The prelims have 3 teams who failed to make this stage of the 2025 season as well as the Noahs who are shooting for their 9th preliminary final victory in 9 attempts as well as a 4th consecutive ORFFF flag and 5th premiership overall Black Swamp 29ers TTH vs Walpole Woylies @JC - the teams first finals clash - the Woylies have a 13W 9L finals record while the 29ers have a 4W 5L record themselves - last time the sides clashed was Rd5 with the 29ers winning 1381-1213 - the 29ers recent finals experience and home ground advantage will provide a strong test for the experienced Woylies who have lurked inside the top 8 all season and will look to roll out a gameplan that has withstood the finals pressure cooker in many big matches Drouin Dropbears @stowie vs Neptune Island Noahs (UOC) @That KI Guy - this is the teams second finals clash following the 2016 ORFFF Grand Final - the Noahs have a 23W 6L finals record while the Dropbears have a 6W 6L record themselves - last time the teams clashed was Rd7 with the Noahs 1313 defeating the Dropbears 1243 - the Dropbears list build has been relentless and they now boast a side that has matchwinners on every line - the question is can the talented side perform on the big stage and defeat the thrice reigning premiers who stand two wins from immortality of achieving a 4th consecutive title and have won 8 of these darn prelims without a single blemish Good luck to all those in the final 4 A reminder that full lockout applies on the first game on Friday night (post Sunday teams).
For those following at home the prelim final tally for all teams over the ORFFF's opening 11 seasons is 9 - Noahs 7 - Woylies 4 - Virgins and Ponys 3 - Ducks, Boozers and Dropbears 2 - Atoms, Whales, Shags and 29ers 1 - Fugs, Bucks and Magpies 0 - White Pointers and Power
Drop Bears D: Bo Allan, Florent, Mac Andrew, Bruhn (Todd Marshall) M: Zac Bailey, Sheeeeezel, Andy Brayshaw, Naicos (Rowston) R: Luke Jackson F: Darcy Wilson, Ginnivan, Shai Bolton, Jack Graham (Mitch Lewis) I: Seth Campbell, Pat Retschko (Jack Higgins)
The Woylies not exactly spoiled for choice this week with 16 warm bodies to choose from. Only 4 of our 13 fwd eligible players are available. D: Whitfield, Daniels, Andrews, McGrath (Weitering) M: Richards, Merrett, Oliver, Taranto R: Cameron F: Evans, Yeo, King, Allen I: Miller, Duggan
Noahs Def - Clark, Powell, Amon, Petty (Fonti) Mid - Hewett, Warner, Dawson, Dempsey (Erasmus) Ruck - Sweet Fwd - Richards, McKay, Neale, Lloyd (Moore) IC - Turner, Bice (Johnson)
The 29ers match committee have named their lineup for their match with the Woylies @JC Blakey J Daicos Jeffery Noble - Chapman H Young LDU Anderson Worpel - Banks M Hall H Thomas Schultz JHF - Kemp Xerri - no emg Madden Acres - Cowan
With the ORFFF selection committee having had a mixed bag so far the current unofficial scoreboard has the hometown 29ers on 11/1047 leading the visiting Woylies @JC 7/531. Numbers will be 6 to 3 in favour of the visitors across the first 2 Sunday games before McGrath and Merret for Walpole aim to outscore the 29ers lead at that point plus Nick Blakey's final match efforts for Black Swamp.
Progress scores Noahs 971/10 Vs Kwicky Koalas 1008/12 More misfortune for the bears with sheezel injury mid game. Rumours of an unrestrained Maynard doing mob work are unfounded. @stowie