The super experienced James Price with former junior Devils Charlie Brown and Judd Kerrison, who combined to save a try on Saturday.
The Devils will head into this Saturday’s Grand Final with a team evenly balanced with both youth and experience.
When we say youth, the squad’s youngest player is Gus Shea. At 19 years of age he was just a twinkle in his father’s eye when John
Manchester now 38, debuted for the Devils in 1999 as a 17 year old. A time when we didn’t have Covid-19 but another bug. Back then it was Y2K which was threatening the world. In the end it turned out to be less of a threat than first thought and we hope that this will be the case with Covid-19. ‘Manch’ is by no means the oldest and has Josh Mann-Rea 38 and ‘Dad’ Adam Walsh 40, to discuss the hip hop scene and the grunge metal era of the 90s with.
Covid 19 has impacted our nation and countries all over the world. The economy has been damaged and the way we live and operate in this new world is very different to that of 2019. It has provided a new perspective on life, family and work.
It has also impacted the 2020 Oilplus South West competition. The shortened format and short and sharp final series has resulted in the ultimate grudge match. Harden V Young at Harden. Two very good sides fell away at the end. Coota were again the form side this season and their losses came when they had up to 11 players out due to injury, but mainly work commitments in a couple of the middle of the comp rounds. Coach Mitch Wakeford coming from the city, quickly came to the realisation that in the bush blokes can’t put down the tools when there is work to be done. Lambs marked, crops sown, animals fed. He did a great job keeping his side on track and fell just one game short of back to back Grand Final
appearances.
Boorowa continue to build and will be a top contender in 2021. Their
recent match against Coota was a bruising encounter for both sides and this may have helped Harden and Young get over the finish line to be a part of this Saturday’s Grand Final.
For Harden it has been a 10 or 15 year wait for some fine juniors to come into senior Rugby and return to the Devils and their home town.
The dreaded Covid-19 has certainly helped in this regard. That has been the upside. A number of Harden’s players have returned to family farms to work in what looks set to be a bumper season. Working in the city or overseas has become difficult and some can work from home in the bush with a good internet connection.
No less than 10 Devils lining up on Saturday came through the Junior Devils system. Harden no longer has Junior Rugby.
Something which needs an abundance of young players, both boys and girls and a committed committee alongside coaches to be successful. Many of Harden’s juniors play with the Coota Bears nowadays and the link between the 2 communities is strong.
It may be the old Maher Cup Days of Rugby League or the old South West Rugby comp which forged the tribalism which defines our towns and villages. When it comes to playing Young, Harden will be up for it. The smaller town always wants to knock the ‘bigger brother’ off. It would be the same if Coota or Boorowa were lining up against the Yabbies.
Yabbies Coach Ned Mullany has been around for a while. He knows what it takes to win Rugby matches and his side proved this by finishing over the top of Boorowa on Saturday. Boorowa probably didn’t see it coming. When they did it was too late and the
Yabbies progressed to this Saturday’s match while Boorowa’s season was over in a flash.
The junior Devils who will make up the First Grade Harden Red Devils side will be out to make their own
history this weekend.
Jeremy Martin has had a strong year after injury should have prevented him from playing in 2020. Charlie Brown has been unstoppable and if he plays like he did against Coota against Young, Harden will go close. Shahid Khalfan first played for the Devils in 2000 in a combined Young Harden side as a 12 year old. The NSW
Country Halfback will likely line up at Fullback and will direct from the back. If you remember the Brisbane Broncos of the 90s, Khalfan reminds you of Michael Hancock, he more often than not beats the first defender.
Ed McGeoch has been one of Harden’s best backs this year and that is in a star studded backline. He is big, strong and well balanced. Expect a big game from Ed. According to Max
O’Connor’s player profile, he is still seething about losing an U10s Grand Final to Young 19 years ago. Those who know Max know that there is some humour in that comment but also a level of seriousness. He can play anywhere and is super
experienced.
Toby Haydon came to the junior Devils ranks as a 16 year old. All legs and arms like most young Second Rowers are, ‘Big Tobe’ has now filled out. He can be very good when he uses controlled aggression and keeps his body height low. He has really stepped up this year.
There are lots of people who have contributed to the Devils over the last 3 seasons but none more than Jack O’Connor who has either coached the side himself or as part of a coaching group. ‘Carrots’ is the glue that holds the side together. He is the guy on the phone making sure that everyone gets to training and he has primed his boys to peak on Saturday. He started with the Devils in 2002 but before that was running a kicking tee out to the
previous generation of Devils in James Lenehan or Danny Flanery.
Jack Alcorn at 21 knows his footy. He was playing in Canada on a working holiday before returning to Harden and joining the Devils this year. He first played for them in 2005 as a junior. Big, strong and no
nonsense Jack will be fired up and ready to go. Judd Kerrison has been scintillating in 2020. Normally a
Halfback he moved to the back 3 and his vision and speed has helped him score some spectacular tries. He first played for Harden in 2008 and will no doubt have a big game Saturday.