SWAN HILL v KOONDROOK-BARHAM
ONE of Swan Hill or Koondrook-Barham should give their season a sharp turn upward this Saturday when the Central Murray’s two winless sides meet at the Swan Hill Recreation Reserve.
It has been the season from hell for both teams, enduring nine consecutive losses and missing several opportunities across the first 10 rounds to break their duck.
For the Raiders, the wait has been even longer, with the tri-colours in a 26-game losing streak that dates all the way back to round 16, 2022 as they seek to break through for their first win under coach Will Callow.
That task will be made somewhat harder with Jimmy Toumpas, Nyawi Moore and Lachlan Vrolijks all expected to return to boost the Swans’ playing stocks, with Hamish Robertson and key forward Kallen Heslop their only confirmed omissions.
While Heslop will be a big loss, the addition of Toumpas and Moore are major positives, with the pair expected to slot into the Swans midfield and provide depth against the Raiders’ onball combination containing Cambell Davison, Jack Shannon, Billy Driscoll and Patrick Goble.
The key match-up will be between ruckmen Toby Thoolen and Mitch Christensen, both in form and crucial to their teams’ competitiveness not just around the stoppages, but with their ability to push forward and create scoring opportunities.
NNW UNITED v TYNTYNDER
TYNTYNDER will be out to take their first big scalp of the season when they travel north to tackle the ladder leading Nyah-Nyah West United.
The Bulldogs have taken a massive step forward this season under Jack O’Rourke, but are yet to tick that last box of beating a top five team, with losses against Kerang (15 points), Balranald (54 points), Woorinen (36 points) and the Mallee Eagles (eight points) a fortnight ago.
That loss to the Eagles was a missed opportunity for Tyntynder to not only make a statement, but push into the top five, with the Bulldogs now sitting a game and percentage outside and at risk of falling behind in the race for fifth.
The Demons will regain the services of Ethan Curran from Pioneers duties, and Jaydyn Stirling if he passes an overnight fitness test.
Tyntynder will also have a couple of key inclusions, with Mick Dedini set to return, while Pat Crowe, like Stirling, is drawing closer to a return from injury.
Although both teams possess talented forward lines, with Brandyn Grenfell, Nick O’Neill and Alex Erlandson for the Demons, and Jason Eagle and Jayden Magro for the Bulldogs, it’s through the midfield where the match is likely to be decided.
The team that gets first use around the stoppages is set to give their forwards the advantage.
Tip – NNW United to win by 12 points.
COHUNA v BALRANALD
A REJUVINATED Cohuna looms as a danger game for last year’s runners-up Balranald, who look set to be without co-coach Jydon Neagle for a large portion of the home-and-away season.
Neagle injured his quad against Swan Hill in round 9 and the midfielder is expected to miss up to eight weeks, leaving him in a race against time to be fit before finals.
That is, of course, provided the fourth-placed Roos make it, amid a three-way battle with Woorinen (fifth) and Tooleybuc-Manangatang (sixth), also on six wins.
The evenness of the competition means that the Roos can ill-afford to drop the match against the Kangas, who despite their slow start to the season are now finding form with the return of key players Chris Anderson, Jackson Williams, Riley Hird and Cooper Mcloughlin in recent weeks.
Although Balranald will be without their coach, they still have plenty of talent across all lines to go into the match favourites, with Matthew and Jaxon Neagle, Drew and Kobe Lloyd and Harrison Soraggi all capable of winning a game off their own boot.
Tip – Balranald to win by 10 points.
KERANG v LAKE BOGA
KERANG will be strong favourites against Lake Boga as the home side welcomes several key players back from injury.
Lachlan Ross, Liam Jardine, Sam Heavyside and Bradlee Pay will all return for the Blues, the reigning premiers slowly putting their best team together in an ominous warning to the rest of the competition.
Unfortunately for Lake Boga, they are at the other end of the spectrum, losing four players from the team that lost to Cohuna by 51 points last Saturday, Angus Jones (calf), Bodi Clune (broken nose), Will Doquile and Kai Everett.
Having invested in their local talent this season, there’s no doubting that Lake Boga are in better place than previous years despite having played finals, with their young squad showing positive signs for the future and an ability to play fast, attacking football.
It’s that propensity to take the game on that could see them opened up against the Blues, who themselves love to attack and score heavily with their deep midfield and potent small forwards.
Tip – Kerang to win by 42 points.
