West Sydney Berries and St George meet for the second time in a fortnight and the fourth time this year when the two sides clash in the Super League final this coming Sunday at Lidcombe Oval (3pm).
It is one step from a consecutive Grand Final appearance for St George while the Berries will be keen to salvage the Championship from their season following their second placing in the Premiership.
West Sydney Berries would have to start as slight favourites when taking into account their superior record over the Saints this season. The three games to date have seen two victories to the Berries, the most recent being the preliminary semi final, and a draw on the opening day of the season. But there is really little between the two sides, the closeness of the last match suggesting that this weekend will see something similar. It took a send off and a penalty to separate the two sides last time and the two defences are likely to play another large part in this game.
As they have all season, St George will be relying on the central defensive partnership of Mark Bariamis and Michael Smith to repel the Berries frontline. Bariamis has been an ever present for the Saints this year, playing every minute of every match, including Waratah Cup, while Smith has missed just the one game all season. Allied with the dependable Daniel Nash in goals, it will take a Berries strike force needing to be at the top of their game to breach St George.
Simon Verrender will return after missing the win over Macarthur Rams, due to suspension, and his influence will play a huge part in the centre for St George. Likewise Ivo de Jesus and Reuben Lagos, who will be looking to unlock that Berries defence. Up front, the Saints may lean again to James Kovas, who scored a double last weekend, and who will be keen to score against his old club.
But, like St George, the Berries have a very tough backline. The very experienced Jack Sobczyk and Damon Collina won’t take any prisoners and with Phil Zabaks in goal, “goals against” are not something the Berries are used to. Only once in the past eight games have the Berries conceded more than one goal and they are yet to concede in the finals series. It all points to another low score affair.
Though with a strike force which includes Dimitri Zakilas, Kodjo Adjassou and John Tsironis, anything can happen. With Stefan de Jesus and Ante Deur in the middle, and also likely to pop up with a goal, the Berries have any number who can hit the back of the net.
How it pans out, we can only wait and see. There is a strong historical connection between the two clubs with Bariamis and Kovas playing in the Berries colours last season, while captain Ante Deur and Berries coach Steve Karavatakis have both pulled on the red-and–white in years gone by.
It should be a close game and a good one and one well worth watching.
-By Peter Rowney
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