ROUND 12 PREVIEWS
By Chris Weaver
Saturday, 4 July
Sandringham (5-5) v Port Melbourne (6-3)
Last Time: Round 11, 2008 at Trevor Barker Beach Oval – Port Melbourne 21.16 (142) def Sandringham 11.9 (75)
Trevor Barker Beach Oval, 1.10pm (ABC TV; Casey Radio 3SER, 97.7 FM)
The Zebras’ unrelenting defensive pressure was too much for a handball happy Coburg last week, as Nick Sautner led the way up forward with 8.3.
With St Kilda likely to make a couple of changes ahead of Sunday’s AFL clash with Geelong, Sandringham may be without the rebounding dash of Raphael Clarke, who has been excellent recently.
Port Melbourne emerges from the bye knowing that VFL fans are not confident in their ability to play well away from home.
The good news here for Gary Ayres’ side is that this week they play on the smallest playing surface in the competition, as they look to start the second half of their season with a bang.
Against a Sandringham side lacking genuinely tall defenders, this could be the day that Adrian Bonaddio (16 goals in 2009) returns to form.
The difference between the Zebras’ best and worst footy is vast, but they should enter as favourites on form after winning every quarter last week.
Tip: Sandringham by 31 points
Geelong (4-6) v Box Hill Hawks (6-4)
Last Time: Round 14, 2008 at Skilled Stadium – Geelong 20.11 (131) def Box Hill Hawks 11.15 (81)
Skilled Stadium, 2.00pm (3WBC, 94.1 FM)
Last week was a missed opportunity for the Box Hill Hawks, who could have cemented their place in third position with a win against Werribee.
The best players from the previous week’s victory over Sandringham were nullified by a tighter, tougher Werribee side than has been seen in recent times.
But there is returned muscle this week, as Beau Muston helps out the in-form Sam Gibson.
Geelong’s win at home against the inconsistent Bullants brings them back into finals contention, sitting a game outside the eight.
Speedy half-back David Wojcinski could be a late omission, meaning that much of the dash is lost from a decidedly cumbersome Geelong defence.
Geelong’s narrow ground is the antithesis of the wide wings and flanks of the Box Hill City Oval, which could cause adjustments to Box Hill’s transition of the footy.
Tip: Geelong by 23 points
Sunday, 5 July
Coburg Tigers (5-5) v Northern Bullants (6-4)
Last Time: Round 17, 2008 at ABD Group Stadium – Coburg Tigers 11.20 (86) def Northern Bullants 11.9 (75)
ABD Group Stadium, 2.00pm
The 140th meeting between the northern metropolitan rivals could make or break Coburg’s season.
With a tough draw ahead and losing their best young players to AFL affiliate Richmond, Coburg need to win in what will be their last home game for four weeks.
Both Jason Morgan and Jarrod Silvester are again absent for Coburg, giving their backline a look of being distinctly undersized.
The Bullants are as hard to predict as any side in the competition, their recent woes not helped by the wholesale changes made by Carlton this week at the AFL selection table.
Any chance the Bullants have of exploiting Coburg’s defensive frailties though look slim, with Brad Fisher absent and Mitch Robinson serving the second week of his two match suspension for striking the Casey Scorpions’ Rohan Bail.
With plenty of midfield run-and-carry from the Bannister brothers, Richard Hadley, Heath Scotland and Nick Stevens, this could be the week that the Bullants right some recent wrongs.
Tip: Northern Bullants by 25 points
Werribee Tigers (4-6) v Williamstown (8-2)
Last Time: Round 3, 2009 at Burbank Oval – Williamstown 12.18 (90) def Werribee Tigers 3.6 (24)
Chirnside Park, 2.00pm (livevfl.com.au)
It is unlikely that we will witness a repeat of the conditions the last time these sides met on a windy and wet April afternoon.
Nathan Thompson’s return has bolstered a misfiring Werribee forward line, the target man booting six goals against Box Hill last Sunday.
The Tigers should welcome back another senior star this week, with lithe defender Teghan Henderson making his first appearance in two months following a battle with osteitis pubis.
Williamstown found themselves five goals down at the last change against the Casey Scorpions, but finished as winners with the consistent Matthew Little again managing four goals.
Strong across every line, the Seagulls are benefitting from selection stability for the second season in succession, making it easier to blood youngsters such as Xavier Gotch.
Two strong midfields should be well matched, but the versatility and speed of Williamstown’s forward line should see them over the line.
Tip: Williamstown by 16 points
Casey Scorpions (5-5) v Bendigo Bombers (0-9)
Last Time: Round 12, 2008 at Casey Fields – Casey Scorpions 11.14 (80) def Bendigo Bombers 7.9 (51)
Casey Fields, 2.00pm
Last week’s fadeout against Williamstown firmed the Scorpions’ position in mid-table, but the Bendigo clash is the first of two home games against lowly opposition.
The Scorpions should possess a tall and experienced forward line, with Brad Miller and Paul Johnson returning to the VFL.
Strong and willing in congestion, Shane Valenti leads a midfield that should give the home side consistent first use of the football.
The Bombers’ last performance at winless Frankston was very much a tale of two halves.
Having won the first half midfield battle, Bendigo struggled to move the footy past half-forward in the second half as the Dolphins’ confidence began to rise.
Lacking depth, the Bombers require Essendon listed youngsters David Myers and David Zaharakis to run forward of the centre and provide them with some drive.
Having acquitted himself well in his first match, look out for ex VAFA player Dayne Coulson-Hoffacher to win plenty of the footy on the flanks and link up with the midfield.
Tip: Casey Scorpions by 43 points
Frankston (1-9) v Collingwood (5-5)
Last Time: Round 13, 2008 at Visy Park – Frankston 16.9 (105) def Collingwood 15.8 (98)
Frankston Park, 2.00pm
The Dolphins broke their duck last week against the Bendigo Bombers, kicking ten goals to two after half-time to nullify a 22 point deficit at the main break.
Solid performances in the reserves against an admittedly poor Bendigo side have pushed Dale Whelan and Dean Limbach (an astonishing 14 goals) back into the senior mix.
Collingwood never threatened North Ballarat, their best performers being the VFL listed fringe players Ryan Colbert and Kris Pendlebury.
The Magpies forward line looks more potent this week, as Chris Dawes returns to aid the imposing Chris Bryan.
Damien Peverill was upstaged in the EJ Whitten Legends’ Match by tubby recruit Bryan Strauchan, but it is likely to be the former who is the fulcrum in midfield on Sunday.
Frankston will look to win some games on the home stretch, with this game looking ripe for an upset.
Tip: Frankston by 11 points
Bye – North Ballarat
Last Modified on 03/07/2009 13:48