BFL finals 2023: Tom Ruggles says young brigade will be key to snapping Barwon Heads losing streak, avenging finals heartbreak

Drysdale is in good shape heading into the BFL playoffs, but the team will have to overcome a concerning tendency if it wants to advance and get some measure of revenge for its loss in 2022.

Drysdale player/co-coach Tom Ruggles believes his team's youth will be crucial in Saturday's match against Barwon Heads as they look to avenge the Hawks' 2022 finals loss.

Although they're in great shape heading into the finals series, the Hawks have lost their last four meetings with the Seagulls. This includes two losses to Barwon Heads in last year's finals series, which Barwon Heads won to shock Torquay and claim the BFL title.

Since their meetings in the qualifying final and preliminary final, both teams have undergone significant changes, yet sluggish starts have cost them in both of their matchups this year.

The last month has seen Drysdale defeat Geelong Ammos, the league-leading Torquay in an exciting post-siren game, and Anglesea finish second behind Barwon Heads.

And yet, the Seagulls had lost three straight games, to Torquay, Anglesea, and Ocean Grove, before the season's end.

This week, the Hawks will get Mark Case back from a concussion, but they haven't decided who will start.

Ruggles, who has 58 goals and is third in the league in that category, expressed enthusiasm about the team's young talent, including Jake Hargreaves, Bailey Sykes, Chris Tainton, and Mitch Clark.

He thinks they'll be the deciding factor in the team's first win against the Seagulls since 2010 and a step toward a senior premiership.

Ruggles acknowledged that the team had been playing well as of late, but said that the finals were "a different game" than the regular season.

"We beat Barwon Heads relatively convincingly during the season, but they beat us both times in the finals, so we are excited this year and the boys are in a bit of form; however, we must remember to keep our focus on the task at hand.

What we've accomplished successfully over the past month must dominate our attention. Both our club and theirs have undergone significant roster changes since last season, making us realise that we need to focus on our strengths and restrict their scoring opportunities.

I'm excited for our young people to take on leadership roles. Our more seasoned players have seen enough football to know what it takes to play well, but I believe that the enthusiasm and forward pressure of our younger players will be the key to victory over Barwon Heads.