RIVERINA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
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COLLINGULLIE-Ashmont-Kapooka spearhead Brent Arho is not feeling the pressure as he chases a maiden premiership in Sunday's Riverina Football League (RFL) grand final.
Arho arrived at Crossroads Oval earlier this season with big shoes to fill as the replacement for departed full-forward Marc Geppert.
The talented full-forward has taken everything in his stride, claiming the league goal kicking with a fine season that has returned 83 goals from 18 appearances in the red and white.
Arho had started the year with Billabong Crows in the Hume League, but the travel quickly took its toll as he juggled working two jobs, study in Wodonga and his football commitments.
Arho said the decision to switch to CAK had certainly proven worthwhile.
"It's been awesome," Arho said yesterday.
"It's a good standard of footy and that's brought the best footy back out in me.
"That and getting coached by Sparks (Shane Lenon), it's been the best experience."
Arho was quick to make an impression in the RFL.
He earnt representative selection and went on to bag nine goals against Picola South.
Arho kicked 36 goals in the space of four weeks later in the season and again showed his worth in last Sunday's preliminary final win with four of the Demons' seven goals.
Arho has never won a premiership and is jumping out of his skin at the opportunity that presents itself on Sunday.
"I'm absolutely pumped," he said.
"I'm 25, so I'm in my prime, it's the perfect time to be in a grand final."
Arho is not feeling the pressure to deliver a big bag in the decider.
"Not really to be honest," he said. "If I'm not kicking goals and they're too focused on me then we've got other players that will step up and kick goals.
"If I can draw a couple of defenders then it's going to free up someone else and gives them the chance."
Arho is no stranger to goals.
He kicked 72 goals for Billabong Crows last season.
Before that, he booted 123 goals for Tallygaroopna in the Kyabram District Football League in 2012, on the back of 89 in 2011.
That was after he took four years off football.
"I wanted to go out and live my life," he said.
Arho, originally from Numurkah in Victoria, said he would love nothing more than premiership success to finish off an enjoyable year at Collingullie.