MALLEE EAGLES v SWAN HILL
Both the Mallee Eagles and Swan Hill will be looking to keep their unbeaten start to the season intact when they clash at Lalbert tomorrow afternoon.
It will be the first match at home for the Eagles this season and after having enjoyed the week off last week, will come into the all-important clash with fresh legs. While both clubs have played in several classic encounters over the past few seasons, including last years preliminary final, they will both have a vastly different look after several personnel changes over the off-season.
Swan Hill is expected to be without injured pair Zoe Morris and Peyton Oliver, while the Eagles will welcome Kasey Bennett, Laura Sheahan, Leah McKenzie and Megan Thorneycroft back into their side after the quartet missed their teams 12-goal round 1 victory over Tooleybuc-Manangatang.
The battle between Alicia Harvey and Karli McIntyre in the centre will be a key one for both teams, with the reigning premiers strength in defence to see them go in as favourites.
Tip – Swan Hill to win by five goals.
WOORINEN v COHUNA
Both Woorinen and Cohuna will be hoping to press their top five claims with consecutive victories when the two sides meet at Tigerland this weekend.
Both teams will have changes to their winning line-ups from last week, with Cohuna goalie and reigning club best and fairest Kobie McIvor the most significant for both sides. The absence of McIvor will force a reshuffle of the Kangas attacking third, but it will be through the midcourt where this game is expected to be decided.
Sammi Moon, Lily Guerrin and Taylor Hird have all been strong contributors through the middle third to start the season for Cohuna, while the same can be said about Jaimee Beasy, Ava Crow and Chloe Militto for the Tigers.
With very little separating these two teams on paper, its likely to be the team who settles first that comes out on top.
Tip – Woorinen to win by four goals.
TOOLEYBUC-MANANGATANG v NNW UNITED
A close match can be expected when Tooleybuc-Manangatang hosts Nyah-Nyah West United tomorrow, despite the Saints winless start to the season.
While Tooleybuc-Manangatang are yet to taste victory so far this season, they have come up against two of the Central Murray’s more accomplished teams and in the process have shown that they will be a much tougher opponent than in previous years. The challenge for Saints coach Mel Wait will be to improve her team’s consistency, and get them playing much more like the side that were competitive in the second half against the Swans, than the team who conceded 36 goals in the first half.
Rhiann O’Meara coming back into the side will help with finding that consistency, while the Demons will go into tomorrow’s must-win match with an unchanged line-up. Although the Saints are on the improve, the Demons should still prove too strong, with key players Taylen Blachford and Matika Mitchell both in form.
Tip – NNW United to win by seven goals.
KOONDROOK-BARHAM v KERANG
Kerang will be looking for their first win of the season when they travel to Barham and take on the winless Raiders to complete round 3 tomorrow.
After going agonisingly close against Tyntynder last weekend, the Blues will be expected to come out hard against Koondrook-Barham, who have suffered heavy defeats in their first two games of the season. While another long year appears to be on the horizon for the Raiders, one of the shining lights has been the form of Remy Doyle, with the young centre consistently among her team’s stronger contributors, even when opposed to more senior opponents.
Doyle will face another tough test tomorrow against Kerang midcourter Shannon Baird, with the Blues imposing defenders Chloe Adams and Keiarah Brooks expected to make scoring difficult.
Tip – Kerang to win by 22 goals.
