After falling to Highland Rovers last week, Hill Top were expected to bounce back to claim the second Grand Final spot, but ran into a Yerrinbool outfit that has hit a purple patch at the right time of the season.

Robbie Miller's side will now enter next weekend's season decider with six undefeated weeks behind them - including a victory over Rovers.

"Things have come together pretty well for us later in the year," Miller said after the win. "I don't think many teams rated us that highly during the season, and I don't think Hill Top expected to lose yesterday, but I think it was a fair result.

"It was a real credit to the heart that the guys in the team have. We might not be the most skilful of teams but no one can deny the effort we put in."

Yerrinbool began 2004 with almost an entirely new team with 13 regular first graders departing at the end of last season. Miller believes a new outfit was always going to take time to gel together.

"Only two of last year's first grade players were still here so we were basically playing with a reserve grade side," he said. "It took a while for everyone to get used to each other and it seems to have come together at the right time."

Full story in Monday's Southern Highland News.