WHILE it’s always a big occasion when Macorna and Wandella meet during NAIDOC Round, this year’s match will take on even greater significance.
The Tigers find themselves clinging to fourth spot, just one game and percentage clear of a resurgent Wandella, who shocked Moulamein by 20 points last round.
That win may well have awoken the sleeping giant from its slumber, with a top four-berth next on the Bombers’ agenda.
To win on Saturday, they will need to have improved out of sight from their last meeting with Macorna – an 81-point drubbing in round 7.
That day, Malcolm Neiwand, Shaun Haffenden and Lachlan Ritchie ran amok, but with Neiwand set to miss with a hamstring strain, a very different Macorna outfit await the Bombers.
With this in mind, Macorna coach Scott Wishart will be taking no chances, the team well aware of how important four points will be to their season.
“It’s certainly tightened right up at the bottom end of the four, we just have to win pretty much to keep ourselves in it,” Wishart said.
“We play Wandella twice more and Murrabit again, so as it’s turned out, we’re going to play each other again pretty regularly in the run into finals, so these are the games we have to win.
“Generally, you’re only as good as your last game – and they’re coming off a win and we’re coming off a loss, so it’ll certainly be a tough game for us.”
While Neiwand has been ruled out, Kansas Varker will come in for his first game this season.
For Wandella, Brad Delamare will miss with a hamstring strain and will be replaced by the returning Shannon Burton.
Wandella coach Logan Keighran knew how important the midfield battle would be, with his teams rise in form correlating with a change of midfield structure.
“When our midfield is up and about, and getting first use of the ball, everyone else seems to contribute,” Keighran said.
“Since we added Jarred Schlitz, Tim Robinson and Declan Hogg into the midfield, things have swung around for us.
“They’re bigger bodies and they can be a bit stronger in the middle, they’ve really made the boys walk a bit taller and they’ll be pivotal to the outcome of the game on Saturday as it’ll be pretty important for us to at worst break even in the centre.”
Wishart agreed with his counterpart, but singled out prime mover Russell Rich as the Bombers’ biggest threat, with the Tigers likely to put some time into him.
“(Rich) is probably their main guy out of the middle, he’s a really good player and gets his hands on the ball around the contest pretty regularly and gets them moving forward pretty consistently,” Wishart said.
“We played really well in the midfield back in round 7 and hopefully that’s where we can get on top of them again.
“We were pretty solid in the back half that day as well and we matched up reasonably well on their forwards, but I see Matt Wilkinson played forward for them last week and he didn’t play against us last time.
“He will give them a different look this time around, so we’ll have to adjust our match-ups accordingly.”
The other game that will hold significant finals ramifications is at Hay, where the Lions will be looking to inflict the first loss of the season on ladder leaders Ultima.
The Lions will be full of confidence after a 37-point win over the Tigers, although it will be a much different team that takes to the park with Will Clark, James Moran and Joel Crocker all set to miss. Hugh Crighton and Tom Spence were set to return.
The Roos will also have a few forced changes, with Jacob Schaper, Zac Cattlin and Caillum Brady all confirmed outs, and Mitch Seton-Stewart needing to pass an overnight fitness test to be declared fit.
Moulamein host Murrabit, with the Swans determined to make sure lightning doesn’t strike twice two weeks in a row.
Helping their cause will be the inclusions of key forwards Josh Flight and Beau Duggan-Hulands, with both players likely to stretch the Blues defence, which will also receive a boost with Michael Grant, Tobie Cameron and Nathan Henry also set to return for Murrabit.
