MERRIGUM v LANCASTER
After some reasonably comfortable wins over the past month, Merrigum coach Christian Barnett will welcome this challenge.
It will give the Dogs the high intensity game they need ahead of the second semi-final showdown with Nagambie in the second week of the finals.
Expect them to re-call a handful of players who didn’t take the field against Girgarre.
Merrigum has been the in-form team of the competition, having won 10 games in a row.
Their last defeat came at the hands of Lancaster at the end of May.
The Wombats will fancy themselves despite their form not been as good.
They have been doing enough to get the wins on the board, but will take plenty of confidence from their match against Nagambie – even though they lost the game.
Thomas Sullivan was the star of last week’s win while Joshua Smith has given the Bulldogs another target up forward.
They have plenty of guys who can kick them a winning score while David Matthews, Lincoln Wellington, Warren DeLeeuw and Joshua Pell were others to shine in last week’s win.
Lancaster has also found another avenue to goal, with Coby O’Neill bobbing up in recent weeks with a couple of big bags.
Co-coaches Russell Lee and Nick Bertoli are leading by example, while the inclusion of Justin Murphy has given them some more class through the midfield.
O’Neill’s emergence has also taken the pressure off Heath Barnett. Barnett has had another good year for the Wombats and will go close to kick 100 goals if his team can play a couple of finals.
The Wombats will not fear the Bulldogs and they would love nothing more than sending their arch rival into their major semi-final off the back of a defeat and at the same boost their premiership aspirations.
My tip is Merrigum by 15 points.
A reminder to tune your wireless to 98.5 on the FM dial to hear a full commentary of today’s game.
THREE THINGS WE LEARNT
1. Nagambie’s hold over Avenel continued with their win. The Swans last win against the Lakers was back in 2007.
2. Tallygaroopna are playing the season right out despite being out of contention.
3. The fight for third could come down to percentage, but Stanhope is in the box seat.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
1. Goals and plenty of them, with Matt Forys (17), Brent Chapman (16) and David Gillespie (13) Chris McKay (7), Joshua Smith (7) and Pat Rattray (7) all hitting the scoreboard in a big way for their teams.
OTHER
In the remaining games, Stanhope will be too strong for Ardmona; Longwood travels down the road to play Nagambie; Undera will look to end its season on a winning note against Girgarre; Violet Town will be chasing back-to-back wins heading into the finals when they welcome Rushworth and Avenel should be able to take some winning form into the finals when hosting Tallygaroopna.
My tips: Avenel, Violet Town, Undera, Nagambie and Stanhope.
Last Modified on 25/08/2015 10:33