PANTHERS VS BITS SAINTS @ RCG SATURDAY 29TH
AUGUST 2009, 2:30PM
This weekend sees the BITS Saints
square off with Panthers in the years penultimate match, with the winner facing
Yeppoon in the season decider. On form Panthers are going to be hard to beat as
they have only lost 2 matches since their early season blunders but do enter
the match on the back of a tough loss to Yeppoon at Swan Park.
On the other side of the tracks BITS have had the luxury of having a week off
to rest and give injured players time to get right after their win against
Glenmore and will bring a lot of confidence with them into the Preliminary
Final at the Cricket Grounds. Who will win and be in the Grand Final? We will
find out about 4:30pm Saturday afternoon.
RECENT MATCHES
In the minor rounds this season
these sides faced each other 3 times with the Saints winning the Premiership
rematch back in Round 1 convincingly at Boyne Country Club, since then however
Panthers have had the honours and hold the ledger at 2-1 with decisive
victories both home and away.
Round 1: BITS Saints 24.9.153
defeated Panthers 12.8.80 @ Boyne Country Club
Round 9: Panthers 19.7.121
defeated BITS Saints 9.3.57 @ RCG
Round 14: Panthers 14.19.103
defeated BITS Saints 13.7.85 @ Boyne Country Club
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Panthers: The players to watch in this match for Panthers are those
players capable of nullifying the ball winners for BITS as well as those able
to get the hardball. Look to see Clifford and Kronk win the hardball and to
feed to league best and fairest runner up Matt Ryan and Brett McAleese as they
provide run to their forwards. Panthers two power forwards Ennis and Kaufman
need a big game with both needing to kick at least 4 for Panthers to have a
chance.
BITS Saints: For BITS the players who will catch your eye are a mix
of old and new names. Boase will be vital to the Saints cause as his run and
ability to kick match winning goals will need to be at its best this weekend.
Dickenson and Caveny will work the contested contest and will look to use
players like Boase and Bywaters to provide the spark they need as they move the
ball into their forward line. Against the Bulls both Shipard and Hall created
problems and they will need to do so again with help from youngsters Mills and
Hunt if they are going to be a threat in this match.
MATCH PREDICTION
Form is a funny thing, a string of
wins can be undone by just one loss and a patch of poor form can be turned
around with a big win. That is how this weekend’s game sits. Panthers loss to
Yeppoon will hurt them and without the break the Saints have had to let any
niggling injuries rest it gives the Saints their best opportunity of recent
months to knock off Panthers. In saying that Panthers will have been coached
smartly by Wayne Ling and he will have managed his players knowing the
importance of this week’s match. On their home ground they are always hard to
beat but sides have knocked Panthers off there this season, unfortunately for
the Saints they have not. Panthers will go into the match favourites but if
BITS can put together a start similar to that of last seasons Grand Final they
will do enough.
Prediction for the match is that
the Saints experienced finals campaigners will do enough to get a good start
and upset Panthers in the prelim in a close one, two – three goals.
OTHER MATCHES
UNDER 13’S: BITS SAINTS VS GLENMORE BULLS
UNDER 15’S: YEPPOON SWANS VS BITS SAINTS
UNDER 17’S: GLADSTONE MUDCRBAS VS BROTHERS ROOS
RESERVE GRADE: BITS SAINTS VS YEPPOON SWANS
Last Modified on 28/08/2009 09:48