The former Shepparton mentor will be keen to tick that milestone off this campaign as the Blues look to again take the competition by surprise.
Despite losing a number of experienced players since a 2019 preliminary final loss, Harrap is confident the Blues can still match it with the best teams in the league this year.
“I've done two pre-seasons with the club now and still haven't played a game of footy yet, so it has been a different experience,” Harrap said.
“We've probably lost seven or eight that would have played senior footy last year, but that's just the way it goes, it's just how the last 12 months have panned out.
“We've been getting 20-25 consistently at training throughout the summer which is the core of the group pushing to play seniors.”
Key to Numurkah's chances will be a younger brigade itching to prove itself at senior level after two summers of hard work on the track.
“The promising thing is some of the younger guys with another year of growing under their belts like Kade O'Dwyer, Rhys Cason, Clancy Lester, Jarrod Holmes and Flynn Penberthy will all be in a really good position to take their games to the next level,” Harrap said.
“The club was in a similar position in 2019 where they had lost a few players and then made it to a prelim and probably should have been playing in a grand final.
“We'll try and be positive and enjoy our footy and I think in doing that we'll be pretty competitive.
“Hopefully the community can get around us.”
FAST FACTS
COACH: SEAN HARRAP MFL PREMIERSHIPS: 1932, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1962, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1999, 2000 2019 FINISH: THIRD (13-7) 2019 BEST AND FAIREST: BEAU McKEOWN 2019 LEADING GOAL-KICKER: MICHAEL HERLIHY (54) GROUND: NUMURKAH SHOWGROUNDS NICKNAME: BLUES
PLAYER CHANGES
IN: Trent Baker, Trent Craven, Travis Down (Strathmerton).
OUT: Jye Warren (Moama), Tim Arnel, Ben Gunning, Michael Herlihy.
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