Finals x-factor

This is on the back of the likes of Mitch Martin and Justin Helyar returning from elite under-18 commitments, forward Matt Combe overcoming injury and in the shadows of the home-and-away season, star Jacob Cooke-harrison on the park after missing most of the year.

All of a sudden, Horsham Saints now appear to be a 15 to 20-goal side instead of a 10-goal group and this obviously augurs well for their finals campaign.

The Saints base their game on zoning pressure and backing themselves through the likes of Sam Clyne, Fisher, Fergus O’connor and Sam Jasper to generate tempo football.

The reality is the Saints are the best structurally organised team in the finals.

The return of ruckman Michael Rowe to Wimmera league has been fantastic for the group. Rowe’s ruck work and competitiveness across the ground is invaluable.

Alexander Mcrae is the club’s backline general and Andrew Devereaux is his worthy lieutenant.

At the other end, Jacob O’beirne and Combe, with Cooke-harrison, provide a multi-pronged forward line that can give opposition defenders a mighty runaround. But what about the team’s grand-final aspirations? The team was in the season play-off only two years ago and still boasts solid finals experience throughout the side.

The Saints’ team brand of football, for which they are renowned, has all the attributes to be playing on the big day in September.

The Saints will need to draw everything they have to get across the line, but results suggest they also play on high levels of self-belief.