I think we have performed well and asserted ourselves on the competition.
“We have a well-balanced squad now and half of the team is younger than 23, so the club is healthy moving forward.”
After going down 3-2 in the qualifying final, the Lions secured a grand final berth with a hard fought one-nil win over Apollo.
The sudden-death preliminary final was a tense battle in Naracoorte, but Fleetwood believes Centrals are better for the game.
He said the team had pulled up well and with a full squad ready to unleash a charge for glory this weekend.
“I was pretty disappointed with the tactics Apollo played, but we did well and having another competitive game before the grand final is sometimes the way to go,” Fleetwood said.
“It keeps us at top level and all of the boys pulled up well, so we have a full squad and no injuries.”
With a full-strength list at his disposal, Fleetwood is excited at the prospect of coaching his first LCFA grand final.
“I am going to embrace and enjoy the grand final, but will approach it just like another game,” he said.
“The two best teams in the league are playing so it is a fitting finish and hopefully we can get a big crowd and a great game.”
