Lions want win to celebrate birthday
THE Hutchins Old Boys Football Club will wind back the clock against an old foe on Saturday as the Lions celebrate a major birthday with a nod to their historic roots in a crucial clash on the eve of finals.
The Lions first took the footy field back in 1932 as a member of the Public Schools Old Boys Football Association and on Saturday will celebrate their 90th birthday with the senior side wearing a special heritage jumper for its blockbuster match with long time enemy St Virgil’s at Queenborough Oval.
Fittingly the two sides battled it out for the premiership in the Old Boys’ inaugural season in 1932 with the Lions tasting premiership success with a 41-point win over the Saints.
“We won a flag in our first year and it was against St Virgil’s so we picked this game against them to pay our respects and wear the heritage jumper which is a great initiative from the club,” Lions star Marcus Davies said.
“We’ve won 20 senior premierships along the way so it’ll be good to recognise our history and I’m obviously in my first year at the club so it’ll be a good honour for me to wear the jumper.”
While the premiership cup won’t be on the line on Saturday, the match could play a major role in who hoists it come September with both sides sitting on 10 wins a piece with two games left in a battle for second spot and a double chance.
Hutchins will enter the clash having won its last four games but wary of its red-hot opponents who have won five straight of their own including a 34-point win over the Lions five weeks ago.
“When we beat them earlier this year we only got over the line by a point and then they had a convincing win against us here last time so we know they are a very good team,” Davies said.
“They’ve got some really good players and some good depth and some good sized bodies so hopefully it’ll be a really good contest and hopefully we can get a few along to Queenborough and we can get a win.”
After kicking seven against the Lions last time around, Saints superstar Jaye Bowden once again looms as the danger man on the back of his dominant nine-goal haul in St Virgil’s win over Dosa last weekend.
“We’ll have a matchup for him and have a few plans but he’ll kick his share but hopefully we can nullify him as much as possible,” Davies said.
“Like any game of footy it’s going to be won and lost in the middle and he played the majority up forward last game so it’ll be about trying to pressure the ball coming into him.
“But they’ve got a few other important players too so it’s not just Jaye we’ll also focus on.”
St Virgil’s forward-turneddefender Sam Reeves said the Saints would go into the clash full of confidence after their 57-point smashing of ladder leaders Dosa last week.
“Last time we played Dosa they did us by 70-odd points and we spoke after that game and told some home truths and we’ve worked hard and it seems to have really turned us around, “Reeves said.
“It’s a massive game this week and we need to win if we want a second chance in the finals and we know that.”