General News
27 November, 2019
Locals prepare for pennant showdown
FRIENDSHIPS on the bowling green will be put aside for a couple of hours when arch-rivals Terang Green and Mortlake Blue meet this weekend.
FRIENDSHIPS on the bowling green will be put aside for a couple of hours when arch-rivals Terang Green and Mortlake Blue meet this weekend.
The round six Western District Bowls Division clash will pit the third placed Lakers against bottom side Terang Green at Terang Bowling Club on Saturday in a rivalry clash for the ages.
Mortlake selector Darren Grant said his side was eager to knock over their nemesis.
“They are a traditional rival so we don’t like losing to Terang full stop,” he said.
“I know the fellas over there pretty well so I don’t mind letting them know that.
“We definitely want to win this game, we’re quite confident about our chances and we’ll be going in at 110 per cent.”
The two clubs enter in differing form – Mortlake has won three of their five matches while Terang is yet to record a win – but both lost their most recent games.
But Grant said regardless of form and ladder positions, his side needed to be careful of Terang’s ability given the healthy rivalry.
He said the two clubs enjoyed tough battles in recent years and said he expected Saturday to be no different.
“It traditionally has been a tough game against them,” he said.
“They’re always hard fought games with Terang so we have to be a bit careful with them.”
Terang bowler Jamie Heffernan said both sides would need the win for contrasting reasons.
“We have to win to be basically any chance of getting off the bottom and Mortlake is in the same boat if they want to make finals,” he said.
“They’re going well which is good to see, it’s good to see the smaller clubs doing well which is good for the competition.
“They’ve picked up a couple of handy players like Shane Cashill, he’s come from Colac and has played at Koroit, so he’s strengthened them.
“But it’s good to see them going well.”
Heffernan said his side did not want to concede bragging rights to their rivals and would enjoy a fierce battle on the green.
“Both teams want to beat the other so we’ll definitely go hammer and tong at it but we’ll share a drink after it,” Heffernan said.
“We’ll both go at it because Mortlake like beating us and we like beating them.”