Mutual respect

by LES EVERETT

GOSNELLS coach Brian Lester reckons Kenwick is the club of the decade.

Kenwick coach Gavin Hanley is full of admiration for the way Gosnells has rebuilt itself as a football club.

So in today's SFL grand final we can look forward to a friendly game with both teams quite happy to see the other win.

Sure.

Hanley thought he'd blown it early in the year when his idea of building slowly led to a succession of losses. "I really felt if you peak in round six or seven the bodies start to break down so I decided not to play any scratch matches," Hanley said. "It nearly backfired but it was good to get through and earn the double chance.

"The second semi against Kelmscott was a brutal final," Hanley said, "at half time I thought I hope we get through it because it's going to hard to get over this game.

"When I watched Kelmscott on the weekend I thought of my boys and the way they would have felt if they'd had to back up after that second semi and do it again."

Hanley believes the key for Kenwick in the grand final will be to stick to its processes and be patient.

Meanwhile Gosnells coach Brian Lester says persistence has been the key for his team in 2006. "The thing I've been pumping all year has been self belief and a never-give-in attitude," he said. "We know the improvements we've made but there's no need to be over excited and no point celebrating yet."

Lester said he was excited to be playing the team from the club he describes as the best in a decade in the grand final. "Why not take on the best," he said, "that my motivation point."

Gosnells won its third consecutive final with an amazing come from behind victory over Kelmscott in the preliminary final.

The Bulldogs led by 31 points at quarter time and by 14 at the last break but the Hawks kicked five goals to one in the last term to pull off a 14-point win.

Kelmscott had the chance to build a big lead in the third quarter but missed a succession of set shots.

Chris Kercheval kicked five goals in another outstanding performance for Gosnells while defender Chris Kessell, Jamie Ringrose and captain Matthew Brooks also put in. Nathan Hansen kicked three goals in a handy effort.

Clive Hayden kicked five goals for Kelmscott, Bowden Medallist Rowan Arnott was again outstanding and Luke Hughes and Joel Butcher, who kicked three goals, also played well.

The straight sets exist by the Bulldogs is almost unbelievable and coach Julian Burgess will be left to ponder exactly what went wrong.

15 September 2006

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