Eagles to begin GDFL finals run

EAST Geelong will look to quell a surging Belmont Lions group fresh off its first Geelong & District Football League (GDFL) finals appearance in nine years.

The Eagles, who sat out the first week of the finals with the minor premiership bye, have been eyeing the start of its finals campaign for several weeks now.

Playing coach Ned Aulsebrook said the group trained on Saturday before heading to St Albans Reserve to watch Belmont defeat Werribee Centrals, which he said only excited the players more for tomorrow’s (Saturday, August 31) game.

“It’s sort of been a long time coming now, I suppose we’d known we were gonna be in the top three a couple months ago and then the minor premiership was pretty much ours three weeks ago.

“The boys are primed to go; they’ve had one eye on this Saturday.”

The Eagles are unlikely to make any massive changes to its lineup which last took the field in Round 18 against Winchelsea.

East Geelong handsomely defeated Belmont in Round 11 by 35 points in the two sides’ only encounter for the season.

A win for Belmont would also secure its first GDFL Grand Final spot since 2007.

Aulsebrook, close friends with Belmont co-coach Andy Walsgott from their days at Barwon Heads, said it has been an impressive season for the Lions in what had been an extremely even competition this year.

“Last Saturday was a really tight contest for most of the game, before Belmont turned it on the second half and ultimately came away with the win.

“From an outside perspective, it’s been an exciting year for Belmont, and the way they are playing, they’re just getting stuck into their opponents and conducting an exciting style of play.”

East Geelong, after bowing out of the GDFL finals in straight sets in 2022, and a Semi Final exit in 2023, are looking to win its first flag since 2009.

The Eagles and Lions take the field at St Albans Reserve tomorrow at 2pm.

Werribee Centrals and Thomson meet on Sunday in the Semi-Final.