BERWICK has only been comprehensively beaten twice in 2009 and both those defeats came at the hands and feet of this Saturday’s elimination-final opponent Narre Warren.

The Magpies will take to the spacious Toomuc Reserve with a heap of confidence, knowing that the Wickers have not come any closer than seven goals to them in their two meetings.

However finals are a different ballgame and Berwick coach Glenn Dale was very keen to point that out.

“I watched Narre Warren play at Pakenham a couple of weeks ago, so I have an idea of the way they will set up,” he said.

“We will change it up this week and it will be a different style. We have to because they’ve had our measure easily to date. They’re the only ones who have, so it will be a great challenge.

“They play the kick-and-run brand of football and that’s the modern game, but I think we can beat them providing we play our best footy. We have to be ferocious around the ball.

“We’ve both got everything to lose this week.”

The Wickers will rely on their height advantage and the aerial skills of Brett Robinson, David VanDiemen and Jason Heath, but will likely lose key ruckman Dale Robinson who injured a shoulder last weekend.

Their opponent also suffered casualties in the final home-and-away round with key playmaker Daniel Borninkhof and youngster Chris Lee both doubtful starters.

However the inclusion of experienced trio Glenn Hamilton, Steven Kidd and Jarrod Anderson is a massive plus.

Coach Matt Shinners was cautiously confident his side could progress to next week.

“We go into finals in good form, but what happened in the home-and-away season means nothing now,” he said.

“You have to play good footy for four quarters in finals. We will refocus our attention and freshen up for a huge effort.

“We look forward to the game. I’m really happy with where we’ve got to and now this group has an opportunity to play a final and you never know, anything can happen in finals.”

Despite Shinners’ dismissal of the past 18 weeks, Narre Warren’s dominance of the Wickers in every department on both occasions will have established a serious mental barrier at the Edwin Flack Reserve.

Heath is the Wickers’ key, but he can’t play at both ends of the ground and with spearhead Grant Noonan badly out of form since returning from a facial injury, Heath must play as an attacking option for Berwick to cause an upset.

That scenario is unlikely with Magpie veteran Brett Evans, Dylan Piening and star on-baller Michael Collins in great touch around goals, fed brilliantly and consistently by the running teenage midfield led by Justin Marriott, Jackson Parker and Nathan Brewster.

Berwick will apply the screws, but the Magpies will be too slick in the end.