MGFNL Season 2026 - Grand Final Preview

After a huge pre-season, eighteen rounds of home and away footy and three weeks of finals we find ourselves back where we were this time last year, a Grand Final between Foster and Fish Creek. Unlike this time last year however it is Foster, the team that dropped only a single game all season, that go into the decider as favourites.   

With a near on full list to choose from the Tigers have had a Bart Cummings like preparation with everything seemingly timed for the side to peak on that one day in December.

Fish Creek on the other hand have had a tougher year. Some significant admin issues, some in-season player movement, injuries to the wrong players at the wrong time of the season but still here they are, again, in the Premiership decider.

And if we know anything about Fish Creek come the last game of the year, they know how to get things done. So, you can rest assured whether or not it is their best twenty-two that run out onto the park at Meeniyan on Saturday the boys in red and white will be up for the contest.

And what a contest it promises to be. Gun forwards, dominant defenders and arguably <hides under desk> perhaps the single best crew midfielders across the two teams to ever be assembled on Grand Fial Day.

So, starting with the obvious- Foster has two unbelievable forwards. The coach Jake Best and his partner in crime Brett Eddy (you can work out who is Batman and who is Robin for yourselves) have kicked over two thousand career goals between them. This year alone they have slotted one-hundred and forty-five majors between them. To put that in perspective those two players alone scored more than six clubs did across the whole season.

Oh, and they have a few other guys that can kick goals as well. Shaun Chaseling has two bags of seven in the season to go with his two bags of six. And Jack Flavelle has a six, a five and a pair of fours to his name. And don’t sleep on Big Mick Cooke either if he takes to the park on Saturday, while playing further up the ground this year he too can fill his boots if allowed near the big sticks.

At the opposite end Fishy have, or had, their own jet, in Charlie Wilson. The have or had reference is reflective of Wilson not taking to the field in the Prelim after an injury the week before. With this being a Grand Final here is a strong case to say he plays as quite frankly even on one leg he is potentially more of a threat than the Creek’s next best.

Wilson has averaged towards five goals a game this year and was in serious form entering into the finals kicking six of his sides thirteen against Tarwin and seven of nine against MDU before succumbing to his injury. Fair to say he is a critical piece of the puzzle.

So, what did Fishy do without him last week? They threw a decent old curve ball at Yinnar starting Thomas Cameron, their second highest goal scorer of the year, on the pine and shared the load. Some different names materialised closer to goal and they spread the load, kicking a dozen majors with only two players kicking multiples.

Each team also has an array of defenders the envy of most clubs. They have the types that run off an create, the type that will follow their opponents to the showers, and the type that niggle and annoy to the point of workplace bullying- and don’t we, and their coaches, love those types!!!

Foster has Liam Bentley, and Josh Toner that can win their position and then generate from behind the footy. Then they have the likes of James Morris, Aaron Rhodes and Craig Wray who can lock down and make any forwards day a misery.

Fishy have perennial team of the year Centre Half Back Jack Hayes to catch and release the Sherrin from half back. Kairon Dorling and Jaicob Kenny play a similar role with the coach Jarrod Walker, Tom Valenta and Jack Davis being more of your shut down types.

One thing is for sure there won’t be too many soft kills in the respective forward fifty’s so regardless of the match up the defenders will earn their keep this week.

Through-out the middle of the ground there are match ups for days! The two league medal winners Fish Creek’s Jackson Wiedmann and Foster’s Jack Weston may well go head-to-head. And that battle alone is worth whatever it costs to get in the ground on Saturday.  

Then you have Tom Scnieder, Dylan Williams, Bailey Angwin and former league medallist Angus Norton doing their thing for Foster.

And what of Luke Tapscott, the former AFL player come Tiger who played five games mid-year, does he or doesn’t he this week?

Fishy too have options with the Kangaroos throwing the likes of Blaine Coates, Luke Williams, Tim Gavenlock and Jacob Lamers into the midfield mix.

And of course, then we have the ruck battle. Both sides have predominately gone with a single ruckman in the latter half of the year with Rhett Wiedemann shouldering most of the work for Fishy and Jack Rathjen doing the same for Foster. Foster, earlier in the year ran with Mitch Allott and Rathjen but have latterly elected to play Allott in the early game.

So, with all that said and done does a slightly banged up Fish Creek have a legitimate shot at rolling the reigning champs? You better believe they do, not just because it is Fish Creek and they have a history of getting things done at this time of the year but because they have some genuine stars who have refused to lay down all year and won’t do so come Saturday.

For the sake of a tip, you’d have to lean toward Foster with their healthier list and deeper front half, but having tipped the loser over the last two weeks maybe that’s all it will take for Fish Creek to do the improbable. Again.

So, whilst I clearly have no idea based on my tips over the finals series to the men who are paid to know- the leagues other coaches. As most have done all year they were kind enough to offer their thoughts on the winner, the margin and best on ground.

In order of receipt:

Brendan Mason, outgoing Boolarra coach:

Foster by 52 points with Shaun Chaseling to be BOG

Troy Shepherdson, outgoing Stony Creek coach:

Foster by 22 with Brett Eddy best on with 7 goals

Lachie Jones, outgoing Tarwin coach (but staying to play)

Foster by 31 with Liam Bentley BOG

Damien Turner, Mirboo North coach

Foster by 22points - Lachie Rathjen best on.

Sam Mchulloch , Yinnar coach

Foster by 15 points with Brett Eddy best afield

Tom Hallinan, Hill End coach 

Foster, 5 pts. BOG, B Eddy

So, there you have it a clean sweep for Foster with margins ranging from 5 to 52 points and Brett Eddy the most popular pick for Best on Ground!