WHO would have dared suggest at the start of the season that come the halfway mark of the 2013 year neither of last year’s Grand Finalists would be located in the top two positions?
Okay, Geelong and Port Melbourne sit third and fourth respectively and the former is only percentage points away from top spot.
But, that’s not the point. The surge by Box Hill Hawks and the continued consistent form of Casey Scorpions highlights just how tight, competitive and enthralling the 2013 season is shaping.
While North Ballarat is languishing in 11th position the powerhouse from not-so-long ago showed it still can mix it with the top-of-the-table clubs like Port Melbourne.
What has been the recurring theme of the first half of the season is that any club on any given day can defeat another club regardless of where they may be sitting.
And, that’s what all competitions want – a season that goes right down to the last quarter of the last home and away match.
It’s not gilding the lily too much to suggest such a scenario may exist this season.
That’s just how even the competition shapes up.
So, how has your club fared and what’s ahead? Here’s a club by club overview. Today we look at the fortunes so far of Geelong, North Ballarat, Northern Blues, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Werribee and Williamstown.
GEELONG
2013 Record: 3rd, 7-2
2012 Record (same stage): 6th, 5-4
2012 Finish: Premiers
Goal kickers: Hamling (13), Vardy (12), Kersten (12)
Season So Far: The reigning premiers again shape as playing a huge role come September. After opening the season with five successive wins, including the season opener where they defeated Williamstown with the majority of the team VFL players, the VFL Cats hit a slump where they lost against Collingwood and Casey by 13-points with identical scorelines in both games. Geelong rebounded in signature fashion with decisive wins against Essendon and sit perched third, just percentage away from top spot. They may have lost staples like Andrew McLean, Shannon Byrnes and Tom Gillies, but Geelong still has a menacing look about it.
Outlook: With another finals campaign a given, the interest in the second half is if Geelong can assume top spot. If the Cats do finish at the pointy end it won’t be because of any soft draw as they face last season’s Grand Final opponent Port Melbourne twice, Casey and Williamstown. And, more challenging still they have to visit all three clubs.
NORTH BALLARAT
2013 Record: 11th, 3-6
2012 Record (same stage): 10th, 3-6
2012 Finish: 9th
Goal kickers: Darmody (10)
Season So Far: For the second successive season, North Ballarat have left themselves playing catch-up football if it’s to play finals, which is looking less and less likely. The Roosters turned 3-6 last season and this season they’re in exactly the same position. Murphy’s Law seems to have struck North Ballarat as it seems to run into clubs when they’re fielding their most potent line-ups, but that’s footy and more so in a competition as unique as the VFL. What is most concerning is that apart from a great come from behind win against Port Melbourne, the Rooster’s scalps are Bendigo and Frankston, which occupy the bottom two rungs of the ladder. One of North Ballarat’s biggest problems is its inability to apply enough scoreboard pressure. Outside its wins, North Ballarat has not kicked a 100-point scoreline. And, while in the past that hasn’t mattered much as the Roosters have stifled opposition scoring, that’s no longer as prevalent.
Outlook: Last season, North Ballarat switched on the after burners in the second half to win six of its last nine games, but it wasn’t enough to secure them a final’s berth. The Roosters will again have to throttle down and win at least six, possibly seven games to see September action. Certainly, its draw is favourable as they don’t have to play Port Melbourne or Casey again and they play Williamstown, Werribee, Collingwood and Sandringham all at Eureka Stadium. There’s an away trip to Geelong and Windy Hill, but at least there’s some light at the end of what until the Port Melbourne match looked a dark tunnel.
NORTHERN BLUES
2013 Record: 7th, 5-4
2012 Record (same stage): 12th, 1-7
2012 Finish: 10th
Goal kickers: Mitchell (14), Thomas (13), Casboult (10), Totevski (10)
Season So Far: Hard to recognize the Northern Blues circa 2013 to the club that under-performed last season. After its disastrous last season, the Blues have emerged as one of the big improvers in 2013. Northern opened the season with three wins, including an away win at Werribee and a 25-goal smashing of Bendigo Gold. The VFL Blues also accounted for North Ballarat and Coburg, but fell agonizingly short of beating Collingwood, a decision that went down to the wire. Northern also pushed Port Melbourne and Sandringham, losing both games by less than three goals. Geelong is the only club that belted the Blues, but the VFL Cats make a habit of doing that to clubs. The Blues flexed its muscles against Frankston in a match that helped its percentage.
Outlook: With its sound start to the season, Northern Blues has given itself a chance to play finals. But to achieve that goal they will need to replicate its first half performance then step up further to beat those clubs ahead of it on the ladder. It’s a formidable challenge as the Blues twice play Williamstown as well as travelling to Box Hill and Casey Fields. If Northern Blues make the eight there will be no fluke about it.
PORT MELBOURNE
2013 Record: 4th, 6-3-1
2012 Record (same stage): 1st, 8-2
2012 Finish: Runner-Up
Goal kickers: Galea (31), Scipione (21), Cain (17), Bonaddio (16), O’Sullivan (10)
Season So Far: When Werribee smashed them by 12-goals in its season opener, then they scrambled to defeat Box Hill Hawks, somehow lost to Frankston and drew with Sandringham it appeared the Boroughs season was in free fall. Questions about Port Melbourne’s ability were quickly rebutted by the most relevant people – the players. Port Melbourne embarked on a winning tear, reminiscent in some of its matches at its very best. The resurgence, which included victories against Casey and Williamstown, was not unexpected as Shane Valenti, Toby Pinwill, Danny Hughes all missed big chunks of the start of the season, same, too, Nathan Batsanis. Port coughed up a handy lead against North Ballarat at North Port, something that never happens, but in its defence the Borough played in the Foxtel Cup just five days earlier.
Outlook: It appears a foregone conclusion that Port Melbourne will play finals for the sixth successive season under Gary Ayres. But, the Borough have a tough run into the finals with two games against 2012 Grand Final nemesis Geelong and a return match against arch rival Williamstown. There is a justified belief that the Borough will only get better when they regain all their gun players and few teams boast such an array of talent than Port Melbourne. Look for them to nail down a top four spot.
SANDRINGHAM
2013 Record: 9th, 3-5-1
2012 Record (same stage): 3rd, 7-2
2012 Finish: 8th
Goal kickers: Dennis Lane (18), Milera (13), Michaliades (12), Curren (12)
Season So Far: It’s been a spluttering start for the Zebras, which lost its first two games against Coburg and Geelong then drew with Port Melbourne. Buoyed by its improved performance against the Borough, Sandringham went on a three game winning streak, where they trounced Werribee and Bendigo and emerged victorious from a shoot-out with Northern Blues. It suggested Sandringham could definitely figure in the final’s mix, but two 10-goal defeats by Casey and Essendon followed by a goal loss to Box Hill Hawks deflated such optimism. One of the Zebras biggest concerns is leaking goals. They’ve allowed the opposition to posy seven century-plus scorelines against them and that’s not a formula to win games consistently.
Outlook: While Sandringham returned to the finals last season after an absence of four years, the Zebras have plenty of hard work in the second half if they’re going to return to September action this year. In its favour is a bunch of games at Trevor Barker Oval, but they’ve got Geelong and Williamstown in that mix. Sandringham would need to win six of its remaining games to make the finals. It’s a challenging assignment.
WERRIBEE TIGERS
2013 Record: 7th, 6-4
2012 Record (same stage): 4th, 6-3
2012 Finish: 3rd
Goal kickers: Warren (39), Clouston (19), Maric (15), Brown (14)
Season So Far: Hard to gain an accurate gauge of where Werribee sits. When it plays like it did against Port Melbourne in its season-opener, which it won by 12-goals, the Tigers appear as good as any club in the competition. But, then there’s the Werribee that lost to Geelong (nine goals), Sandringham (10 goals) and Williamstown (14 goals). What made it even more inexplicable is that Werribee’s VFL list stacks up as well, if not better, than every other list. Certainly, the retention of Ben Warren and the addition of Jared Moore, Ben Brown and Scott Clouston has added to the club’s strength, so, too, the mid-season return of Ben McKinley.
Outlook: Werribee has easily accounted for all those out of the eight, but what will determine how high they climb up the ladder is how they perform in the second half against the top of the table teams and they’ll get that chance against Casey, Geelong and Port Melbourne in the run home. Little doubt that Werribee will play finals, but it depends which team turns up that will result in their finishing position.
WILLIAMSTOWN
2013 Record: 5th, 6-4
2012 Record (same stage): 7th, 5-5
2012 Finish: 4th
Goal kickers: Natasi (13), Veszpremi (11)
Season So Far: Although hit hard by injuries to key players – Ben Jolley, Jamie McNamara, Brent Prismall, Justin Sherman and Cam Wood – Williamstown would be well satisfied with its first half of the season. The Seagulls crunched Bendigo by 29 goals, Coburg by 16 goals and Werribee by 14 goals and comfortably defeated Frankston. Reigning premiers Geelong just defeated them in the ‘official’ season opener while the trip to Casey Fields wasn’t memorable. Arch rival Port Melbourne provided a reality check, but again Williamstown was missing many of its stars. Coburg recruits Willie Wheeler and Leigh Masters have settled in well, Ed Carr continues to grow in stature and the Seagulls unearthed a young talent in Kirby McConnon.
Outlook: With the likelihood of all its stars returning in the second half Williamstown is well placed to launch a serious assault on a top four finish. It will need available as many of its best as possible as the run home is challenging – road trips to Port Melbourne, Box Hill, North Ballarat and Visy Park as well as hosting Geelong.
Last Modified on 21/06/2013 10:03