GOLDEN Rivers football approaches the pointy end of the season, and the ladder’s middle spots are still up for grabs as teams jostle for position.
Wandella and Macorna continue to go win-for-win this year, with the third-placed Bombers sitting just eight per cent ahead of the Tigers – both on five wins for the year.
The Bombers travel to Moulamein this weekend to face the last-placed Swans, but Wandella coach Justin Robinson knows his side won’t take the Swans lightly.
“We are expecting the Swans will be throwing everything they’ve got at us this weekend,” he said.
“They’ve got absolutely nothing to lose – it does look as though they will be missing finals but they still make for a dangerous opposition.
“I’m sure they’ll be looking to claim a couple of big scalps to finish their season off.”
Robinson said getting on top of the on-ball contest would be integral to stopping the Swans causing an upset.
“I believe the midfield battle is where the games have been won or lost across the league this year,” he said.
“If we’re able to shut down a few of their more damaging players and win the footy first from the midfield I think we should go all right.
“We’ll put a fair bit of work into stopping Heath Moloney as much as we can – he just wins so many ruck taps and gets his own clearances quite often.
“He’s a big man to stop and we don’t really have anyone to match him in size so it will just be a case of being quicker than him in the clearances.”
But it’s not just Moloney the Bombers will need to keep watch on, with midfielders Rodney Reeves, Morgan Turvey and Andrew May possessing the ability to turn a game.
Playing in near-cyclonic winds last weekend, the Bombers were outclassed away from home in Ultima, with the second-placed Roos controlling the play.
The Bombers weren’t helped when they lost star midfielder Russell Rich, who was helped off the ground with a right knee injury and is expected to spend some time on the sidelines.
Another key player the Bombers were without last week was Kaine O’Connell, who has proven to be an important cog in the Bombers side no matter the role he is asked to play.
In O’Connell’s absence, Wandella called five-time premiership player Sam Taylor into the side to great effect, Taylor being subsequently named the Bombers’ best on ground.
Robinson said Taylor’s football knowledge was something every team would love to have, with the experienced midfielder fitting right into the team.
“Sam (Taylor) came in for his first senior match last weekend and instantly showed his experience and leadership.
“He hasn’t played a lot of footy this year but he was very good for us right from the get-go last round.
“He’s a club legend here at Wandella and will be staying around the senior side for the rest of the season.”
Macorna face a tough challenge this weekend when they travel to Hay to face the undefeated Lions in the hope of being the side that breaks their streak.
The Lions haven’t lost since the final round of last season and have scored more than 250 points more than second-placed Ultima in their 12 matches.
It’s this dangerous, quick-scoring ability the Lions possess that Macorna will need to put a halt to if they want to do what no side has achieved this year.
The defensive work of the Tigers’ backline will be hugely important this weekend, with the side likely to turn to the likes of Kurt Forder, Josh Berryman and Lachlan Thompson.
The effort of the Macorna backline couldn’t be faulted in their defeat to Murrabit last weekend as the conditions made life hell for defenders.
It seems as though when one Hay attacker is kept quiet, the next forward steps up – with Lions players making up four of the league’s leading goalkickers this year.
In the round’s other game Murrabit host Ultima, the Blues carrying forward the momentum of last round’s win over the Tigers – Murrabit’s second win in three weeks.
While it appears highly unlikely the Blues will sneak into the finals this year, it’s still a possibility, but they need to win out the year and rely on unlikely results.
Ultima continue to impress and will look to make it four wins on the trot this weekend – a proposition made slightly easier in the absence of one of the Blues’ stronger defenders.
Jacob Wade has been a standout for Murrabit in the backline with his intercepting marking but is set to miss time after dislocating his shoulder in the win over Macorna.
