TWENTY years ago the Moree Boomerangs claimed grand final victories in both A-grade and reserve grade.
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This Sunday, the club has a chance to mark the two-decade anniversary with similar performances in the A-grade and reserve grade deciders when they host the Group 19 grand final at Burt Jovanovich Oval.
For reserve grade, it’s their fifth successive grand final appearance.
They will hope to go one step further than last year when they were defeated by Armidale 26-22 in controversial circumstances.
Club president, Mitchell Johnson, said the club was proud of the recent success of the side.
“If success on the field is measured by finals appearances, our reserve grade team continues to be one of the most successful in Group 19,” he said.
Later on Sunday afternoon, the A-grade side will aim to create history in being the first team in the club to go back-to-back when they clash with Inverell.
Most believe it’s a foregone conclusion, but coach Chris Binge said his side would not subscribe to that theory.
“We’re not going to get caught in people’s perception of what’s going to happen and what’s not going to happen. We’re just worrying about what we can control,” he said.
Binge acknowledged the playing group as one of the best he had been involved with and said they realised the job was not done yet.
"I’m a Boomerang club man through and through."
- CHRIS BINGE
“Their work ethic and the way they commit themselves has been outstanding. Nothing has come without hard work,” he said.
“You’ve got to turn up to grand finals with the right attitude and you’ve got to turn up in the right frame of mind to do the job that needs to get done on the day. The job’s not complete until we get the right result on Sunday.”
While his side has been at the top of their game for many years, he said it had not become boring and repetitive.
“Coaching is never boring,” he said.
“When it gets to that point, you say it’s time to move on. I’m lucky to be involved with a club like ours.
“We’re always reinventing the wheel and I always look for that little bit extra that I can introduce to the team that keeps it interesting. It’s about reinventing yourself as a coach and if you do that you can reinvent the playing group.”
Binge said he would not be looking for a new challenge even if his side was to register successive grand final wins on Sunday afternoon.
“That’s a decision that will be made by the committee in time, but I’m a Boomerang club man through and through,” he said.
“I’ve been here since I was a kid and I’m passionate about what I do, I’m passionate about the club and I’m passionate about the playing group that I’ve got at the moment.
“But there’s still 80 minutes to go.”
Reserve grade will kick off at 12.30pm with first grade to start about 2.30pm.