(By Shane O’Shea)
Having ticked most of the boxes of achievement so far during its season of dominance, Birchip-Watchem’s focus over the next three weeks will be North-Central football’s greatest team prize, the 2025 premiership.Premiers and champions would be the crowning glory for the Bulls, who have already secured the honour of going through the home-and-away season undefeated, as well as seeing full-forward Ben Edwards surpass the century of goals at record pace, and ruck colossus Hamish Hosking claim a join share of the Feeny Medal as the league’s “best and fairest” player.
Hosking, during his post medal vote count interview, highlighted the point that personal rewards were fine, but his focus, and that of his team-mates, is firmly fixed on winning the premiership.
Tomorrow, at Boort, Birchip-Watchem will confront one of its main challengers, Calder United, in what is expected to be a ferociously contested second semi-final.
In their first season of unification under the Lions’ banner, the former Nullawil and Wycheproof-Narraport combinations have enjoyed a meritorious start to their partnership, winning 13 of their 16 games, and going within 2 points of outscoring the Bulls in round 4. Seven rounds later, however, the result was more in favour of Birchip-Watchem.
Entering the business end of the season, both two top tier teams have a greater understanding of the depth of talent of their rival, and will no doubt have devised plans to circumvent those opposition strengths.
Injury and recovery will play a significant part in the selections for tomorrow’s final, with Birchip-Watchem sweating on the fitness of dynamic midfielders Nic Rippon and Meyrick Buchanan, the former sidelined for round 16 and the latter since round 12.
Calder United will also have to make a call on whether to risk three players injured in the last home-and-away game, joint coach Jordy Humphreys and leading goal kicker Jack Exell (hamstring strains), and defensive pillar Josh Walsh (calf muscle strain). Ruckman Dean Putt and big forward Dale Pearce have also been sidelined for several weeks.
Victory tomorrow will provide direct entry into the grand final, to be played at Wedderburn in a fortnight’s time. 
The benefit of having finished one and two on the ladder is the second chance that the loser of tomorrow’s game is afforded, via the preliminary final, at St. Arnaud.
Do you risk players whose fitness would be greatly enhanced by another week’s rest? Or do you roll the dice and gamble that they have overcome any potential lingering effects from those injuries?
Ash Connick, in his first season at the helm of the Bulls, and his Lions’ counterpart Darryl Wilson, have a wealth of coaching experience between them, but both are non-playing, and can have limited influence once their charges take the field.
Working in both combinations’ favour, however, is the wealth of high calibre onfield leaders each possesses.
From a Birchip-Watchem point of view, the Rippon brothers, Dale Hinkley, Daniel Bell and Meyrick Buchanan are capable of adapting their games to suit the occasion and their team’s needs. 
Calder United can look to Jordy Humphreys, if fit to play, Matt Wade, Stephen Kennedy, Boe Bish and Koby Hommelhoff to lead by example and also make game changing choices on the run.
One of the main reasons the Bulls have remained undefeated this season is their powerful and diverse attack, spearheaded by century goal kicker Ben Edwards, supported by the likes of Nic Rippon, Rhona Conboy and Tom Gibson.
Not only will the Lions’ defence, which includes Oscar Madden, Josh Walsh and Boe Bish, need to contain its opponents, it will also need forwards Jack Exell, Mitch Farmer and Dale Pearce, as well as reliable goal contributors Humphreys and Kennedy, to consistently have an impact on the scoreboard.
Finding open space within range of goal will be a significant challenge against Birchip- Watchem’s water tight defence, led by Dale Hinkley and Ben Lakin.
And in potentially the most influential individual duel, Bull Hamish Hosking against Lion Dean Putt, a game highlight in itself, their ability to dictate the flow of first possession, from centre bounces, will be crucial.
At ground level, midfields and ball winners don’t 
come much better than Nic and Marshall Rippon, Bell, Buchanan and Sam Simmons for Birchip-Watchem, up against Kennedy, Wade, Zac Caccaviello, Daniel Watts and Zane Keighran for Calder United.
If Birchip-Watchem carries its recent form into tomorrow’s clash, it should win, but Calder United’s best football is certainly good enough to break the Bulls’ run of continued success. The Lions’ chances may well hinge on the fitness of that handful of crucial contributors.
Lions Primed for Magpie Assault
Calder United reserves have dropped only one game (round 11 against Birchip-Watchem) this season, and charged into the finals on the back of several very strong performances, including eclipsing tomorrow’s opponent, Boort, by 7 goals in round 12.
With that high level of preparation, and under the astute guidance of coach Tom Bickley, the Lions will be almost impossible to contain on their way to the competition’s grand final.
Charlie Fawcett, Billy Forrester, Jack Morrison and Angus Forrester are several of Calder United’s mainstays, backed by the goal kicking prowess and big game experience of key forwards Cody Green and Brent Barker.
Last time the two met, Boort big man and reserves competition “best and fairest” runner-up, Cam Ross, didn’t play. His influence around the ground, combined with the strong work of Angus Trethowan, Jack Dowling, Pat and Chris O’Rourke, Jordan Sheahan and the likely inclusion of Harry Weaver, will ensure a very physical and razor-sharp contest.
The Magpies’ leading goal kicker, Alex Cockerell, was well held back in round 12, but with more midfield grunt provided by Ross and Weaver, the ball should find its way deep into the Magpies’ forward line on plenty of occasions, where he can become very dangerous.
It’s hard to go past an impressive Calder United to win its way into the season decider, but it will take the Lions’ very best to overcome the Magpies.
Top Two to Tango
St. Arnaud and Sea Lake-Nandaly have been the two most impressive combinations in North-Central’s under-17s’ competition, with their last meeting in round 12 producing a thrilling contest, the Tigers emerging victorious after holding the Saints scoreless in the final term.
There doesn’t appear to be much separating the two in terms of skill, with Brody Kelly, Brayden Allan, Nate McClelland and Hugo Warne among the consistent contributors for Sea Lake-Nandaly, while St. Arnaud can rely on Frankie Donald, Chase Zander, Austin Lowe and Archer Reyne to have a significant influence on the contest.
If the most recent meeting is anything to go by, the Tigers might prevail, but it will take a four-quarter effort from all team members to keep the Saints at bay.
Saints to Win Through?
As with their under-17 counterparts, St. Arnaud’s under-14s share ladder leadership with Sea Lake-Nandaly, and will set the scene for the day’s football action tomorrow when they take on the Tigers for the right to advance to the grand final.
During their last meeting, the young Saints played well and battled strongly to record a comfortable win, led by Chase Hendy, Finn Wilson and Lewis Lowe.
Provided this trio receives the unwavering support of all teammates, St. Arnaud should advance to the season decider, but against opposition of the quality of the Tigers’ Finn Austerberry, Jack Hodgson and Max Conlan, the young Saints must be switched on from the first bounce.
Clash of the Titans
North-Central netball’s most impressive teams in recent seasons, the undefeated Wedderburn and arch rival Boort, will clash in tomorrow’s “A” grade second semi-final.
In a contest likely to go right down to the wire, with 2025 association “best and fairest” Kelsey Pallpratt leading the way for the Redbacks, against the Carly Isaac-inspired Magpies, Wedderburn’s consistency should see it progress to that one day in September.
Calder Eyes Hockey Double
Calder United has performed strongly in its first season of hockey under the Lions’ banner, but it comes as no surprise, remembering that the Wycheproof-Narraport part of the new entity had both its women’s and men’s teams playing off in last season’s grand finals.
Tomorrow, Calder United will be aiming for a direct route into the grand finals, and in both games, the Lions come up against St. Arnaud, also well versed in what is required to take out the competition’s ultimate team prize.
In the women’s game, Keely Allan, Tanya Goddard and Sarah Botheras will be key players for the Lions, opposed to the Saints’ best, including Brylea Knight, Melissa Weir and Nicola Kirk.
Calder United to win by a goal.
When the men take centre stage, expect Corey Harrison, Max Rowley and Jacob Moresi to have a significant influence for Calder United, opposed to St. Arnaud’s Russell Marland, Thomas Watts and Austin Lowe.
Calder to complete the senior double.