Perth Football League: Trinity-Aquinas up for another crack at grand final glory against Kingsway

Trinity-Aquinas coach Adam Pickering says he doesn’t need to use last year’s grand final heartbreak to motivate his players ahead of another crack at a decider.

The Boomers face Kingsway in Saturday’s Perth Football League grand final, a year after they were run down in the final quarter by Curtin Uni-Wesley.

They edged a strong field to win this year’s minor premierships, with six teams in the mix for top spot in a dramatic final month of the home-and-away season.

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“I don’t think it’s required because they know all about it already,” Pickering said.

“We’ve only got, I think, five new guys from last year’s team so the majority of the 22 played in last year’s grand final. There’s no need for me to mention it. They know what it’s about and I’m sure they remember what happened.

“A lot of those older guys that are running around ... they are all old heads so they have been in some big games, they know what it’s all about and they are pretty focused on getting the job done.”

It’s a side that includes former Perth players Haydn Busher and Michael Sinclair as well as PFL veterans Ryan Vermeersch and Ryan Van Beek.

Kingsway have had an influx of talent from Subiaco since they won the 2021 premiership — their first-ever A-Grade flag — including league best-and-fairest Jaxon McGowan.

But their depth has still been tested.

“We have added some good quality people and experience to the group and it’s just a really strong squad,” Kingsway coach Jackson Harwood said.

“I think we have played 41 players this year in our side through injury and that sort of thing. It has been a whole-squad approach.

Harwood said McGowan has had a significant influence on his group.

“It is great to get some homegrown talent back to the footy club. He’s a great kid, loves his footy and he really dedicates himself to the Kingsway footy club,” he said.

“But above all he is just one of the boys and he is just a really valued member of our side and very good footballer as well obviously.”

Kingsway won both home-and-away matches between the two sides, including their round five clash by one point, but the Boomers shot into the grand final by winning their meeting in the first final.