ROUND 8 PREVIEW
Saturday, 30 May
Port Melbourne (4-2) v Box Hill Hawks (4-2)
Last Time: Round 7, 2008 at Box Hill City Oval – Port Melbourne 21.14 (140) def Box Hill Hawks 13.14 (92)
TEAC Oval, 1.10 pm (ABC TV; 3WBC 94.1 FM)
Williamstown kept Port Melbourne at arm’s length all through last week’s fixture on a rare calm day at Point Gellibrand, emphasising the gulf that has opened between the sides this season.
Back at TEAC Oval however the Borough are still a very tough prospect, having won their last fifteen at the venue.
Yet Box Hill is a side on the rise, and the ease with which they disposed of Frankston will cause some concern.
Stuart Dew’s inclusion was a boon for the Hawks last week with four goals, while Cameron Pederson booted four more and now has 13 goals for the season.
With an experienced midfield and forward line, Box Hill should push the Borough to a close finish.
Tip: Port Melbourne by 9 points
Collingwood (3-3) v Northern Bullants (5-1)
Last Time: Round 10, 2008 at Visy Park – Northern Bullants 18.9 (117) def Collingwood 6.6 (42)
Visy Park, 2.00 pm (Casey Radio 3SER, 97.7 FM)
A week off may be a good tonic for a Magpie side that was woeful in its disposal of the footy against the Coburg Tigers in Round 6.
The return of several senior players to the AFL side ensures that a couple of players will drop back to the VFL, possibly including Ryan Cook and Sharrod Wellingham – two players who have yo-yoed between the grades this season.
Fears that the Bullants might lose some of their drive following the bye proved unfounded as David Teague’s side kicked away early against Werribee.
Andre Gianfagna and Shaun Grigg provided the run that would otherwise have been lost by Mitch Robinson and Richard Hadley being promoted to the Carlton side.
Assured in their use of the footy, the Bullants look to have too much class for the Pies.
Tip: Northern Bullants by 25 points
Sunday, 31 May
Coburg Tigers (4-2) v Werribee Tigers (2-4)
Last Time: Round 9, 2008 at Chirnside Park – Coburg Tigers 14.19 (103) def Werribee Tigers 10.6 (66)
ABD Group Stadium, 2.00 pm (Casey Radio 3SER, 97.7FM)
Jade Rawling’s Coburg side has been hard to beat at home this year, and encouragingly found a new route to goal last week in skipper Nick Carnell.
The aggressive Carnell booted six goals in the Burgers’ victory at Bendigo, notable also for Jack Riewoldt’s second successive six goal haul.
Riewoldt will be in Western Australia this week, which should provide some relief for a beleaguered Werribee defence.
They were badly stretched by the Northern Bullants last week, the undersized Paul Kennelley needing to stand tall against the dominant Brad Fisher.
With Teghan Henderson still missing, Simon Atkin’s Tigers are still too dependent on Michael Barlow and Scott Howard to provide their dash from half-back.
It looks like the home side will be too strong in this battle of the big cats.
Tips: Coburg Tigers by 27 points
Williamstown (6-0) v North Ballarat (5-1)
Last Time: 2nd Qualifying Final at Eureka Stadium – North Ballarat 15.16 (106) def Williamstown 12.14 (86)
Burbank Oval, 2.00 pm (livevfl.com.au)
The earth turned on its axis last week and provided an eerily calm day for footy at Burbank Oval.
Thankfully for the Seagulls they were not thrown by the unusually clement conditions, and still ran over the top of their fierce rivals from the Borough.
This is another tough task for them this week, as the reigning premiers have a dominant recent record against Williamstown.
For North Ballarat it was business as usual, even though playing at the unfamiliar surrounds of the Eastern Oval.
Led by a solid and consistent midfield containing Brett Goodes, Myles Sewell and Tom Roach, the Roosters have now won their past five matches.
Orren Stephenson’s physicality and size in ruck will be a tough match for the Seagulls’ Ayce Cordy and Wayde Skipper, as the Roosters look to bully their way to victory.
Tip: North Ballarat by 4 points
Casey Scorpions (2-4) v Geelong (2-4)
Last Time: Round 9, 2008 at Casey Scorpions – Casey Scorpions 18.9 (117) def Geelong 11.12 (78)
Casey Fields, 2.00 pm
Forget the drug-addled Canadian sprinter or even the Collingwood defender – there is a new Ben Johnson in town.
The well-built forward from Bell Park nailed eight majors for Geelong at Sandringham last week, upstaging the competition’s leading forwards (Nick Sautner and James Podsiadly) in the process.
This week his side travel to Casey Fields, where they face a Scorpions side that has struggled against class opposition this year.
Pleasingly for Peter German, his side fought out the game against North Ballarat last week – even outscoring the Roosters in the final term.
They have a variety of tall options in defence capable of out-marking Johnson, Podsiadly and Tom Lonergan, however may be outpointed in the one-on-one contests.
This could be a chance for an evolving Geelong side to get a valuable away win.
Tip: Geelong by 15 points
Sandringham (3-3) v Bendigo Bombers (0-6)
Last Time: Round 5, 2008 at Trevor Barker Beach Oval – Sandringham 24.15 (159) def Bendigo Bombers 13.11 (89)
Trevor Barker Beach Oval, 2.00 pm
The Zebras are fast becoming this season’s most schizophrenic side. Fast and powerful one minute, they can struggle at times to stem any flow that moves against them.
Young blood-nut Tom Lynch continued his impressive development last week, his versatility and pace a real handful for opposition coaches already preoccupied with the talent of Peter Summers and the toughness of David Gallagher.
Bendigo put in an improved effort last week, but they struggle to match opponents over the full two hour journey.
Sadly Michael Hurley suffered another setback in a rookie season that has been cruelled by injury, breaking his wrist against the Coburg Tigers.
Andrew Welsh makes a long-awaited return for the Bombers, but along with Brent Prismall his best could still be several weeks away.
It is time that Sandringham started asserting their right to be a contender, and unfortunately for the Bombers this could be the week that revitalises their season.
Tip: Sandringham by 44 points
Bye – Frankston
Last Modified on 29/05/2009 15:10