THERE can be only one result for Nyah-Nyah West United when they host Lake Boga on Saturday, with the anything less than victory likely to end their finals charge.
But while the Demons will be desperate for the four points, so too will the Magpies. Just one point separated both clubs back in round 2, so it will be anybody’s game when they cross the white line tomorrow.
Lake Boga got the job done that day after NNW United kicked themselves out of the game with a wasteful 8.16 after being the better side for much of the afternoon.
While not getting the four points, the Demons will no doubt take confidence from their round 2 encounter. Joint coach Corey Daniels is hoping the game is played on similar terms to last time.
“We played not too bad (in round 2), we just didn’t get the win,” Daniels said.
“One-point losses are hard to accept. Hopefully we can keep speed on the game, which we want to do, and if we can, it’ll probably play into our hands.”
The Demons will also be bolstered by a number of handy inclusions to last week’s side that fell to Woorinen by 19 points, with Jarrod Stokes, Hassan Ahmat-Watkins and Dom Gallo all set to resume. Daniels and Jaydyn Stirling are also nearing a return after long-term injuries, with their availability dependent on overnight fitness tests.
Lake Boga are also expected to have a couple of changes to the team that comfortably accounted for Tooleybuc-Manangatang last Saturday, with Matt Taverna and Jayden Lonergan expected to come into the side.
While NNW United will be full of confidence after pushing contenders Woorinen all the way last weekend, so too will the Magpies, with joint coach Angus Monfries comfortable his side will also be ready to hit the ground running.
“Both teams are obviously around the same mark on the ladder and they’ve (NNW United) been playing some good footy of late as well,” Monfries said.
“Even though they didn’t get the win last Saturday, I’m sure that game will have given them plenty of confidence.
“With that said, I feel we played some of our best footy for the year last weekend in terms of our consistency over four quarters and I’m really confident that we’ll give a good account of ourselves.”
The significance of the match isn’t lost on Daniels either, despite his side getting close to causing one of the upsets of the season last Saturday. Ill-discipline in the final quarter cost his team any chance of victory.
“It’s a must-win game for us, we’ve been close against the top sides but we just haven’t been able to get the job done so far this season,” Daniels said.
“In some ways, it’s pleasing, but it’s pretty frustrating also, because we’re playing good enough footy to almost get there, but we just can’t take that final step.
“We know we probably cost ourselves a win last week. It’s a bitter pill to swallow but that’s the reality of it and we have to front up again this week.
“The positive is that if we can play the same style of footy, then we give ourselves every chance to win, just like we gave ourselves every chance to win last weekend.”
Leg speed and quick ball movement will again be a key success factor for the Demons, especially with Stokes and Gallo back in the side. Gallo tore the Magpies apart when the two sides met earlier in the season.
Lake Boga have plenty of weapons themselves, including a forward line stacked with goalkicking potential, but Monfries knows that if his side is to end the Demons’ finals run – and secure their own – his team will have to get it done in the middle.
“We probably knew last time we played them that we needed to limit their outside run and spread,” Monfries said.
“We need to make sure we’re winning it at the coalface so they don’t get the ball on the outside of us.
“From memory, Nick O’Neill won the best-on-ground medal the last time we played, which I don’t think Jacob Simpson was too happy about – the ruck will be a massive duel, just to make sure we don’t let them get the ball on the outside and also make sure we’re winning it ourselves.”
While Lake Boga tend to play Nyah Recreation Reserve relatively well, having won both games they played there last season, the Demons have far too much at stake to give away the points this time in a game that should again come down to the final minutes of the match.
Tip – NNW United to win by two points.
KEY MATCH-UP
Joel Walsh v Lochie Laing
SINCE Lochie Laing’s move to playing as a more permanent key forward, Lake Boga have looked a completely different side.
Laing dominated up forward last week, kicking a game-high six goals and providing a constant marking target for his teammates in their forward half.
Joel Walsh would seem the most logical choice to stand the dangerous Laing, with Walsh proving to be one of the most adept intercept marking defenders in the competition to this point of the season.
Both Walsh and Laing were named among their clubs’ better players when the two sides last met, with the winner of this battle set to give their team a major boost in pursuit of victory.
THE BURNING QUESTION
Can the Demons’ defence stop the stacked Lake Boga forward line?
ON paper, it looks like a bit of a mismatch, with Lochie Laing, David Gourdis and the returning Jayden Lonergan all set to play in attack, along with Dustin Burns, Angus Monfries and young gun Koben Ryan for Lake Boga.
There is plenty of firepower for the visitors, with the beauty being their ability to spread the workload and not rely on one player to hit the scoreboard like they did last season.
Joel Walsh will play on Laing in what promises to be an enthralling battle, which leaves Joel Campbell to get first crack at Gourdis, in what could prove to be somewhat of a mismatch in terms of size.
The key for the Demons won’t rely on their back six to nullify the Magpies’ forwards, but rather in their midfielders causing enough pressure further up the ground to disrupt their forward entries.
