Doves aim for back-to-back glory

By Brad Kingsbury
DOVETON is within an ace of back-to-back Casey-Cardinia League premierships with only preliminary final winner Narre Warren standing in the way of an amazing achievement.
The Magpies, on the other hand, are looking to reverse their heart-breaking one-point qualifying final loss and finally achieve the premiership destiny that they have promised for so long but not yet delivered.
That makes for a great contest in the biggest game on the biggest stage of the year.
The Doves’ effort to make the grand final should not be underestimated.
Gaining success in a team sport is never an easy task, but the Doves have a knack of making it even more difficult than it should be.
There has been some unrest between a few at the Robinson Reserve this year, but suddenly the Doveton players have snapped out of their post-2005 premiership lethargy and have become the formidable combination on field that they always looked to be on paper.
Narre Warren is a different case altogether.
It has presented, without doubt, the most unified and close front of any recent Magpie side, and despite predictions of an inevitable fall from grace, based on previous years’ problems, there has been no signs of cracks in the armour.
Coach Aussie Jones and his assistants Steven Kidd and Travis Marsham have got to take full credit for that.
Excluding injured forward Ryan Stanes, Jones will likely have a full list to choose from with the return of Lee Clark from a rib injury and he is confident in his group.
Both sides have the will and players to win the game, but the Magpies’ momentum is good and that should see an end to a 14-year premiership drought.