Two Macleay sides enter, only one can advance.
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That’s the scenario facing the Lower Macleay Magpies and the South West Rocks Marlins as they do battle in an elimination final in Wauchope this Saturday.
While every finals match is important, especially when your season is on the line, Magpies coach Bo Wilson and Marlins co-coach Sam Drew admitted there’s more at stake in this clash.
“They are our rivals and definitely a side we want to do better than each year,” Wilson said.
“It’s do or die for both of us. We will give it our all and leave everything on the field.”
The Magpies and Marlins split their meetings this season, but the Marlins were dominant in a 52-12 victory only a fortnight ago.
However, Drew believes his side will need to take their game to another level to knock off the Magpies.
“We are confident but we definitely can’t expect to go out there and do what we did last time,” Drew told the Argus.
“They will be a better side and we need to improve too.”
Wilson recognised the Magpies weren’t up for the challenge when the two sides last met and expects his team to lift the intensity on Saturday.
“The key will be to match it with their blokes in the middle,” Wilson said.
“They muscled up early on against us last time and we didn’t respond well. We need to correct that this time and take the battle to them and it will allow us to play our own game.”
Meanwhile Drew wants his side to complete the basics.
“If we play disciplined footy, hold onto the ball and complete our sets then we will give ourselves the best chance of winning,” he said.
It’s the first time the two sides will do battle in a finals match since the 2015 grand final, which the Marlins won 24-18.
The Marlins missed the finals last season but have improved drastically this year to break the drought.
While the losing side will be left to lick their wounds, the team who secures the win will advance to face the side who falls between Kendall and Beechwood.
Only one competition point separated the fourth placed Magpies and fifth placed Marlins at the end of the season.
The match kicks off at 1pm at Lank Bain Oval, Wauchope.
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