Hockey season draws to a close as teams prepare to battle it out in finals

The Geraldton Hockey Association will come to a close this weekend as teams gear up for Saturday’s grand finals.

Casuals will once again face Rovers in this year’s men’s A-Grade final.

Casuals will be heavily favoured to defend their title after dropping just a single match all season, finishing 20 points clear of the Rovers in second, and are odds on to complete a three-peat.

Their last match was a close 2-1 result but the Rovers will have to pull out something special to upset them in the final and much may rely on the Valenti brothers.

Dan Golding, the league-leading goal scorer, will pose the biggest threat for Casuals, with match winners across the park in the likes of Ted Kerr and Brad Delane.

The women’s A-Grade will also be a repeat as Murchison will be looking to make amends for last year’s loss to the Cardinals.

It will be a tough ask as the Cardinals are looking to win an incredible fifth premiership in a row and went undefeated throughout the season, winning all 16 games with an overall goal difference of 56.

The bulk of those was scored by Gemma Dix, who finished the season with 27 goals — which is more goals than other teams managed through the regular season.

They last met in the final round of the season and the result was decided by just a single goal.

Murchison has some quality players in Alyssa Piper and Brook Elward but it’s hard to see how they can break the Cardinals’ defence.

Casuals will be looking for a men’s double as they take on Yacht Club in the reserve final.

Yacht Club will be confident after downing the Cougars in their second semi-final to hand the Casuals their first loss since June.

Both teams boast players they could slot into A-Grade and it will be a tight clash.

In the women’s A-Reserve, it is a Saints derby as Saints Gold take on Saints Black.

Gold have been the standard bearer for the grade but Black is the only team that has got the better of them this season.

But defence wins premierships and Gold have conceded just five goals this year, compared to Black’s 19, and that could be the difference on the day.

Senior Final start times:

Women’s A-Reserve: 1.30pm Saints Gold v Saints Black

Men’s A-Reserve: 3.15pm Yacht Club v Casuals

Women’s A-Grade: 5pm Cardinals v Murchison

Men’s A-Grade: 6.45pm Casuals v Rovers