Former Bathurst Giants junior premiership winners now chase senior grand final win

It's been nearly a decade since the Giants made their way onto the region's AFL scene, with the goal of eventually winning a senior men's tier one title.

They've come within one game of achieving that on three occasions - two of those ending in grand final losses and the other ending in a covid-affected season - so the desire has never been greater to try and find success.

In those years the Giants have toiled away to find junior premierships and a treble of senior women's titles.

This season they've got a minor premier senior men's tier one team capable of winning it all - now they just need to execute one more time.

Coach Shane Broes has been mentoring many members of the Giants side for many years of their junior careers and is excited to see them make their way into another senior decider.

"We've lost two grand finals, and a lot of our guys played in that, and a few of the guys were in the one we didn't get to play, so they're hungry. I expect that the occasion won't get to them and, if anything, I expect they'll rise to it," he said.

"It's pretty special that you've got guys wanting to come back and play after so many years of playing together.

"The coaching group we've got at the moment started with the boys more than 10 years ago. We've assembled that group as well, so if we can get over the line on Saturday it'll be pretty special for them as well."

Broes was the coach who took the Giants' under 15s team to premiership glory back in 2014 - the club's first ever title.

Many of the players from that side, including Bailey Brien, Luke Macauley, brothers Josh and Nic Broes and Sam Sloan are part of the current first grade squad.

Broes and his Giants will be chasing their fifth straight win over the Bushrangers this year.

They've got the added pressure of favouritism on their shoulders for this season's biggest game but Broes said the team isn't short on desire.

"We've worked pretty hard to get the opportunity to play a home grand final and it's something that the guys are really excited about. There's a great buzz around," he said.

"We've assembled a great side this year and on Saturday, probably for the first time in a long time, we will be fielding our best side, which is fantastic and obviously what you want on grand final day.

"It would obviously be our first grand final ever, if we can get over the line, and that's what's driving the boys."

The grand final gets underway from 2.30pm at George Park 1.