WANDELLA v QUAMBATOOK
WANDELLA will be out to make a statement when they host Quambatook tomorrow afternoon – with a win for the Bombers seeing them close the gap in the race for second spot.
Securing the four points won’t be easy though, as they will have to get it done against a team that is on a five-game winning streak and showing no signs of slowing down.
The Saints will be even stronger tomorrow, with Tristan Ramadge, Michael Hahnel and Brad Organ all set to return to the line-up following injury lay-offs. Wandella on the other hand will lose defender Kade Spencer – which will be a big blow to the Bombers’ back six, who will have to contend with a forward line that is averaging more than 115 points per win this season.
It goes without saying though that this match will be decided out of the middle and by the team that can get their hands on the ball first. Russell Rich and Kane Timmins have been massive additions to the Bombers’ engine room this season and are among the most prolific ball winners in the competition. Throw in Darren Rushton, Brad Delamare and Mitch Collins and you can begin to see why the midfield could be considered Wandella’s big strength this season.
They won’t get it all their own way tomorrow however, with the Saints every bit as strong through the centre as their opponents. Ricky Wild is in sensational touch, as is Gregor Knight, while Jordan Lampi is showing that he plays his best football when playing up on the ball, too.
The Bombers simply have to win the clearance battle if they are to have any chance of victory tomorrow – and give their in-form coach and spearhead, Logan Keighran, plenty of opportunity to hit the scoreboard. Keighran’s kicked 13 goals from his past two games since returning from injury – and while he’s clearly in a rich vein of form, he won’t have faced a challenge like he will against either Jarred Schlitz or Ash Davis.
While Wandella at home are always a tough proposition, with the irrepressible form that the Saints are in currently, it’s almost impossible to tip against them. Tip – Quambatook to win by 18 points.
NULLAWIL v MOULAMEIN
IT’S Moulamein’s turn to face the music tomorrow afternoon when they travel to the undefeated Nullawil to take on the Maroons.
There isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about the ladder leaders, who have clearly been a class above the rest of the competition so far, both this season and last. Tomorrow’s encounter could well bring back a sense of deja vu for the Swans, who go to Nullawil with a five-win, one-loss record after last year travelling to Nully with five wins on the board and high hopes of challenging the champions in their first meeting.
Where they will be hoping their deja vu ends though will be with the result, as the home side gave them a good old-fashioned smacking – piling on 32 goals for the day and allowing Moulamein just four scoring shots – and one goal – in a performance the Swans would be hoping to forget.
Nullawil aren’t without their problems heading in to tomorrow’s game, with Patrick Kelly on Bendigo Pioneers duty and Andrew Casey with a minor knee complaint both joining Mitch Farmer and Dean Putt on the sidelines. Offsetting the loss of Casey though will be the return of Grant Ford, who should slot seamlessly back into the Maroons’ midfield rotations.
With Putt out of the line-up, it potentially opens the door for Heath Moloney to control proceedings around the stoppages, although Brad Slater is still a high-quality ruckperson in his own right as well. If the Swans are to provide any kind of challenge, they must get it done around the stoppages and through the midfield – and it must start with Moloney. So much of their dominance comes from their ability to win the clearances, but if Moloney is able to either direct the ball to his on-ballers or get it immediately out into open space and heading into Moulamein territory, then that could well upset the balance.
The likelihood of it changing the course of the result would seem unlikely however, with Nully having shown no sign of letting up – or complacency – over the first six rounds of the season. Tip – Nullawil to win by 50 points.
MACORNA v HAY
A WIN against Hay tomorrow afternoon is a must for Macorna if they still have any hopes of playing finals in season 2022.
After a promising start to the season, it’s all fallen apart for the Tigers over the past three weeks, with losses Wandella, Moulamein and Nullawil seeing them fall two wins behind Wandella in the race for the top four.
While a loss to Nully is no disgrace, the disappointing part for Jaydon Stiles’ men would be their inability to have pinched one of the two games against either the Bombers or the Swans – the two teams who they will likely be battling against for fourth position. Inaccuracy in front of goal hurt them against Moulamein, with Macorna having two more scoring shots yet falling 14 points short – while a slow start condemned them to also run against Wandella, with the Tigers unable to bridge the gap over the last three quarters on that occasion.
There can be no excuses tomorrow though, as this is a game that they are expected to win – albeit against a side that is improving week on week under new coach David Webb. Hugh Crighton has started the season in terrific form in the ruck and is the barometer for the Lions, while he has also been ably supported by Hay’s spine with key forwards Kenneth Jubb and Brad Pocock and defenders Nathan Wilson and James Eddy all regularly named among the Lions better players.
While the visitors’ spine appears to be in great touch, it’s their midfielders who will need to be on high alert tomorrow against the Tigers’ deep on-ball brigade, particularly Malcolm Neiwand, Daniel Green, Dylan Wright and young gun Toby Whinfield.
The key to victory for the home side rests with their midfield – as the more opportunities they can provide to their spearhead Stiles, the more likely it is they will come away with those much-needed four points come Saturday evening. Tip – Macorna to win by 22 points.
ULTIMA v MURRABIT
THE final game of Round 7 will see the league’s two-cellar dwellers Ultima and Murrabit lock horns – with a much-needed win on the line for both clubs.
The Roos are yet to taste victory from their opening six games and will not get a better chance to break their run of outs than tomorrow at home to a Blues outfit that will be missing Brody Green, Darcy Hetherington and coach Leigh Millard.
Murrabit will also be without new recruit Cam Hall, who injured a hamstring prior to last week’s game and will now be unlikely to pull on the royal blue guernsey until after the bye. It’s not all bad news however, with Nathan Henry certain to return to Murrabit’s forward line, along with Daniel Hovey who is also in line for a recall.
The Blues will also have a couple of new faces this week, with the club recruiting Dustin Blake and George Goodman earlier this week. Blake is a skillful, hard-running wing while Goodman will play as a small defender, with both players set to add much needed depth to the Blues’ senior list.
Ultima will also have some big inclusions to their side tomorrow, with reigning Best & Fairest Mitch Seton-Stewart back, along with Ryan Devereux and Jack Delmenico. Seton-Stewart and Delmenico’s return couldn’t have come at a better time, with both players desperately needed to try and counter the incredibly good form of Murrabit prime movers Marc O’Neill and Nathan O’Toole.
While the midfield battle will be an important one, the winner of this game is likely to come from whichever side uses the ball better – with both clubs having been constantly plagued by poor disposal and skill errors throughout the opening rounds of the season. Tip – Ultima to win by 6 points.
