By MARK CASHMAN

Eastwood coach Ben Batger believes nothing less than an 80-minute performance will see them through to their first Shute Shield grand final since 2015.

The Woodies take on Northern Suburbs on Sunday for the chance to go through to the big dance and the footy narrative this weekend at TG Millner Field has been all about taking nothing for granted.

“To beat Norths we are going to have to switched on for 80 minutes because they have proven all year they are very good at staying in the fight,” Batger said.

“Uni got ahead last weekend in the preliminary final and even in our round game we got ahead but they never give in.

“After that it’s about focusing on what we do well and executing that.”

And what the Woodies do well is carrying well through the middle with their impressive and bulky back row and then getting it to the edges.

A lot of the decision making in that area has come from their flyhalf Tane Edmed who had a man-of-the-match shift in the win over Eastern Suburbs last weekend.

His kicking game was superb and he used the rain and the wind at Rat Park well

Batger reckons Edmed has been lucky to have the skills and experience of his scrum half partner Matt Gonzalez on the field for the vast majority of the season.

“‘Gonzo’ (Matt Gonzalez) has had a wonderful year and I’m so glad he has stayed injury free,” Batger added.

“People forget that he won a premiership as a 20-year-old and he gives Tane time and space because he is so dangerous with his running game.”

Northern Suburbs have been able to name the same side that did so well against Sydney Uni last weekend.

The entire club has got behind the first grade side and have been an important part of the preparation.

“It’s been a big club effort,” Norths coach Earl Va’a said.

“The sides that were knocked out last weekend have been great in giving up their time this week and it has made a difference that’s for sure.

“Off the cuff you would say that scoring more points than Eastwood is the key to winning this one but as you know it’s a bit more complicated than that.

“Both teams know that they can score points when they have the ball in hand but the winning of a finals game will revolve around how we perform when we don’t have the ball.

“Throw into that the weather that has been forecast (wind and rain on both saturday and Sunday) and there are a lot of things that will add up to a winning performance.”

Norths and Eastwood are no strangers to finals footy, having met one another in the 2017 semi-final and the 2018 qualifying final.

Norths got a boost from their bench last weekend against Uni and will be looking for more of the same against the Woodies.

That and some man of the match efforts from the likes of Hugh Sinclair and skipper Harry Burey and the red and black dream for 2020 may still be alive late on Sunday afternoon.

NORTHERN SUBURBS (1-15):

German Haeffeli, James Margan, Dewald Dekker, Dave Henaway, Declan Carroll, Brad Hemopo, Heinrich Brendel, Hugh Sinclair, Nick Duffy, Angus Sinclair, Reece Mau’u, Harry Burey, Nathan Russell, Kepu Lokotui, Max Burey.

EASTWOOD (1-15):

Jed Gillespie, Ed Craig, Rhys Sheriff, Tim Anstee, Charles Granger, Sione Tau, Tom Murphy, Pat Sio, Matt Gonzalez, Tane Edmed, Fabian Goodall, Enoka Muliufi, Lachie Anderson, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Chris Bell.

IMAGE: AJF PHOTOGRAPHY