By JARROD POTTER
ONE last challenge stands between Hallam Senior College and another state football championship … and it’s their time-tested schoolboys rival.
A perennial fixture in the School Sport Victoria (SSV) Premier grand final in recent years, Hallam SC had to take their hard-edged football nationally to the final hurdle against Essendon Keilor College on Wednesday afternoon.
Wins against Erindale College and Mater Dei Catholic, Box Hill College, Palm Beach Currumbin and Bendigo Catholic College ensured the Hallam lads would make the grand final once again.
The team has yet to be finalised for the clash, with TAC Cup and club football to get through this week, but Hallam SC coach Manny Peresso believes it will be a power-packed Hallam line-up that takes to Trevor Barker Beach Reserve on Wednesday.
“We’ve got a really good squad this year and a lot of depths, going from our Year 10s all the way to our Year 12s,” Peresso said.
With talent up and down the field and throughout the TAC Cup ranks – including Dandenong Stingrays players Phil Raso, Jordan Stewart and Sean Nicholson and Gippsland Power’s Jai Rout and Anthony Young – the Hallam side has the arsenal necessary to get the job done, and Peresso believes their condition above all else will see his charges run out the clash.
Vic Country duo Kurt Mutimer and Bailey Rice remain in the mix for selection as well to round out a power-packed TAC Cup laden outfit.
“There’s always a lot to improve, but our depth is something we haven’t had the last few years and we’ve had boys come in and play their role.
“We’ve got a good mix of TAC Cup players with Power’s Jai Rout, Anthony Young and a few Stingrays boys in Phil and Sean Nicholson – still got to see if Kurt Mutimer and Bailey Rice could be cleared as well,” Peresso said.
“Our strength is that the condition of the boys this year is great – I’m confident that they’ll be able to run out the four quarters no matter the size of the ground.
“They’re all quite condition-strong, fit and ready to go.
“They’re a close group and always play for each other – so it’s been fantastic to coach them and I’m really proud of their efforts so far and hopefully they can take that next step and win a state final.”
Victory ensures Hallam’s passage into the Herald Sun Shield – to battle against some of the best private schools in the state- but Peresso isn’t concerned with what could be as he sets his sights on Wednesday alone for the time being.
“We’ve only played in the Herald-Sun Shield once before – maybe five or six years ago – and we didn’t go so well then, I suppose it’s one step at a time and there’s still a big match we need to get through first,” Peresso said.
“It’s exciting to know there’s potentially more football ahead of us if we can get across the line against Essendon Keilor though.”
The SSV Football Premier League final will be held at Trevor Barker Oval, Sandringham, from noon on Wednesday.
Applications are still open for Hallam Senior College’s Sports Academy in 2016.
For more information, contact the school on 9703 1266.
