Bulli's Ben McDonald fends off Dapto Dandaloo's Alvin Ceccoli. The two teams will face off in the premier league grand final. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI
All year Bulli have been jumping the bar.
Not seasoned enough to challenge for the finals? That one was easily cleared.
Couldn't sustain enough momentum to earn a double chance in the finals? Ditto.
Surely not capable of launching an assault on the league title? Dapto Dandaloo and their precious goal-difference cushion now suggest otherwise.
But grand final week, surely that's got to be a little different for this young side, who just don't know when they're beaten?
"Our guys aren't really fazed by it," Bulli captain David Buchanan said. "We've got some pretty calm guys."
You can say that again for a team who has been behind more times than coach Ben Smith cares to remember - and only lost one game since mid-May.
"I think everyone has been saying that obviously [Dapto] Dandaloo has got the experience going into the grand final, but experience can work in both ways," Buchanan said.
"If we get ahead or the game goes longer and longer, I think that might work in our favour as well. The young guys, all year, have performed later in games and kept a cool head."
The Fury's sizeable edge in big games is not lost on the youngest member of their likely starting side, Ryan Emerton.
He will patrol the right touchline as part of a back four featuring players who have proven records at higher levels and the benefit of a tough preliminary final win against Port Kembla.
"Personally, I hate having the week off," Emerton said. "We have a lot of experienced players who will keep cool heads. For me it's been great playing alongside Ceccs [Alvin Ceccoli] and [Noel] Spencer. They're always offering advice on positioning."
Perhaps age is the only thing that separates the two sides, which both employ similar footballing styles under coaches with vastly different sets of experience.
Dapto Dandaloo mentor Norm Boardman hinted his side will feature a couple of personnel changes in a bid to trump Bulli for the first time in their fourth attempt this season.
Stuart Lowrie has overcome a leg knock and will be fit to take his spot in a full-strength Bulli outfit, who are yet to find their limit.
"Like Benny stated earlier in the season, we started playing a few games in the pre-season and we realised the talent we had on offer," Buchanan said.
