One need only be a casual follower of the Bellarine league to know that the past two decades have been a battle for Newcomb.
Multiple winless seasons, too many three-figure hidings to count, and times when some wondered whether the club once known as the Dinosaurs were headed for extinction.
But things have changed at Grinter Reserve.
From a time when Portarlington, which is on a similar upward trajectory, was the only team Newcomb was competitive against to now challenging for a first finals berth in 19 years, good times have returned to Coppards Road.
Since returning from the Covid pause, the Power have beaten every team in the competition except one.
In fact, you’ve got to go back to Round 13, 2007 for the last time Newcomb defeated Barwon Heads.
It’s now the most important hurdle for Tony Mirabella’s men to clear, with victory over the Seagulls putting the sixth-placed Power inside the top five with one round of the season to play.
And Mirabella, who re-signed as coach for next year earlier this week, isn’t shying away from what looms as the club’s biggest match since lifting the most recent of its six premierships in 2007.
“Everyone is aware that it’s essentially a final every week for us at the moment, and we don’t sugarcoat that with the players,” he said.
“And I’ve got no doubt that Barwon Heads will be doing the same.
“Yes (we’re) trying to keep the system and the brand and everything the same as if we would in every home-and-away season game.
“But we also have to have that extra edge that it is a finals-like atmosphere, and the intensity will be there.
“As a club, it’s great to be playing – I’d normally say round 17, but round 19- in a game that just means so much, which hasn’t typically been the case in recent years.”
Barwon Heads pulled away after halftime of the previous meeting in Round 10 to claim what might prove to be a crucial four points.
The Seagulls led by 12 points at the main break but used a six-goal-to-three third quarter to take the contest away from the visitors before posting a 38-point win.
“They are just a great team in terms of talent, and the way that they can score in waves, and they’re well coached by (Damian) McMahon and (Sam) Schaller.
“They clearly have some really great players to turn to and a good system to back it up.
“I think what we took out of that game was that we just know how great they can be.
“And we also know that we’ve shown this year that we can be equally as good.
“Given both sides have had a pretty challenging six to eight weeks, it’ll be a great game to watch.”
Newcomb will welcome back Jack Duke, Luke Justin and Blake Ritchie, replacing Peter Gordyn, Judd Smith and Kyle Sykstus.
Barwon Heads has made six changes, headlined by the return of co-coach Damian McMahon, who missed last week’s hiding by Geelong Amateur.
The Seagulls have also added Finn Cornell, Jack Henderson, Kye Smith, James Allen and Michael Philp.
Noah Young and Marley Cornell are both battling ankle issues, with Josef Fanelli, Harvey Lardner, Conor Duffy and Matt Beckwith omitted.
Co-captain Harry Ling and Dale Kerr and fellow premiership player Cam Hutchinson return as Anglesea (5th, 8-8) faces a must-win clash with Drysdale (8th, 7-11) at Mortimer Oval.
Jack Baker is also an inclusion, while playing coach Jordan Keras, whose last appearance was the win over Newcomb in Round 13, has selected himself as an emergency.
Former Essendon player Jason Ashby is unavailable, while Alex Braaksma, Charlie Lawless and Seb Kent return to the reserves.
The Hawks get back talented young forward Ollie Castro after he was a late withdrawal from the loss to Portarlington, while under-18 graduate Koby Millar-Burton will make his debut.
Sam Willatt is unavailable and Quinn Taylor is battling a knee issue.
Portarlington (7th, 8-8) will take an unchanged team into its clash with qualifying final-bound Geelong Amateur (2nd, 13-3) at KFC Oval.
The Demons remain in the finals hunt, but on top of beating Ammos, they would also welcome Barwon Heads beating Newcomb and Drysdale overcoming Anglesea to sneak into the top five with a round to play.
However, they will have to defy history, as they have never won at Queens Park.
Surf Coast (11th, 1-15) will welcome back ex-AFL duo Aaron Black and Ross Young as it chases the second win of its debut season when it faces Ocean Grove (10th, 3-13) at Steeline Ray Menzies Oval.
The Suns also included co-captain Joss Howlett, Tommy Stephen and Mitch Wright.
However, Mitch Gaunt (calf) will be sidelined.
Queenscliff (1st, 13-4) has the bye.
More to come
X: @krockfootball
