TOOLEYBUC-Manangatang will be viewing Saturday’s match against ladder leaders Woorinen as an opportunity to “make a statement” according to senior coach Brad Morris.
With Josh Domaille and Josh Grant joining key players Connor Nutting, Elliott Chalmers, Harry Maher, Jackson Morris and Isaac Franks on the side lines, the Saints will go into Saturday’s must-win match as massive underdogs.
Adding to their problems will be the returns of Matt Perry and Elijah Miliado for the Tigers, with recruit Kyle Skene a strong chance to make his debut this weekend as well.
But although the expectations on Tooleybuc-Manangatang may not be high ahead of Saturday’s clash, Morris and his young team are still looking forward to the opportunity to test themselves against the Central Murray’s best.
“We want a big scalp, so it’ll be a great opportunity to take on the ladder leaders and for us to make a statement,” the Saints coach told The Guardian this week.
“Because we’ve had so many players out from the word go, the kids have been given good opportunities and they’ve actually stood up in their roles, so that’s been a big positive for the club.
“Obviously it was disappointing to lose that one on the weekend (against Koondrook-Barham) as it was one that we were going hard for.
“But when you have your two key forwards out and you’re playing a small forward line just to compensate for what you have out, it’s tough.
“We had the same amount of inside 50s and we came home strong but we were just a bit under underpowered, really.”
Julian Muir, Rydar Morris and Connor Hazlett are among the young players to have impressed across the first five games of the season, with Muir and Morris both playing key roles in Tooleybuc-Manangatang’s defensive half of the ground.
They, along with fellow defenders John Wardle, Jack Templeton and Josh Williams will need to take their game to another level against Woorinen however, with the Tigers one of just three clubs to be averaging more than 100 points per game so far this season.
Woorinen’s ability to hit the scoreboard has been one of their big areas of improvement under new coach Tim Free, with several avenues to goal such as Perry, Hugh Thompson, Doug Beames, William Collicoat and Jose Miliado, all of whom have kicked 10 goals or more since round 1.
The Tigers’ big strength this season has been their midfield however, with Jye Barry, Henry Thompson, Taylor Cameron and Lachlan Warburton all consistently among their team’s better players.
But it’s the return to form of ruckman Lachlan Gardner that has made the biggest difference according to Free, who is hoping the Tigers big man continues that form against the reigning Jack Betts Medallist.
“Our midfield group has been great and they’ve been led really well by Lachie (Gardner) giving them first use,” Free said.
“He’ll be up against a quality opponent this weekend in Connor Mcdonald, who I rate really highly and we want to make sure that we win that battle.
“I think if we can do that and get the likes of Jye (Barry), Henry (Thompson) and Jose (Miliado) and our midfield group into the game and getting their hands on the footy, then we will be really dangerous.
“Our best footy has been when we’ve applied maximum pressure to the opposition and really forced them to turn the footy over in our front half in particular.
“We need to try and maintain that aggression and that fierceness at the contest and if we can do that, use the footy well and remain composed under pressure, then I think our forwards have the capacity to get the job done.”
Although Woorinen possess the stronger and deeper midfield, the Saints’ engine room isn’t without its positives either, with Sebastian Rogers dominant after half time against the Raiders, along with Blake Grant, while new recruits Nathaniel Lampton and Joel Munnich will be better for the run.
The biggest concern for the Saints is likely to be where their goals come from with the continued absence of Nutting and Franks, with their makeshift forward line struggling to make an impression at times last Saturday.
Josh Grant was one who provided a target inside 50, but with him likely to be absent, it’s going to leave the Saints light on for key forwards against one of the Central Murray’s most well organised and toughest backlines.
With Matthew Gardner, Ben Booth, Jamie Nicholas and Cameron all roaming Woorinen’s defence, Saturday should see the Tigers extend their winning streak to seven.
Tip – Woorinen to win by 21 points.
KEY MATCH-UP
Connor Mcdonald v Lachlan Gardner
IT seems that every week in some way, shape or form, Connor Mcdonald forms one half of the most important match up for the Saints.
Maybe that’s because he is so critical to the way his team wants to play, or maybe it’s because when he isn’t at his best or his best is somewhat negated, as it was last weekend against the Raiders, Tooleybuc-Manangatang rarely win.
Mcdonald may well be the Central Murray’s premier ruckman, but if there is someone ready to take away his title, it’s Gardner, who has been in scintillating form over the first six rounds and is joint leader of the LJ Hooker Player of the Year award to this point.
Saturday’s head-to-head battle will go a long way to deciding the winner – and if it’s Gardner, the Saints simply cannot win.
THE BURNING QUESTION
Where will Tooleybuc-Manangatang’s goals come from?
IT was the Saints’ Achilles heel last Saturday, along with the poor disposal going inside forward 50 from their midfield.
The only player that looked remotely dangerous in their forward half was Sebastian Rogers, and he will most likely be needed to help the Saints win the ball out of the middle against the bevy of Woorinen onballers.
If Williams is fit to play, perhaps he needs to go forward, but it might just be that the Saints need to get creative in order to kick a winning score.
