Premier C Men’s Grand Final Preview: Old Carey vs Hampton Rovers

With promotion to Premier B secured, Old Carey & Hampton Rovers will lock horns for the Premier C silverware on Saturday 2.40pm at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

• These 2 teams finished tied at 16-2 before Old Carey WON 2nd Semi by 19pts.
• Hampton then defeated Parkdale by 7 points in Preliminary Final.
• Old Carey has WON LAST 7 – but their last loss was to Rovers by 47 points in Round 12.
• Hampton Rovers have WON 13 of LAST 14 – their only loss since May 18 was 2nd SF.
• MET 3 TIMES: OC 12pts in Rd.5;         HR 47pts in R12;           OC 19pts in 2SF.

Premier C has been an incredible competition in 2024 with three standout teams setting the pace – Old Carey, Hampton Rovers & AJAX.

Unfortunately for the Jackas, they suffered telling injuries at the wrong end of the season and were eliminated by Parkdale in the 1^st Semi Final, before the Vultures fell agonisingly short to Rovers in a thrilling Preliminary Final last weekend.

Both Grand Finalists enter in fantastic form and two of their meetings this season proved to be thrillers, including a fortnight ago when just a point separated them entering time-on in the final term before the Panthers found the final 3 goals to progress straight through.

Both coaches appeared as special guests on FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME this week and here’s a few tidbits of what they had to say:

AARON BAILEY (Old Carey): “We’re excited to be there and our last 3 games beating the other 3 sides in the Top 4 gives us the confidence that our best is good enough but we play an opposition that we’ve been really evenly matched with. Hampton are a really good side and all 3 games have been within a kick at three-quarter time, so we know we’ve got a really good opposition this week.

“We’re the quickest team in Prem C. Our ability to run and our speed has been our strength… and the way we can put pressure on the opposition are probably the two areas that we’ve really used this year.

“We’re an exciting group when we get going – our ability to move the football, a lot of outside speed. If we’re moving and dynamic with our running, you know we’re probably in a really good shape in the game.”

On Hampton: “Very good midfield. Guys like Christian Carnovale and Coughlin and Perkins are really experienced, big bodies. Really tall forward of the ball. Well coached, really well structured. Hard to break down – the Number 1 Defence in Prem C. So, for us, it’s around trying to break even around the ball and then go from there. Across the two years I’ve been at Carey we’ve had close games every time.”

On his team’s composure late in the Second Semi Final: “We were able to find a response and we’ve done it in the last three games. We got challenged by Parkdale and AJAX in both those games and were able to respond. And the two times we’ve beaten Hampton, we’ve actually kicked the last 3 goals in both games.

“So, for such a young team and such a young group, it’s been really pleasing. Their ability to handle these moments – because this isn’t a position this group’s been in or the club’s been in for a long time, so our ability to respond has been really encouraging.

“The focus for us is to just really enjoy it. We realistically probably didn’t expect to be here (in a Premier C Grand Final) this early as a club and as a group. So, we’ve just had a focus across the whole finals series just to enjoy it and embrace it and have fun with it.”

MARTY PASK (Hampton Rovers): “The standard of competition has been fantastic and our footy club has had a really good year and we can’t wait for the weekend.

“I’m just so proud of the footy club and… there’s just so much more that goes into it than just the playing group. There’s volunteers, there’s people that have been around the club for many years, many generations. To see them with smiles on their faces and seeing that their team’s doing well, it’s their team’s turn to win a Preliminary Final and then go into a Grand Final – I mean, that’s not lost on myself or any of the players.

“People say you’ve got to treat it (a Grand Final) like any game, but they’d be lying to you. You’ve got to enjoy it and you’ve got to celebrate it… I think everybody now is about enjoying it and living in the moment. I don’t shy away from the fact that I think this should be more of a celebration and I would suggest Old Carey the same.

“Everyone sacrifices so much to play Amateur footy… For these young men to experience this in their lifetime, to work hard towards a goal and achieve something – I think that’s fantastic and… I think you’ve just got to celebrate and you’ve got to embrace it.

“They’re a quick running side and they like to get open, they like to score out the back. They’ve obviously got some good players that have got some good wheels, so we’ve got to be mindful of that but we’re going to promote our strengths and what we do well… Hopefully, we can take a little bit away from their game and promote a lot of what we do well.”

Listen to the Premier C Men’s Grand Final preview from the 38 minute mark on the VAFA Podcast:

Catch every moment of the PREMIER C GRAND FINAL LIVE & FREE on VAFA.com.au from 2.30pm Saturday.