The Magpies have been the team to beat, having finished top of the table at the end of the home-and-away season, but will face an equally formidable opponent in Congupna.
While Moama entered the finals with a near-perfect record of 17-1, it faces the team that has seemingly had its number.
Not only did the Magpies’ sole loss of the regular season come at the hands of The Road in a 55-point round 11 rout, but, they were also forced to do things the hard way having been defeated by Congupna by nine points in the second semi-final.
While Moama eventually cruised past Cobram in the prelim by 41 points, the thought of having to turn the tables on Congupna with the flag on the line is cause for concern.
Moama reserves coach Jake Kilmartin said that while The Road was an elite side that has gotten the chocolates against them, straightening the Magpies’ wayward kicking would be the key to success.
“We didn’t kick very well in the first final against Congupna, I think we kicked 5.11, and they were 8.2, so, that wasn’t the best,” he said.
“But, last week against Cobram, everything clicked and I can’t remember the exact score in the end, but yeah, we won reasonably easily.
“It’s going to be tough this week against Congupna, they’re a bloody good side.
“Their senior team hasn’t really looked like losing at all this year and their reserves are quality, we played them once in the middle of the year, and they beat us fairly easily.
“Two weekends ago if we had have kicked straight, we probably would have won, but bad kicking is bad football, as they say.
“So, it’ll be good to have another crack out of this week.”
Reflecting on the season as a whole, Kilmartin said he was surprised with how good his side has been, putting its success down to the club’s strong youth movement and top-tier coaching.
“It’s (the season) actually going a lot better than expected,” he said.
“We’ve been building the last couple of years in the reserves, we’ve been pretty close, always thereabouts.
“But, this year, all the young boys who have come up from the thirds have really stepped up, which is a bonus.
“It’s been really good because Jye Warren and Liam Barrett, they’ve put an excellent preseason in and all the boys have bought in, which is unreal.
“It’s just been one of them years when everyone’s sort of clicked.”
Kilmartin emphasised the excitement around the club in the lead-up to the grand final and the belief the side had to bring home the silverware in 2025.
“There’s nothing better than playing in a final, let alone making it to a grand final at your home venue, so the boys are up and about,” he said.
“This year we’ve been playing that team-oriented brand of footy where everyone’s playing well, and we play very well as a team.
“There is definitely belief we can do it, we’ve addressed what we did wrong against them (Congupna) two weeks to go.
“So, if we can bring what we know we can, we’re definitely a massive chance to do it.”
The reserves grand final will begin at 12.10pm at Moama Recreation Reserve.
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