MALLEE EAGLES v LAKE BOGA
The Mallee Eagles will be out reclaim a top five spot when they host Lake Boga tomorrow – and it may well be the Magpies who they push from the five in the process.
The Eagles went within 11 points of handing the undefeated Kerang their first loss of the season a fortnight ago and know their best football is competitive against any side.
Lake Boga, on the other hand, have been found wanting over the past fortnight against better opposition, suffering heavy defeats against Woorinen and Kerang.
Injuries have befallen both clubs over recent weeks, with Harry Allen, Jack Shannahan, Beau Bennett and Brady Fordham all missing Mallee’s last match against the Blues – while Angus Monfries, Rhys Healey, Jayden Lonergan, Lincoln Frost and John Harvey all missed last Saturday in the Pies’ big loss.
With quality players on both sides missing, the result may hinge on who returns to their respective line-ups. The Eagles midfield, without Allen, Bennett and Fordham in particular, looks a bit light on for both quality and depth – especially when the Filo brothers await them in the centre square.
On the flip side, the Magpies look a touch short up forward without their leading goal scorers in Monfries and Lonergan – and with Sam Dunstan in the Mallee Eagles line-up, the visitors may need at least 12 goals to remain in the contest.
Dunstan will be a big focus for Shawn Filo and the Lake Boga brains trust, with the full-forward at times looking unstoppable – even against the Tigers and Blues.
With little separating the teams on paper, it may well be the match-up between Jacob Simpson and Angus McKenzie in the ruck that goes a long way to deciding this match – especially if either can start to dominate around the ground.
With both clubs expected to be in the battle for fourth and fifth at season’s end, tomorrow’s result will be crucial in the race to the finals. Tip – Mallee Eagles to win by 8 points.
KERANG v TYNTYNDER
Kerang will be out to keep their unbeaten record in tact when they host Tyntynder at Riverside Park.
The Blues crushed the spirit of finals aspirant Lake Boga last Saturday with a 110-point belting and will be out to do a similar number on the Doggies – who will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance against Woorinen last weekend.
As if taking on the league yard stick isn’t hard enough, they’ll also have to do it without Josh Stone – with their coach succumbing to a re-occurring groin strain on the weekend. The Dogs will also be missing Tom Gilbert and Solomon McKay – with the in-form Gilbert likely to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
Tyntynder aren’t alone in being hit with the injury stick this week, though, with Kerang also set to lose a couple of key players from their line-up.
Bronson Booth will miss with a hamstring, while Jack Daglish will also join Josh Hann on the injury list. But the Blues will regain Troy Davis and Marty Kelly, who missed last week’s win over the Magpies.
As is well known, Kerang’s midfield is stacked full of talent – and if Tyntynder are to stay in the game they most at least break even through the middle.
The Dogs must find a way to nullify the contested influence of Ryan Gillingham, Sam Heavyside, Marty Kelly and Nick Stagg – while at the same time not completely sacrificing their own fast paced, outside game.
They also need to address their tendency to be too heavily focused on Jason Eagle up forward. Eagle was often the target last Saturday – even when he had two and three opponents standing him – and that is unlikely to work against the well organised Blues back six.
The only way to break down the Kerang defence – which has conceded just 40 points a game on average this season – is to make all of them accountable and not allow them to peel off and assist their teammates.
The Doggies have been very solid defensively this season as well, with Cayden and Patrick Crowe, Elliott Broad, Harry Simpson and new recruit Elia Ware all forming a very solid partnership between them – and will all need to be at their best if they are to cause an upset tomorrow.
Tip – Kerang to win by 36 points.
SWAN HILL v TOOLEYBUC-MANANGATANG
It’s been many years since Swan Hill have started a season 0-5 – in fact, it hasn’t happened in the 17 seasons that Tooleybuc-Manangatang have played as an amalgamated club.
The fall for the Swans has been swift and harsh, with their hopes of playing finals now seemingly extinguished. Tooleybuc-Manangatang, on the other hand, are on the rise – with back-to-back wins against Balranald and Koondrook-Barham in their past two matches.
The Swans’ achilles heel this season has been their ability to hit the score board. With a forward line that contains Kal Heslop, Mitch Makepeace, Xavier Moloney and at times Xavier Mertz, they really should be putting bigger scores on the board.
Makepeace missed last Saturday’s loss to Balranald, but should return tomorrow along with Cooper Angus from injury. While both Makepeace and Angus will help strengthen the Swans forward half, they will lose Adam Manning from their midfield rotations after he dislocated his shoulder last week.
Club legends Matt Wade and Toby Thoolen have been typically consistent this season, while a couple of the Swans future stars in Jarvis Keogh and Hamish Robertson across half back have been shining lights. But if their team is to break their winless streak tomorrow, they are going to need a more even contribution from all 22 players.
Tooleybuc-Manangatang will continue down their path of improvement and development. Ryan Domaille will play again this week with the Bendigo Pioneers, while Shane Foley continues to impress under new coach Dean Helmers.
Brayden Pitcher will once again be a key player for the Saints after his matchwinning nine goal haul against the Raiders. Both he and Alex Powell are key players, with their ability to run through the midfield and play forward when the opportunities present – along with the in-form Peter Rothacker.
The big question for Tooleybuc-Manangatang will be how they best utilise their midfield and whether they back in Pitcher, Shylo Smith and Tom Carland to out muscle and out run the Swans on-ball division of Wade, Moloney, Tom Holdstock and Tom Pontell.
Tip – Swan Hill to win by 6 points.
NNW UNITED v BALRANALD
Balranald will look to further close the gap between themselves and the top five when they take on Nyah-Nyah West United.
The Roos have resurrected their season over the past fortnight, with strong wins over Koondrook-Barham and Swan Hill – and another four points tomorrow potentially puts them outside the five on percentage.
Despite United’s winless campaign thus far, tomorrow’s game will be no walk in the park for Balranald, with the injury hit Demons set to run out with their strongest side since round one. Both Corey Daniels and Cal Dobbin will return from a hamstring strains, while Brady Davidson and Campbell Everitt are also expected to return from injury. Throw in Matt Duffy, who will don the red and blue for the next few weeks, and the NNW United line-up starts to take on a more competitive shape.
While the Demons will be over the moon to get their best side back on the park, they will need to find a way to counter a couple of Balranald’s key players – namely Ben Fuller and Jydon Neagle.
It’s no surprise that the Roos upturn in form has coincided with the return of Fuller from injury, with their full-forward having bagged 12 goals from his two games this season. The Demons have plenty of options to send to Fuller, with the returning Dobbin a likely option following his strong job on Bryce Curnow in round two.
Jydon Neagle will be the other Roo that Corey Daniels and the NNW United coaching staff will need to put considerable time into. Neagle’s class and ball use across half back has been the other key factor in Balranald’s recent run of good form.
It could be that the Roos co-coach sends a negating forward to him to nullify his influence. Joel Campbell, who has been playing in defence of late, could be one to play the role as he also has the potential to get dangerous inside forward 50 and keep Neagle honest – or the other option could be to send another former coach in Jarrod Skinner to shut him out of the game.
If NNW United are to cause an upset, they will have to get it done and the stoppages – and clean up their foot skills as well.
Tip – Balranald to win by 10 points.
