FITZROY Stars have cleared the first hurdle in their month-long campaign to grab a spot in the Northern Football League's Division 2 top six and stay there. But the Stars, back in Victorian club football after 14 years out, face a fight on another front.
Talk of late is that the NFL may bring in a Division 3 competition. Teams which finish below eighth at the end of the season will be relegated to that division.
The Stars are currently in seventh place, one spot from the finals-bound top six.
It's not where they want to be.
The Stars began their run towards an historic finals spot last Saturday with a thrilling five-point win over South Morang, 14.7 (91) to 12.14 (86), in Round 15.
Ahead is three season-defining games for the NFL newcomers. They face three of the top four sides in the final rounds -- including league leaders Whittlesea and third-placed Macleod -- with fourth-placed Watsonia first-up tomorrow.
It's a tough ask. In the Stars' favour tomorrow, however, will be a different side which lost to Watsonia in April by 47 points, says coach Allan Brown.
"We were a bit unstructured in that game. Watsonia were flying then and I guess we were a little bit unorganised and all over the place," Brown said. "It was just our third game but we know a little bit more about them now. We'll have 10 new players in the side that didn't play last time, too. We've improved since last time. We're looking to win this game and we won't be holding anything back."
It gets interesting for the Stars from here. Eighth-placed Mernda could win all three remaining games against teams placed 11th, 12th and 14th so the ball really is stuck in the Stars' defensive 50, figuratively speaking.
"The exciting thing is, is that every games is 'alive' for us," Brown said. "We had something of a 'purple patch' of close games where we lost to teams higher up by nine, 10 and 12 points. We just want to win tomorrow."
* The Stars' game against Watsonia begins at 2.10pm at Watsonia's home ground.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Friday, July 25, 2008
Last Modified on 30/07/2008 23:08