As Strathmore aims to complete the perfect season in Airport Toyota Division One, Burnside Heights is aiming to pull off the upset.
Not many people would have been surprised to see both sides in the final game of the year heading into the season.
Both sides have been on a journey, not just this year, to make it through to the grand final.
Strathmore has been on a journey the last four years to get back to the final day of the season in Airport Toyota Division One.
The Mores beat Greenvale in the 2022 decider in a dominant performance to get their shot in Premier Division.
Just three players from that team, Clara Toperosa, Maeve Langston, and Yasmin Welsford, played in the side’s qualifying final win this season.
Premier Division was tough as they struggled for numbers and while they were competitive, they won just two games and dropped straight back to Division One.
Last year was even harder as they again struggled for numbers and combined with Pascoe Vale to field a side, which didn’t get many wins.
While the senior side has struggled, the Mores Under 18.5 program has been strong and that's where the rebuild has come from.
Shaun Bannister coached that side last season and stepped up into the senior role this season.
With a talented group of youngsters, the club then looked to add some experience to the line up.
While some of those players weren't seen in Mores colours due to VFLW commitments, others have played major roles for the side.
Talia Motta, Elisha Wain, Flavia Rajapakse, Yasmine Guzel, Tahlia Plant, and Amelia Marino all crossed from other EDFL sides.
The good off season had the Mores as premiership favourites and it has proven to be correct.
Undefeated, no one got close to them.
Offensively they are the best side in the competition. Defensively, they conceded on average a miserly five points a game.
Burnside Heights on the other hand has built perfectly as the season has gone on.
Coming off last year’s grand final, which they could have easily won, the Bears had an off season of change.
They had a number of key players depart, while Krissy Trang earned a VFLW contract and skipper Kayla Ravanello was pregnant.
Coach Michael Davis said they were aiming to hit their straps about Round 10 and build from there.
He was spot on.
After starting the season in the VFLW, Trang has been back with the Bears doing what she does best.
Those VFLW games might be the only thing that stops her from a fourth league best and fairest award.
Ravanello returned and while she’s still had a big impact, the side hasn’t relied on her to do a lot of the heavy lifting and kick bags of goals.
That has been the biggest thing for the Bears this season, the development of their squad and the injection of youth.
There’s more spread and more contributors each week.
The Bears' finals series has been impressive.
The first half of the elimination final against Westmeadows was described as flawless by Davis.
Their preliminary final win against Keilor Park, which they hadn’t beaten this season, was even more impressive.
All that matters for little come Saturday.
The Mores will go in as favourites and deserve to be.
Burnside Heights has kicked just one goal in each of its two losses to the Mores.
In the second match up in Round 7, the Mores kicked 21.11 (137), the highest score of the Division One season.
The Mores will love the big ground of Coburg City Oval to allow them to use their pace along with their run and carry.
For the Bears, the experience of 12 months ago will only help them.
Ten players from the preliminary final played in the grand final and it has only driven them this year.
Both sides have been part of that Premier Division competition in recent years and are determined to get back into the top flight.
Come 5pm on Saturday, one of them will have achieved that.
