Balmain
Currently: 1st- 48 points
The Run Home: St George (A), East Coast (H), Pennant Hills (A)
Analysis: What seemed like a certain minor premiership for the Tigers isn’t so anymore with two consecutive losses to UTS in the last fortnight (including wet weather round). They host St George on the weekend who realistically need a scalp in the next fortnight to try and move Macquarie University from the last finals spot. They should then overcome East Coast at home before a potential match for the minor premiership against Pennant Hills.
Prediction: They will overcome the hiccup to claim the minor premiership but they are heavily dependant on Luke Jarjoura (injury) and Chris Bolt who have been missing in recent weeks.
Pennant Hills
Currently: 2nd- 44 points
The Run Home: UTS (H), Holroyd-Parramatta (A), Balmain (H)
Analysis: Sitting second like their Premier Division team, they have surprised many with their resilience throughout this season. It will be tested in a tricky final three weeks where they host the in-form UTS, then travel to play the Goannas who are far from easy beats. The hardest challenge is Balmain in the final round.
Prediction: Losses to UTS and Balmain will mean they drop to third but still get a double chance.
UTS
Currently: 3rd- 44 points
The Run Home: Pennant Hills (A), St George (H), Sydney University (A)
Analysis: The Bats are running hot as the club’s attention turns to their second grade side with their Premier Division side all but out of finals contention. A number of players with some Premier Division experience are now likely to fill spots in the Division One side that are perennial features in September. They will get a good test of their credentials with two away matches against finals bound sides and the easiest of the matches on paper will be against a St George side on the edge of finals.
Prediction: I’m going on a limb and saying that they will win all three games and go into September with their tails up having secured second place.
Sydney University
Currently: 4th- 36 points
The Run Home: East Coast (A), UNSW/ES (H), UTS (H)
Analysis: The back-to-back premiers in Division Two have made more than a fist of their promotion to Division One as they are in the box seat to claim a likely Elimination Final berth. They will start favourites against East Coast this weekend albeit with the match being away, before what should be an easy four points when they host UNSW/ES. The UTS match to finish the regular season will be the perfect preparation for the following week.
Prediction: Two wins in the next fortnight will see them seal a finals berth, yet finish fifth (see below).
Macquarie University
Currently: 5th- 32 points
The Run Home: UNSW/ES (A), Southern Power (H), St George (A)
Analysis: The best run home out of any top five side currently given they don’t play anyone above them on the ladder. After a rough few weeks, last weekend’s win against Holroyd-Parramatta was particularly pleasing in the way they were able to register a big score. They should hit the scoreboard with regularity against UNSW/ES. The final two weeks could be prickly but they have beaten both opposition previously in the season. The last round with St George could determine who finishes fifth.
Prediction: Stu Newman will be happy with his troops’ form as they win their final three matches to leapfrog Sydney University into fourth on percentage.
St George
Currently: 6th- 28 points
The Run Home: Balmain (H), UTS (A), Macquarie University (H)
Analysis: The Dragons are playing catch-up after two losses in the last three weeks. It’s a very tough run home against the ladder leaders Balmain, before a trip to face the ever-consistent UTS. They probably need to win those two matches and make some in-road percentage-wise ahead of their final round against the side directly above them in Macquarie University.
Prediction: Their finals hopes will be dashed this weekend and will ultimately lose their final three matches to finish eighth.
East Coast
Currently: 7th- 24 points
The Run Home: Sydney University (H), Balmain (A), Holroyd Parramatta (H)
Analysis: Woes in attack may ultimately hurt East Coast, who have only scored over 100 points on only one occasion this season. Its a tough run home where they will start underdogs in their next two matches before they are likely to get a couple of Premier Division players back in their final game of the season against Holroyd-Parramatta.
Prediction: A final round win will still see them finish well short of the finals. Seventh.
Southern Power
Currently: 8th- 24 points
The Run Home: Holroyd-Parramatta (H), Macquarie University (A), UNSW/ES (H)
Analysis: It was always going to be a tough ask for the Power to make finals having lost their first five matches. The final three matches are as good as they can hope for- two matches against sides below them on the ladder with two of these at home.
Prediction: Two wins against the Goannas and UNSW/ES will see them jump to sixth but short of a finals spot.
Holroyd-Parramatta
Currently: 9th- 20 points
The Run Home: Southern Power (A), Pennant Hills (H), East Coast (A)
Analysis: A loss against Macquarie University last weekend made it extremely tough for the Goannas to register another finals berth- needing to win all three games and hoping for a lot of results to go their way . They have lost a bit of class this season and despite their potency in attack, they possess the second worst defensive record in the league. Its not a bad finish with two winnable games against Southern Power and East Coast. Pennant Hills may be a bridge too far.
Prediction: Three losses and they will remain ninth.
Out of finals contention
UNSW/ES
Currently: 10th- 0 points
The Run Home: Macquarie University (H), Sydney University (A), Southern Power (A)
Analysis: No wins for the Bulldogs highlights their struggles this season. Two matches away and two matches against top five-bound sides makes it unlikely for them to get off the dreaded zero.
Prediction: Like their Premier Division side, they will finish well and truly clear at the wrong end of the table as wooden spooners and a likely Division Two position in 2016.
Last Modified on 13/08/2015 13:21
