Nomads out to crash Swans’ party

The Tamworth Swans will be hosting the 2022 AFL North West Grand Final where they will meet the New England Nomads.

NO HOST likes an unwelcome party crasher but that’s exactly the role the New England Nomads will be trying to play when the face the Tamworth Swans in Saturday’s Senior Men’s Grand Final.

The Tamworth Swans clearly finished on top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season, won the 2nd Semi Final and is favoured to win Saturday’s contest on home soil and walk away with the prized premiership silverware.

But the Nomads have other ideas.

Having produced a big second half against the Tamworth Kangaroos to win the 1st Semi Final then surviving a last-ditch bid by Inverell in the Preliminary Final, the Nomads are looking to keep the ball rolling on the AFL North West’s biggest day.

The strength of the New England team this year has been its flexibility with many players able to play in a variety of positions.

Clarrie Barker, Thomas Hunt, Hunter Greene and Noah Connick have bobbed up at all points of the oval at times this year which allows the Nomads to implement a Plan B, C or D depending on the status of the match.

Standing in their way though will be the Tamworth Swans.

The Swans have won two of their three meetings this year against the Nomads including a resounding 33 point victory in the wet in the last match on a wet Bellevue Oval.

The Swans will be led in the midfield by Tony Gillies Medallist Josh Jones who has enjoyed quite the partnership this year with Adam Cruickshank.

Down back it’s defenders like Dylan Beasley and Lachlan Bennetts-Inkster who’ve stood firm when the opposition have challenged them.

When the Nomads throw the challenge out on Saturday, it will be up to the hosts to decide how they treat the party crashers.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

August 6 – Tamworth Swans 10.10 (70) def New England Nomads 5.7 (37) at Armidale

July 2 – New England Nomads 15.8 (98) def Tamworth Swans 10.11 (71) at Armidale

May 14 – Tamworth Swans 15.19 (109) def New England Nomads 10.11 (71) at Tamworth (Riverside)

LIVE STREAM

Both Grand Finals on Saturday will be live streamed on YouTube. CLICK HERE for a link to the Men’s live stream.