This week the Renegades Reserves team is preparing for their very first final in an elimination semi against rivals St Mary’s, a large and strong list who’s senior team won the Division 1 Premiership last year.

As the Ressies get excited, a bit nervous and start carb loading, we sat down with their well-loved coach Andy to ask him how the team has grown over the past two seasons since their inception.

Tell us about the Ressies

The Renegades Ressies only began last season as a development team, enduring a few three figure scoreline against them, but by seasons end had improved hugely to notch their first win and go within a kick of winning another. A huge surge in interest saw more than eighty players roll up to the Renegades, with diverse backgrounds, skills, motivation and abilities, a couple even having played footy before!

How have they gone this season?

Despite the difficulty of such a huge list, the team forged their own identity and spirit and despite a big loss or two grew in to an ultra competitive team, with an uncompromising tackling and pressure game that saw them grind out many great wins. The biggest sign of the rapid and ongoing improvement is the 144 point difference in the scores between the first and second round games against Old Geelong.

What are you expecting in their final this weekend?

They will face a St Mary’s side they have pushed in both meetings, being within three and five goals, but no matter what happens on the scoreboard, each and every player will have walked off the field improved and have being part of the coming together of a really tight and terrific team.