It is finals time in the 2022 Mid South Eastern Football League season and the cut-throat first semi final at Robe on Saturday throws up the tantalising encounter of reigning premiers Port MacDonnell and “September specialists” Mount Burr.
The seasiders have never mounted a successful premiership defence after winning flags in 1964, 1979,1998 and 2012.
On the other hand, the Mozzies are the most successful MSEFL club in terms of A Grade flags as there are 19 premiership pennants hanging on the walls of their Thomas Drive clubrooms.
The golden era began with a breakthrough flag under coach Tony Hodgens in 1959 and it was followed up immediately in the next season of 1960 with Ron Carlson at the helm.
Since then, the green-and-golds have gone back-to-back on two other occasions as well as completing a record thrice hat-trick of flags.
With the exception of the incomplete 1940s and 2020s, Mount Burr has secured at least one grand final win in every decade.
The added impetus for the weekend’s contest is that Port MacDonnell could well be putting their guernseys in the furnace and not just reaching for the mothballs.
A shake-up of the football competitions in this region is looming with Port MacDonnell having the identical red-and-blue colours of West Gambier and same Demons nickname as South Gambier.
Mount Burr has the unique mascot of a Mozzie while the green-and-gold colours are not widely used in footy circles across the nation.
Coming into this match, Mount Burr completed a comfortable 131-point win over Tantanoola at home at Mick and Jean Walker Oval on Saturday.
Port MacDonnell hosted Glencoe with the Murphies determined to win their sixth consecutive match and retain fifth place.
The seasiders spoiled those plans with a decisive 56-point win which would have sent their confidence levels sky-high.
The 2022 meetings of the two teams throw up few clues as to the outcome of the upcoming final.
Port MacDonnell was two goals clear when the final siren sounded at Mick and Jean Walker Oval on April 30.
In the return game at the Bay on July 9, Mount Burr won a low-scoring match by the lowest possible margin.
The aces in the pack for the Demons are the award-winning twin towers of Tim Sullivan and Will Macdonald.
Sullivan played league football in the SANFL with zone club Glenelg and won the 2021 Stan Jones Memorial Medal as the best-on-ground in the grand final at Tigerland.
Macdonald has also been in good form this season and could add an unprecedented fifth Mail Medal to his trophy collection.
The winner will be announced on Sunday afternoon at the annual Mail Medal presentation function at the Millicent War Memorial Civic and Arts Centre.
The Mozzies are also not lacking in the talls with Hamish Smith enjoying a season uninterrupted by injury.
His tally of 63 goals put him in second place on the MSEFL goalkicking list.
At the other end of the oval, brothers Josh and Sam Wallis are the most formidable defenders in the competition.
The winner of the seaside clash will have a fortnight’s rest and then advance to another do-or-die contest on September 10 when Kalangadoo hosts the preliminary final.
Going on the outcome of Saturday’s match which resulted in a narrow Kalangadoo win, it is likely to be Hatherleigh.
Verdict – There was no premiership hangover for Port MacDonnell in 2022 and it lost a few games by a handful of points which denied it second place.
With 12 premiership players either retiring or heading to other clubs, it has been a remarkable effort for second-year coach Simon Merrett to get his team into the finals.
On the big Robe oval, Mount Burr will have to keep the ball well away from Sullivan and Macdonald.
If they can do this well, the Mozzies will be on their way to a preliminary final berth.
