SEEGER SEEKS TO WIN BACK ‘STOLEN’ TITLE

BROTHERS captain Lara Seeger has had 12 months to let last year’s heartbreaking grand final loss burn in the pit of her stomach.

A chance to secure a historic threestraight decider wins was dashed in extra time by a willing MA Olympic.

Seeger refers to it as the grand final glory that was ‘stolen’ from them.

“I think some (in our squad) may say they still feel the pain. For me personally, we are just out to get back what is ours this year,” Seeger said.

“If anything, it makes us work a little bit harder to get back the trophy we had won for the two years prior. (The trophy) that they stole off us last year.”

But any thought of having an easy run at the Premier League double has been scuppered for the Brothers side.

The premiers will plumb the depths of their senior women’s ranks as they contend with a raft of players missing for the decider.

Following the mid-year departures of Xanthe Dumbrell and Emily Benton, Brothers have also been dealt another double blow with Theresa Allan and Jess Harris both out of action.

“This year we have the benefit of this large squad that we can pick and choose people from if we need to fill certain positions and that is definitely something we have leant on this year,” Seeger said. “I think the players from the reserves teams love to come and play up in Prems. It is a privilege for them. So it hasn’t necessarily been hard, if anything it has been good to see them get their chance to shine.

“We don’t know them quite as well as the starting XI we started the year with but in saying that we all train together and we know roughly who we are and how we play.”

MA Olympic had their own injury concerns early in the week after a gruelling 120 minute preliminary final clash against Warriors last weekend.

But skipper Tamsin Brown was adamant her side would be ready to take the fight to Brothers in the decider after a lighter week at training.

Brown said it was crucial for her side to shut down Brothers’ attacking threats across the midfield and frontline and admitted while it might not be the most attractive brand of football, it would get the job done.

“We did what we had to do to get the win (last weekend). It will be the same against Brothers, we have to do whatever it takes,” she said. “As long as we leave everything out on the field and know we have done everything we can. We are here to win the grand final and do what it takes.

“I feel that everyone thinks they are ready for this game. We know how they like to play and all of us have experience in grand finals. We have had the same core group of girls the last few years.

“There will be some nerves but we know that we just have to turn up and play for each other and it will take care of itself.”