WDFNL grand final: Josh and Elisha Sobey chasing Merrivale double

The husband-and-wife duo is attempting the rare feat of coaching separate teams from the same club to Warrnambool and District league premierships.

Josh is coach of Merrivale's senior football side which is taking on Nirranda in the grand final, while Elisha is playing-coach of the Tigers' A grade outfit, which also faces the Blues in the decider.

The couple have both won flags with the Tigers as players but not as coaches.

They've ridden every bump of the season together, along with children Ivy, 9 and Regi, 6, and will celebrate a successful season no matter the result.

"The babysitter's going to be there regardless," Josh told The Standard with a laugh.

"We've worked pretty hard throughout the year and we're both proud of each side and what they've been able to achieve."

But make no mistake, the extremely competitive pair are out to lift the premiership trophy at Reid Oval.

The footballers clinched the minor premiership and their loss to the Blues in the second semi-final was just their first of the season.

The netballers finished the season second but are riding high after upsetting minor premier Nirranda in their second semi-final.

Those contrasting results happened on the same day with Elisha admitting she was cautious not to rub it in at the time.

"I was tight-lipped for the whole week," she said.

The following weekend however, Elisha was more anxious than anyone for the football preliminary final against Kolora-Noorat.

The Tigers triumphed comfortably in the end.

"Getting through that prelim, I reckon I was more nervous about that then what I am about Saturday to be honest, just so the boys got through as well," she said.

"For the club it's so much more exciting for us all to be there."

Both Ivy and Regi will be cheering for a Tigers' double this weekend.

"Ivy our oldest is obsessed. She loves it and Regi's just starting to understand the game of footy," Josh said.

"That's probably been the overwhelming thing about of it all really, they just want you to do well. They're probably more nervous of us losing than us."

Being able to use each other as a sounding board is a a benefit of being married to a fellow coach, the couple have discovered.

Football and netball may be different sports but there are still plenty of similarities.

"Throughout the year you have some highs and lows and obviously for us (football) it's selection issues," Josh said.

"It's good to bounce ideas on how to approach different circumstances."

Although both coaches are "pessimistic", according to Elisha, they know their sides are capable of achieving something special on Saturday.

"At the end of the day we've put in a truckload of work to give both teams the best chance," Josh said.

Elisha, at age 39, is adamant the game will be her last as a player, bringing down the curtain on an illustrious career that saw multiple stints at both the Tigers and Hampden league club North Warrnambool Eagles.

She played more than 250 games for the Eagles, winning two Dot Jenkins Medals - awarded to the league's best and fairest-player.

Josh isn't totally convinced his wife is ready to retire from playing.

"I'll nearly put my bottom dollar that she'll play another game," he said.

Elisha also intends to retire from coaching.

"The girls are asking me about it," she said.

"They got me last year, they said 'no, no, no' and they got me straight after the granny and I just didn't want to hand the team over.

"The club's just in such a good position at the moment, I just want to make sure the right person does take on the role."

Similarly, Josh at age 36, isn't fussed whether he takes to the field again after playing just one game in the reserves for the season.

The 2015 J.A. Esam medallist, who first joined the Tigers in 2010, said he would like to fill-in occasionally but was otherwise content.