Port Kembla's Karouna Micheal (with the ball) and fellow team members at training ahead of their grand final qualifier. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
IPL
One team's "wounded" stars are on the mend while their opponents were forced to recall the entire squad of their already eliminated youth grade team to make ends meet.
Welcome to another week on the road to the Illawarra Premier League grand final.
For red-hot favourites Dapto Dandaloo, still smarting from an extra-time stumble against Bulli last weekend, their stocks are nearing their highest value for a while.
Leading scorer Chris Smith is on track for a return, long-term absentee Kieran Deane is available for selection, and David Reid finally has a few minutes under his belt. Shot-stopper Mitchell Blowes is the only big name likely to be watching from the sideline.
For Port Kembla, riding a torrent of momentum to now be one game away from the grand final, only Lachlan Fetterplace is a definite non-starter on the injury front. Nuno Pires and William Mobbs are suspended.
But it didn't stop coach Stuart Beedie from safeguarding a squad carrying several problems after also going to extra time in last week's sudden death win over Tarrawanna.
"It was a casualty ward when we came in for training on Tuesday," Beedie said. "I had to call the whole youth team back in on Tuesday to see who we had for Sunday.
"There's a lot of belief going around in the team at the moment. It's not easy to capture and I'm sure if any manager could encapsulate it and produce it when they want to [they would].
"If you're playing with confidence and determination it takes a pretty strong outfit to hold you out."
That's precisely what they'll meet tomorrow.
Despite relying on goal difference to wrest the league title away from Bulli, not qualifying for the grand final directly is nothing new for the Fury's decorated elder statesmen.
They won the 2010 grand final with Dandaloo against Port Kembla after qualifying through the preliminary final.
"Everyone was very disappointed we got done last week, but we've licked our wounds and got on with it," coach Norm Boardman said.
"It's been a bit of a disrupted [preparation], to say the least, as we've got a few wounded.
"But if we play as good as we did last week we should come home with the chocolates."
Beedie downplayed any suggestion his side would be advantaged by the game being played at Wetherall Park.
It's the second time in as many weeks Dapto Dandaloo will venture into enemy territory after the club agreed not to lodge an application to host a finals game.
While admitting his side was bracing for a Fury backlash, Beedie said the Wetherall Park surface would probably even help the treble-chasing Dandaloo side.
"In fairness it might even favour them," he said. "It's probably one of the best surfaces in the league and they have a lot of good players in their side."