South Warrnambool footballer Isaac Thomas prepared for first Hampden league grand final

Now the South Warrnambool key defender is within reach of another goal - a senior premiership with his home club.

The 22-year-old is one win away from attaining the holy grail after the Roosters booked their ticket to the grand final.

It comes after the Thomas siblings became teammates for the first time in round five.

A three-year age difference separated them in junior grades.

"It was probably one of my fondest footy moments, getting to play with my brother," Thomas said.

"My 50^th game was his first, over in Hamilton. It was very exciting when we pulled on the jumper together, it meant a lot."

The siblings are happy to play different roles for the club.

"He's an undersized ruckman. His ability to compete and have a crack (stand out)," Thomas said of his brother who played in the Roosters' reserves side on second semi-final weekend.

"He puts the team first and does everything in his power to win his ruck taps and then work around the ground."

Thomas' dad Ben is a South Warrnambool senior premiership player.

"He is a similar size to me. I think he played everywhere but more as a ruck-rover type," he said.

"He doesn't put any pressure on me, he's really good and has helped me a lot with my footy over the years and I am very grateful."

Thomas, who was part of the GWV Rebels' talent pathway as a teenager, said to play in a senior flag for South Warrnambool "would mean the world".

"I've played in three as a junior (at South) but obviously a senior one has a bit more pressure and means a bit more to the club and everyone around it," he said.

"It's not so much for me and my family, it's more for everyone around the club who puts in the hard work behind the scenes and all my mates who play here and everyone at the club who supports us.

"I am very excited and we're just doing everything we can to prepare for it."

Thomas, who works as a cabinet-maker for Stephenson's Kitchens, has found form as the season has progressed after breaking his collarbone in the 2022 preliminary final.

"It held me up, not so much with running, but with contact (training) in the pre-season," he said.

"I wasn't allowed to do any contact until the new year which hindered my pre-season a little bit.

"I probably started off a bit slow but I've just got more confidence in my shoulder and body as we've gone along and found some form. I've been able to keep my spot which is the main thing."

The key defender prides himself on being hard to kick goals on.

"It's (about) not letting my opponent get any easy kicks, keeping the pressure up and trying to take intercept marks when I can peel off," Thomas said.

South Warrnambool coach Mat Battistello praised Thomas' ability to negate forwards with varying skill-sets.

"He plays on a key position forward every single week and I just feel like he's growing in confidence week after week and we probably see him as a future leader of our footy club too," he said.

"He's so versatile and strong and he can play on all different hybrid type players as well.

"He is the ultimate team man who falls into the back six, they work so well together."

The Roosters also believe Thomas' kicking is an offensive weapon they could use to their advantage in the grand final against either North Warrnambool Eagles or Terang Mortlake on Saturday, September 23.

"It's not just his defensive ability - he's a beautiful kick of the footy too which we try and encourage him to do more of," Battistello said.

"He's such a team-compliant player but we'd probably like to see him be even more aggressive with his kicking skills at times."

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