SWAN HILL v NNW UNITED
NYAH-Nyah West United will be determined to continue their undefeated start to the season when they meet Swan Hill at the Showgrounds tomorrow afternoon.
With the Demons yet to taste defeat from the first four rounds and the Swans yet to record a victory, the visitors will go into the contest as unbackable favourites.
While Swan Hill will come in with fresh legs courtesy of last weekend’s bye, NNW United come in with form, with strong wins over the Mallee Eagles, Tooleybuc-Manangatang and Woorinen making them the Central Murray frontrunner over the first month.
The Demons will go in with a relatively settled line-up, with Brady Davidson the only potential inclusion as he returns from a quad injury.
Swan Hill on the other hand will be missing Matt Pearse, Lachlan Joyce and Hamish Robertson from the team that succumbed to the Eagles in round 3.
NNW United are deserved favourites but Swan Hill still have enough high-end talent to trouble the ladder leaders, with midfielders Jimmy Toumpas, Jose Miliado, Luke Phelan and Tom Isma all in form in the middle. The challenge for the home side lies at either end of the ground, but especially in defence, where the Swans have conceded the most points per game on average to date.
That stat isn’t likely to change overnight, with the Demons, led by Brandyn Grenfell (21 goals), Nick O’Neill (nine) and Charlie Boulton (seven), having the second-most-potent attack in the league.
Tip – NNW United to win by 42 points.
WOORINEN v LAKE BOGA
AFTER registering their first win of the season last Saturday, Lake Boga will be hoping their good form carries over into their clash with Woorinen this weekend.
The Tigers were impressive in holding reigning premiers Kerang to just 66 points last Saturday but were unable to penetrate their own forward half in what proved to be a defensive two hours of football.
While Woorinen have shown themselves to be once again competitive against the Central Murray’s leading contenders, they also find themselves desperately needing a win against the Magpies to keep in touch with the top three.
Tomorrow’s game should on paper be a one-sided affair but Lake Boga could yet produce a surprise, especially if they continue to play their new attacking, offensive style of game under new coach Dean Helmers.
Making the Magpies’ task considerably harder, however, will be the loss of Nathaniel Holmes-Brown, who will miss tomorrow’s match after suffering a knee injury against the Raiders, while young ruckman Kai Everett and Darby Hayes will also be key omissions for the visitors.
The Tigers, on the other hand, will have no such problems, with Doug Beames (calf) and Will Collicoat (ankle) expected to resume from injury.
Experienced utility Tom Langford will also return, with Josh Stone (calf) the only confirmed withdrawal.
With no obvious match-up for Arnold Kirby and playmakers Henry Thompson, Regan Vesty and Taylor Cameron all in form, Woorinen should prove too strong.
Tip – Woorinen to win by 28 points.
KOONDROOK-BARHAM v BALRANALD
IT will be a case of David versus Goliath when Koondrook-Barham host Balranald tomorrow – with the Raiders expected to need all the Biblical help they can muster against last year’s grand finalists.
The prospect of an upset may not seem that far-fetched, however, with the Roos set to be without Tom Salau, Jack Salau and Jackson Ferguson.
While the trio will leave a big hole for the visitors, there is also some doubt over star midfielders Matthew Neagle and Kobe Lloyd, who may well be rested with soreness following Balranald’s win over Tyntynder last Saturday.
The news isn’t all bad for Balranald, however, with Seth Connell and Sebastian Papa both expected to return.
Koondrook-Barham on the other hand are at the other end of the spectrum, with the Raiders continuing to invest in their next generation.
Those youngsters are expected to get a solid lesson from the likes of Jydon Neagle, Jaxon Neagle, Drew Lloyd and Colin Andrews tomorrow, with the Roos expected to have too much class around the stoppages and up forward to be troubled by the home side.
Tip – Balranald to win by 52 points.
