MANGOPLAH-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes coach Nathon Irvin admits the Goannas have an extremely tough decision to make at the selection table on Friday night.

The Goannas have had a fortnight to prepare for Sunday's grand final against Collingullie-Ashmont-Kapooka but still do not know the exact make-up of their team.

Both Irvin and assistant coach Nic Casey failed to make it through the second semi-final but are expected to be passed fit to play.

Talented teenager Harry Himmelberg will return from duties with Greater Western Sydney (GWS) for the grand final in a move that means one player will need to be omitted.

Irvin said while it will be a tough decision to make, it is a burden that comes with successful teams.

"It's going to be pretty solid," Irvin said.

"It's going to be the same for (Shane Lenon).

"I've always said, and I think I said this to the players three years ago, the better we go the more difficult it's going to be when it matters.

"It's always going to be tough.

"There is hard luck story with every premiership and there will be one for us.

"I still don't know what we're going to do exactly yet."

CAK may have been the best team throughout the home and away season, claiming the minor premiership with 15 wins and one loss, but MCUE has so far been the team of the finals series.

The Goannas came from 40 points down to beat Coolamon, then again came from 32 points behind to beat the Demons in the second semi-final.

Irvin said it has provided great belief to the MCUE camp.

"One of the concerns for me coming into finals was we hadn't really come back when we had been really tested," he said.

"A lot of the last couple of years with the young guys that I've found, even in games where we might have even been in front and weren't playing that well, there was a real sense of dropping their heads a bit and they would just look like their pet dog had died.

"It was really bizarre, I hadn't seen that so we worked really hard on that over the last couple of years but we still hadn't had significant comebacks.

"So that was pleasing, we certainly don't want to give sides a head start and I don't think we'll be able to get away with it again, so that's something we've got to manage, but the positive is that I think the guys are showing a bit more spirit."

This season was all about the coming of age for MCUE, but it is to the point now where it will enter the RFL grand final as favourite.

Irvin is unsure how that will sit with his young team.

"I don't know, they're hard to read, the young guys," he said.

"You don't know what they're going to do.

"The beauty of them is that they are maturing and they're getting better every week and that's been the case certainly for the last three years."

RFL grand final

MANGOPLAH-CUE v COLLINGULLIE-AK

Sunday, 2.45pm

Narrandera Sportsground