AT the start of 2019, few around the AFL South Coast circles would have expected Bomaderry to finish in the men's premier division top four.
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One man that did was Tigers first grade coach Matt Barnes.
So when the Tigers, who won last season's division two premiership, qualified for this season's finals series, it came as no surprise to the first year coach.
"At the start of pre-season, I set the boys the very realistic goal of grabbing fourth spot and playing finals," Barnes said.
"To achieve that is very pleasing and a testament to the hard work and character of the group."
One of the main reasons the black and golds have reached the finals has been the drastic improvement by a number of the club's younger players.
"I think the development of the group has been lead by our youngsters," he said.
"Siwa Harvey-Aziz, Charlie Rodden, Jack Batson, Ryan Kelly, Adriaan Toms and Lachlan Hunt, to name a few, have been fantastic and really driven a lift in intensity among the group."
While the Artie Smith Oval based club hasn't locked horns with Saturday's opponents, the Kangaroos, since round four, when they lost 17.7-109 to 9.5-59, Barnes knows his team will be up for the challenge - after winning three of their past four games.
"As I've said to the boys, this week will be a huge test against one of the premiership favourites," he said.
"We will need to be at our best and I'm confident that we will give it a real crack."
Tip-off of this elimination final is at 2.30pm at Shellharbour's Myimbarr Oval.
Earlier in the day, at 11am, the Tigers premiers women's side, coached by Geoff Gibbs, will take on the Wollongong Bulldogs for a spot in their year's grand final.
The two sides met just two weeks ago, with the Tigers winning by a single point at Artie Smith Oval.
The final Shoalhaven team in action at Shellharbour on Saturday will be the Bay and Basin Bombers, who'll make their inaugural post-season berth when they clash with the Bulldogs from 9.30am in their women's division one elimination final.
Albatross' Tom Smith Oval will host three finals on Saturday too, starting with Ulladulla and Dapto (division one women from 10.45am) before Ulladulla and Northern Districts (division two men from 12.30pm) and Wollongong Bulldogs and Nowra/Albatross (division one men from 2.15pm).