After seventeen rounds, and we needed every last minute of it to decide a top four, the 2021 Nana’s Finals picture is officially set.
The reigning back-to-back premiers managed to sneak in at the eleventh hour, while a side expecting to be battling for the wooden spoon recorded the winningest-season in league history.
However, there’s still three weeks of football left to play out, so let’s take a look at what’s in store.
Qualifying Final (1st v 2nd) Heeney Some Milk (13-4) v The Catholic Church (12-5)
Six sides, including their very own coach, predicted this year’s minor premiers would finish seventh in season 2021, so to say Heeney Some Milk’s year is unexpected is definitely an understatement.
Meanwhile, the side they’ll be playing their first final against has - so far - done just what’s been expected of them.
This is The Catholic Church’s second finals appearance, but the first in which they’ve earned a double chance after they were knocked out in the elimination final by Mundy & Boak in 2020.
Both teams have been head and shoulders above the rest for the majority of the season yet, despite this, they head into finals with some injury problems as well as some off-field issues.
Heeney Some Milk will be without Sam Flanders (omitted), Jack Bowes (omitted) and Tom Green (hamstring), while The Catholic Church will be missing Jacob Hopper (concussion), Jack Billings (hamstring), Hunter Clark (concussion) and Taylor Walker (KKK meeting) this weekend.
It means both side’s depth will be tested as coaches turn to reserve players like Luke Davies-Uniacke (TCC) or newly-signed LTI replacement Paddy Dow (HSM) to step up for the first week of finals.
The two sides have met twice this season, with The Catholic Church taking the four points in Round 4 (1828-1699) before Heeney Some Milk posted the highest score in league history right before the mid-season break in Round 11 (2043-1895).
This one could go either way, but don’t expect this weekend’s game to be the final time these two face off in 2021.
Two to watch:
HSM: Andrew Brayshaw showed out last week with an incredible 156-point performance, but throughout the year the young midfielder has failed to capitalise on any scoring momentum.
In games following back-to-back 100+ scores, Brayshaw only averages 88.5PPG, which could make for some interesting viewing come Sunday evening.
TCC: Mid-week, Chris Mayne announced that this season would be his last, so you’d assume the veteran defender wants to go out big, and with a match against Hawthorn this week, it’s likely he’ll do just that.
Using defenders just from this matchup, here’s the scores recorded against the Hawks:
Jack Lukosius (125)
Daniel Rich (115)
Tom Stewart (107)
Jack Sinclair (102)
Sheesh.
Ultimate Footy Projected Totals:
Heeney Some Milk 1931 vs. The Catholic Church 1852
Elimination Final (3rd vs. 4th)
Mundy & Boak (10-7) vs. NANA WINN3R (9-8)
At the mid-season break, NANA WINN3R held a 4-7 record and looked destined for Pick 3, even on the final Sunday of the year their head coach was contemplating throwing in the towel against Beat Everyone to try and pip Gabe's Team for Pick 3.
But now they find themselves not only in finals (again) but look like one of the most threatening sides to win it all (again).
The chance to three-peat is still alive, and it’s fitting that in order to keep it alive, NANA WINN3R will have to go through long-time rival Mundy & Boak.
Alongside NANA WINN3R, Mundy & Boak are the only other club to feature in all three finals series. The winningest-side in league history will be hoping that that same history doesn’t repeat itself in 2021.
Another side battling the injury bug, perhaps more than any other team, Mundy & Boak head into week one of finals without regular, reliable performers like Fyfe, Cunnington, Pendlebury, Heppell and Isaac Smith. That’s 456 points for Carruthers to find.
However, in the two games they’ve played against each other, Mundy & Boak came away with both victories, scoring a whopping 1847 points in Round 6 and 1828 in Round 15, so maybe this special rivalry brings out a special something in Carruthers’ side.
Two to watch: Karl Amon was selected with Pick 62 in the 2021 Nana’s Draft and has ended up being Mundy & Boak’s number one midfielder. Across the last five weeks the 25-year-old is averaging 117.2PPG, which puts him ninth-highest amongst other midfielders.
Carruthers has been reluctant in placing the VC on Amon throughout the year, but with a Showdown on Saturday night, he could be the X-factor that gives M&B a shot at victory.
After missing last week with a delayed concussion, Tarryn Thomas returns just in time for the biggest game of his Nana’s career. If Amon with Pick 62 was a steal, then Thomas with the last pick of the draft is daylight robbery.
Over the last five weeks Tarryn Thomas is averaging 103.8PPG, third-highest amongst his teammates and good enough for sixth-highest amongst other forwards across the league.
Ultimate Footy Projected Totals:
Mundy & Boak 1726 vs. NANA WINN3R 1916
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