A SPOT in the top four will be the prize when Moulamein and Murrabit clash Saturday afternoon, with both clubs out to bank the vital early wins that will see them return to finals come season’s end.
With both clubs starting the season with one win each, percentage is all that separates the Swans (fifth) and Blues (fourth) ahead of their must-win clash.
Saturday will be the first of three home-and-away matches between the two clubs, with the importance of claiming the four points, and early bragging rights, not lost on Murrabit coach Jack Shannahan.
“Banking wins early is going to be crucial, especially in such a small and even competition as it is this year,” Shannahan told The Guardian this week.
“These sort of games can come back to haunt you in the back end of the year if you don’t get the result.
“It will be tough, they (Moulamein) look like a good side, but in saying that it’s going to be tough every week.
“I feel like we’re on the right track, we’re certainly playing some good footy, but we’re just lacking a little bit of polish at the end of our hard work and we’re making a few silly little mistakes here or there which has cost us a couple of games.
“We feel like if we keep doing what we’re doing and just tidy up a couple of things, we’ll get some results come our way.”
The Blues will be without James Russo for Saturday’s all-important clash, while the Swans will regain the services of Matt Edwards and potentially Hayden Dalitz after missing the Swans 31-point win over Macorna last weekend.
That result was the perfect confidence booster for the Swans, with Moulamein co-coach Brodie Tonkin pleased with his team’s ability to get the desired result despite their at times inaccurate kicking.
“I think we did some things really well, but there’s still a lot to improve on,” Tonkin said.
“We could have helped ourselves a bit earlier in the game if we had kicked straight, but there were some really good signs.
“Since our game against Ultima (round 2) I feel we’ve been continue to build and hopefully we can keep improving on a couple other areas that we’re still chipping away at.”
Logan McKinnon looms as a danger player for the Blues, along with Austin McKerrow and Bryden Morison, who have all been dominant around the footy over the first three weeks of the season.
Adam Thomson has been another key acquisition for Murrabit this season, with the former Nullawil forward booting 11 goals from three games to lead the Blues forward line.
Murrabit aren’t the only team to have several attacking weapons at their disposal however, with the Swans new look midfield and forward line beginning to look ominous as their recruits begin to gel.
Will Doquile is a ball magnet who uses it well, as is Adam Saunders and Joshua Wills, while Morgan Turvey, Blake Launer and Xander Hartland have all started this season in good form.
Perhaps the biggest advantage for the Swans however lies in the ruck, with Heath Moloney still among the leading big men in the Golden Rivers competition.
Reigning premiers Ultima will be looking to bounce back from the last start loss to Hay when they winless Macorna Saturday afternoon, while Wandella will make the long trek north to Hay to take on the unbeaten ladder leaders and complete round 4.
