THE Mallee Eagles will be aiming to take another big step towards securing a top-three finish when they play Swan Hill at the venue where they will be hoping to return to in six weeks’ time.
The Eagles find themselves third on the Central Murray ladder following last Saturday’s 13-point win over NNW United, with the boys in blue and gold heavy favourites against a Swan Hill outfit which has won just two games this season.
On paper, it should a comfortable win for the visitors, who would then need just one win from their final two games to lock away the all-important double chance.
The reality is that they will be leaving nothing to chance, according to Harry Allen, the Mallee Eagles co-coach telling The Guardian that he and his team expected an ultra-competitive Swan Hill.
“Anyone on their day are capable of an upset, especially this year, and Swan Hill is a perfect example of a team that can be a bit unpredictable,” Allen said.
“We’re keen to keep doing what we’re doing, and we’re in no position to drop our guard either.
“In theory it’s third versus third last and most people will probably expect us to get the job done, but we’re still trying to qualify as high as we can and can’t afford to not bring our best.
“We’re still playing for a fair bit and that’s the attitude we’ll have going into the game.
“We had a bit of a slip up a couple of weeks ago (against Cohuna) but we got back to doing what we’re good at last week, and our focus will be on our contested footy and our defence.
“We’d like to try and start exploiting and using some of our quick guys on the big ground as well. We know our inside game is strong, but we’d like to start to get our outside game going now and it will be a good opportunity to do that on Swan Hill’s ground.”
The Eagles will be bolstered by the return of Toby Sheahan from injury for the clash against the Swans, with the inside midfielder expected to replace the injured Brady Fordham.
The Swans are also expected to make some changes, with Sonny Beasy, Lachlan Vrolijks, Elijah Miliado and Jose Miliado all in line for a return pending their availability with Bendigo Pioneers selection and injury.
Although the quartet would provide a welcome boost for the home side, the team’s “intensity and effort” would be the focus for Swan Hill coach Michael Herlihy.
“We didn’t bring the heat against NNW United a fortnight ago and to be honest we weren’t competitive at all,” Herlihy said.
“We went away from working hard as a footy side. I was pretty disappointed in that result because I thought up until half-time, they outworked us.
“We want to be a hard-working side and hopefully our game will reflect that with our effort when we have the ball as well as when we don’t have it.
“It’s when you don’t have it that you get found out if you’re not working hard.
“(Mallee Eagles) are going really well and are certainly starting to hit their straps and they have quality players all over the ground.
“It’s a good challenge for us, we matched it with them for three and a half quarters earlier in the season and hopefully we can do that again but reverse the result this time.”
The last time the two teams met was in round 3, with a strong second-half performance from the Eagles netting them their first win of the season.
From there, they haven’t looked back, steadily climbing up the ladder and pressing their claims as one of the form teams of the competition.
“We still had a few injuries back then at the time, but (Swan Hill) are probably in a similar boat in that they are really starting to play some good footy towards the back end of the season,” Allen said.
“It’s always a danger game against Swan Hill, they’ve got nothing to lose now, and they’ll want to finish the year off on pretty good note and I’m sure they’ll have a few positional changes since the last time we last played them.”
One of those changes has been the move of Ned McKeown to a more permanent forward role, kicking 13 goals from his past five games.
While Swan Hill’s forward line is undoubtedly more dangerous with McKeown down there, the Eagles’ front half poses the bigger danger, with Darcy Hourigan (47 goals), Andrew Mead-Harding (22 goals) and Paul Davis providing a three-pronged attack expected to stretch Swan Hill’s already exposed back six for height.
The other big advantage for the visitors will be out of the middle, where the likes of Harry Allen, Brent Macleod and Darcy McGregor could show exactly how dangerous they might be out of the very same centre square if they make it to the grand final in six weeks.
Tip – Mallee Eagles to win by 36 points.
KEY MATCH-UP
Kal Heslop v Jayden Post
POST has quickly developed into an integral part of the Eagles’ back six with his ability to read the play and intercept mark, making him a player Swan Hill will need to shut down.
Heslop may not have the height to go with Post, but whoever plays in him will need to be a threat, to force Post to at least be accountable in defence and not peel off and help out his back six.
On that basis Heslop could be the perfect candidate, with his ability to mark and compete in the air set to at least keep Post honest.
THE BURNING QUESTION
Who plays on Darcy Hourigan?
EXCEPT for NNW United’s Brandyn Grenfell, Hourigan has been the league’s most dangerous key forward this season.
He has kicked 47 goals from 13 games, and when he’s at his best, so too are the Eagles.
Who plays on Hourigan is the big question, especially with Tom Corridan having missed the Swans’ last match against the Demons a fortnight ago and no certainty to return.
Anthony Lewin and Jarvis Keogh seem to be the most likely options, with Lewin having lined up opposed to Grenfell two weeks ago and expected to get first crack at Hourigan as well.
