SANDRINGHAM Dragons have already joined the rather exclusive group of teams to have made four consecutive Coates Talent League Grand Finals. On Saturday, they’ll hope to join the powerhouse Northern Knights side of the 1990s in converting each appearance into premierships.

Coach Rob Harding has been at the helm for the last two flag successes, while core playing trio Xavier Bamert, Jack Dalton, and Sam Buck will hope to become two-time premiership players. For the remainder of the group, the chance to break through for their maiden title awaits.

Regardless of the turnover in personnel each year, it is no secret the Dragons know how to get it done in the back-end of the season. For a squad which boasts 70 players, Harding says the last five to six weeks have marked a more “settled” period, and one in which his side has hit its peak.

“With this group in particular, I felt back in preseason the social and personal connection amongst this group was really strong, and throughout the year it’s been a bit of more of a journey for our football to catch up to that,” Harding said.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how they’ve come together as a group in the last six weeks. I think our football has matured a lot through this last little block… I’m excited to see what our group can produce. Over the last five, six weeks we’ve been first class and we’ve played a real finals brand of footy.”

As is almost inevitable, the Dragons are littered with high-end talent. Led by Bamert, the midfield group has been a driving force for Sandringham’s irresistible late-season run. An run they do. While the skipper and Dalton garner much of the fanfare, Harding says others will be just as important to the cause.

“The hallmark of this team is the evenness, and I think there’s a lot of guys that could bob up and have an impact on Grand Final day,” Harding said. “What we’ve seen in recent weeks, our midfield group [of] Dalton, Bamert, Kye Fincher, Sacha Levine and Gus Teixeira have been really consistent… they all have a massive impact on what we do.

“Sacha’s the one for me. The role he plays and his attention to detail in what he does, the discipline in what he does, and how he compliments our midfield group. He plays the role that Cooper Lord and Luke Kennedy played in recent years and those guys have both ended up on AFL lists. I certainly hope Sacha does as well because he plays a role that helps everyone else showcase their talents.

“We’ve [also] got guys all through our four half in particular that I think can bob up and have an impact. They’re a tough group to defend in terms of versatility. We’ve got speed and we’ve got guys that can jump and catch it. I’d certainly like to think our forwards will get an opportunity to get up and have an impact on the weekend.”

While a versatile attacking third is sure to give the opposition headaches, it will be without three arguably starting 18 players. Spearhead forward Archie Ludowyke and crafty small Ricky Theodoropoulos both suffered season-ending knee injuries, while 2024 premiership player Jack Surkitt is also sidelined.

Even without those players, Sandringham’s recent run has been solid as ever. Although, one team lays claim to being the form side of the competition – fellow grand finalists, Eastern Ranges. The top-ranked Metro seed has won nine games on the trot, and even handed Sandringham its last defeat.

“We spoke about it as a coaching group in selection last night and really there was nothing for us to take out of that game,” Harding said. “They were terrific. Their contest pressure was fantastic, they really beat us up around the ball and they’ve had a great run.

“Their finals campaign reminds me a lot of our finals campaign last year where they [have been] putting teams away pretty comfortably and are able to manage players through the last quarter. So, they’re the form team of the competition.”

With a formidable opponent ahead of them and standing in the way of history on Saturday, Harding and his Dragons come back to one thing. Trust.

“Our whole thing all year has been about building trust within the group,” he said. “I think every guy that walks out wearing a Dragons jumper on Saturday will trust the guy next to him to do their job and play their role for the team.

“Ultimately I have enormous faith and trust in this group and whatever happens on Saturday, I’m super proud of what this group’s done and how they’ve developed and progressed throughout this year.”

The Dragons and Ranges will battle it out for this year’s Coates Talent League premiership starting from 1:00pm at IKON Park.