While Port Melbourne’s face-off with the Casey Scorpions has been deemed the match of the round for this first week of Acacia VFL finals, it would be lax of footy fans to overlook the other Qualifying Final, as Samantha Landy reports.
Williamstown will take on North Ballarat on neutral territory at Box Hill City Oval on Sunday for the chance to secure a Preliminary Final berth.
If the teams’ last clash is anything to go on, this Qualifying Final promises to be just as good as the one on offer at TEAC Oval on Saturday.
The Roosters prevailed by just two points in the clubs’ previous encounter at Eureka Stadium in round 19.
North Ballarat have the wood over Williamstown this season, also having downed them by 13-points earlier in the year at Keilor Football Ground.
The Seagulls will be keen to break the trend this weekend to strengthen their campaign for their first flag since 2003.
North Ballarat will be hoping to make it three-from-three against Williamstown this season in their pursuit for a fourth straight premiership.
No one could fault either team’s recent form.
The Roosters are on an eight-game winning streak which includes the scalps of top eight sides the Northern Bullants, Bendigo, Box Hill, of course Williamstown and most recently Werribee Tigers.
North Ballarat ended the Tigers’ aspirations to secure the double chance last Saturday, defeating them by 22-points at Eureka Stadium despite trailing by 32-points at quarter time.
Myles Sewell, acting captain in Marc Greig’s absence, was best afield with 23 touches while Bill Driscoll booted four goals in his return to the senior side.
The Seagulls have racked up some colossal victories in the past two weeks, defeating Frankston by 93 points last Sunday and routing eighth-placed Box Hill to the tune of 101 points the week before.
Williamstown sewed up second place with their win against the Dolphins at Frankston Oval last weekend.
Western Bulldogs rookie Matthew Panos slotted six of the Seagulls’ 20 majors while Ben Jolley racked up 32 possessions. Ben Davies, David Stretton and Brett Goodes were also among the best, all amassing 27 disposals.
The Seagulls’ win was somewhat soured by an ankle injury to captain Brett Johnson, who will be forced to sit out the Qualifying Final.
Johnson’s omission means both sides will be without their leaders this weekend, as Ballarat captain Greig’s season ended with a finger injury two weeks ago in their match against Bendigo.
Both sides go into this Qualifying Final on even footing for this reason, among others.
Neither club will benefit from home ground advantage, with the match being played away from North Ballarat’s Eureka Stadium and Williamstown’s haunts, the Avalon Airport Oval and Keilor Football Ground.
The teams finished the home-and-away season on an even 56 points with 14 wins and 4 losses, separated only by percentage.
With so little to split these sides it’s impossible to say who will come away from the match with the Preliminary Final spot.
So after the hype of the first Qualifying Final dies down, with either Port Melbourne’s remarkable winning streak intact or another Fevola-driven Casey victory, all eyes should be focused on Box Hill City Oval for a contest which deserves just as much attention.
Last Modified on 02/09/2011 14:15