When Barooga and Cobram met on Good Friday earlier this year, there was already plenty on the line.
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Barooga, eager for redemption after losing to Cobram by a combined 296 points in 2022 across two outings, hyped it up as their “grand final”.
On the flip-side, the Tigers were keen to show they still had plenty of fight in them after falling in last year’s grand final and losing a number of key players.
It was Barooga who prevailed by nine points back in April. Now, as the two sides get set to face off again nine weeks later, the stakes are even higher.
A top-six spot will be on the line when the two sides meet at Cobram’s Scott Oval on Saturday, a key game that comes in the midst of an increasingly intense battle for the finals.
The Tigers and Hawks are both sporting identical 5-4 win-loss records, with the yellow-and-black ahead on percentage.
“It is going to be huge,” Cobram coach John Brunskill said.
“They addressed it at the start of the year as their grand final and they have kicked on since then, they have played some pretty good footy.
“It is certainly going to be all guns out for everybody.”
Brunskill admitted that Barooga brought more intensity to the contest back in round two, something he hopes his side will be able to rectify this time around.
“That is one of a number of things that we will be addressing,” he said.
“When they beat us earlier, their intensity was really good at the ball. They treated it like it was a grand final and we just treated it like it was another game. We will certainly have to bring our game to match them this weekend.”
Barooga coach Luke Jarjoura said there was no denying just how important Saturday’s clash is.
“Coming from a 300-point deficit last year, it was extremely important that we started the year off well and created an atmosphere around the club to rectify the wrongdoings of last year,” he said.
“The Good Friday clash was extremely important and this one is probably equally as important because our season is on the brink at the moment.
“It looks like Cobram and Barooga will be fighting for that sixth spot so it is almost an eight-point game for both clubs.
“It is equally as important for both clubs as it was on Good Friday, and we will build it up as such.
“I’m keen to refresh the bodies so that we are cherry-ripe going into Saturday.”
On the netball court, there will be plenty of hunger from both sides to come out on top on derby day.
Barooga is still searching for its first win of the A-grade season, with a victory over its arch-rival surely the ideal way to get its first four points on the board.
On the flip side, the young Tigers will be gunning for success to keep their finals aspirations alive.
With two wins and seven defeats on the board halfway through the season, the Tigers sit only 12 points outside the top six — a gap they could close with a victory on Saturday.