By RUSSELL BENNETT
LET’S cut straight to the chase – the Pakenham Silverbacks will this Sunday play the biggest game in their history and they need your support.
They’ll face off against the Bendigo Dragons from 1.30pm this Sunday on Rawling Field at Sydney Pargeter Reserve in Endeavour Hills.
The winner earns the right to battle it out for the Gridiron Victoria Division 2 championship at the Latrobe City Sports and Entertainment Stadium, in Morwell, on 15 August.
“There’s a fair bit of excitement around the club – we’ve got a lot of belief we can knock them off,” said Kane Latham, one of the Silverbacks’ inaugural players, about this Sunday’s game.
The Dragons finished on top of the Division 2 standings with nine wins from their 10 games – including 42-0 and 22-0 wins over the Silverbacks in their two encounters.
But Latham and his Pakenham team-mates have the belief that they can cause something special.
He said their training had been reflective of their belief in each other, and of their cause and he praised coach Paul Tindall, who only started at the club this season.
“Getting everyone on board and on the same page at a gridiron club can be a difficult job, but he’s done it really well,” Latham said.
Adam Kolinski was the Gridiron Victoria Division 2 MVP last season but he made the switch from linebacker to running back for 2015.
The results have been stunning.
“He’s averaged probably 100 yards and had 11 touchdowns, and that’s even with sitting out four games due to an ankle injury,” Latham said, adding that Dan Salvar – who switched from tight end to the defensive line – had also been “phenomenal” and was really one to watch this week.
Latham also heaped praise on quarterback Steve Mclean, saying “he just works so hard”.
“He takes harder hits than anyone else on our team, but he’s not afraid to keep the ball – he’s fearless and we’re lucky to have him.
“He’s definitely one of the better quarterbacks in Division 2.
“A lot of the guys in this league are really experienced but his only in his second season. He’s the sort of guy you build around.”
Latham said the Silverbacks had to be wary of the Dragons’ linebacker core this weekend, which includes star Bruce Fu.
“If we turn the ball over or don’t execute our plays someone like him will do a lot of damage to us,” he said.
“He’s fast, mobile and strong.”
The Silverbacks have faced an incredible amount of adversity with their fixture this season – having travelled to Bendigo, Ballarat, Reservoir and Morwell multiple times.
This game at Endeavour Hills is the closest thing they’ve had to a home game all season.
“That’s probably the hardest thing,” Latham said.
“It’s hard to get your mates to watch in Reservoir – you can’t expect blokes to travel that far, and it’s week in, week out leaving at 6am to play a game in Bendigo at 10, and you may not get home until midnight.
“It gets pretty taxing.”
“We’d just love to see as many locals – friends, family, and junior players – there as possible.
“It’s the biggest game we’ve ever played and we can win it and make a real statement.”
Latham’s Silverbacks team-mate, and club founder and president Richie Howlett said of the game this week: “Making the finals this year really validates all the hard work put in by the players, coaches and committee.
“Being our closest game to Pakenham this year, we’re really looking forward to the sideline support from family, friends and local fans to give us the edge in what’s going to be a tough game.”
