Sharks’ new challenge
Schram backs squad to stand up to rivals
FOR a team that ran through a season unbeaten, Geelong’s Vic League 1 men’s hockey side faced plenty of challenges as it closed out the home and away matches.
Its hold on top spot was never threatened but it faced a tough charge to the line, meeting the four sides immediately below it in the final seven rounds, as well as managing injuries to several key players.
While there were scares in some games, only two sides — Penleigh Essendon Grammar (3rd) and Old Xaverians (4th) — held the Sharks to a draw.
Sunday’s second semi-final opponent Yarra Valley has lost its matches to Geelong but the scorelines of 5-4 (Round 3) and 1-0 (Round 12) give it hope of an upset.
While acknowledging the start of finals resets all clubs on the same footing, coach Paul Schram is confident in the club’s preparations.
Geelong has lost Lachie Hannah (hamstring) and Reece Shand (broken hand) for the season and has Sean Fitzgerald (ankle) racing the clock to be fit for grand final day.
Scott Cullen (work), Adam Salanowski (hamstring), Fraser Cullen (general soreness) and Liam Kerr-Nelson (groin) have all missed games late in the season but will be fit for Sunday’s semi at the State Hockey Centre (4pm).
“Nobody’s won a final yet out of the four sides that are left, so it’s pretty much back to Round 1,’’ Schram said.
“There’s no history in finals between the four sides, so it’s just a matter of going out and just doing what we do, and just getting that first win, which is critical for us so we can rest some bodies.
“We match up pretty well against Yarra Valley, so we’re going in pretty confident.’’
Geelong finished the season with an 8-2 win over WestVic last Saturday, overcoming a slow start.
“(We finished) with three really good quarters, which was one of the main focuses, to get a really solid team performance and win,’’ he said.
“A lot of people say finals are a different game and everything steps up, but I don’t buy into that. It’s just all about getting your processes right and if your processes are right, like they have been over the past 18 weeks, there’s nothing different.
“We’re not approaching it any differently, we’re doing the same things, we’re going to train the same way. It’s just Round 19 for us. If we win fantastic, we get a week off, if we don’t it doesn’t matter we just play again the next week.”
Geelong has a balanced, quality line-up with strength on every line, including its teenage strike force of Jayden Schram, Jett Mitchell and Tom Mahon.