COLTS GRAND FINAL PREVIEW

COLTS GRAND FINAL PREVIEW | v EF

The very last game of top level men’s football in 2026 will be in twilight at Optus Stadium on Sunday and it just happens to be a Colts Grand Final derby when South Fremantle takes on East Fremantle.

Derbies are big anytime and there’s nothing bigger than a Grand Final derby and that’s exactly what the case will be on Sunday at Optus Stadium with the game between the Bulldogs and Sharks getting underway at 4:40pm.

It’s a second straight Grand Final appearance in the Colts as well for South Fremantle as they attempt to go one better this year than losing last year to Claremont on the big day.

South Fremantle haven’t won a Colts premiership since all the way back in 2011 and 2012 when they went back-to-back with teams that featured the likes of Adam Carter, Brendan Verrier, Brendon Ah Chee, Haiden Schloithe, Jason Maskos, Josh Bootsma, Mason Shaw, Shane Kersten, Steve Verrier, Tim Kelly, Blaine Johnson, Dylan Main, Tom Vandeleur and Ben Sokol.

Now after last year’s loss in the Grand Final to Claremont who made it a premiership hat-trick, South Fremantle have another shot at the prize this Sunday against East Fremantle.

The Bulldogs finished the home and away season in second position with a 13-3 record before losing to Claremont in the qualifying final only to hit back in the first semi-final against West Perth and then in the preliminary final against Claremont.

East Fremantle, meanwhile, finished as minor premiers to earn the week off to start the finals before beating the Tigers in the second semi-final and then having another break ahead of Sunday’s Grand Final.

The two teams met twice through the home and away season starting on Foundation Day with East Fremantle winning a tight battle by 12 points.

The return encounter was in Round 19 at The Good Grocer Park with the Sharks also scoring the 44-point victory.

It’s a second straight Grand Final appearance for South Fremantle in the Colts but only Byron Foster, Zac Godwin, Cam Maynard, Jack McAuliffe, Riley Stannard and Heath Wilson remain who will have played in both games.

South Fremantle coach Matt Rogers has an outlook on how he will get his team to approach handling the pressure heading into a Grand Final on Sunday.

“I deep dived on this and we basically define pressure as something that only exists when you try to control things that you can’t control,” Rogers said.

“So if you actually dumb it down and figure out what you can control, the pressure will naturally alleviate itself so for the playing group, I’ll probably challenge them on Friday to write down three things that they can control on Sunday.

“And then as a result of that, they’ll find that if they just focus on those things then all the other pressure disappears.

“The pressure is certainly only put on by worrying about umpiring decisions, worrying about scoreboard, worrying about an East Fremantle player having 25 touches at half-time. You can’t control those things so it’s about narrowing our focus.”

Bulldogs co-captain Chace Vanderhoek has already had a big week winning the Jack Clarke Medal as the best player in the Colts this season on Monday night and can’t wait for the derby Grand Final.

“I’m feeling great, keen, excited and I really can’t wait and being around it last year and getting the disappointment of not playing, and not winning in the end, I think it’s going to put me in really good stead for this year,” Vanderhoek said.

“That rivalry is 100 per cent real and you go that extra level and you’re playing for more than yourself, you’re playing for your club and all the oldies at the club that hate East Freo so much, and so do we.

“I go to school with some of them and that adds a bit more as well so it’s definitely real.”

Fellow co-captain Jack McAuliffe is fresh off three goals in the preliminary final win against Claremont with the Bulldogs making do up forward without leading goalkicker Sam Hookham.

He can’t wait for a second chance to play on the Grand Final stage.

“I’m feeling really good and I was fortunate enough to play last year but to come up through with a new group of boys is really exciting to have come this far but also to get some experiences and share it with new people, and get ready to crack in,” McAuliffe said.

“Obviously playing on a bigger stage is always exciting and even the people there, you get your family and friends and the people watching the League from before all there.

“It’s mainly for us about just focusing on the things that you can control and getting excited that you’re even getting to play on this stage.”