Ben Rowles
With some ripper matches in store, Round 8 of the
Millewa Football League is set to be a cracker, with the round to be headlined
by the top of the table clash between Bambill and Gol Gol this afternoon.
The last time these
two sides met back in Round 1, the Saints ran away with the game in the second
half to record a 44-point win at the Mildura Senior College. However, in recent
weeks the Hawks have hit some real form, and look the most likely team to knock
off Bambill this year.
Both sides have had
consistent contributors throughout the season, which is one of the major
reasons for the good form shown by these two sides. Tim Robinson and Jason
Bruhn have both had good seasons in the ruck and up forward respectively for
the Hawks, while Denny Fox and Jason Hunt have been stars all around the ground
for the ladder leading Saints.
Both clubs have
extremely damaging forward lines, and the pressure will be on the rock solid
backlines of both clubs to contain the firepower in the opposition. Add to this
the midfield battle that will take place in the middle of the ground, this
match promises to tantalise football followers of the Millewa.
There is no doubt
this match will be a hard fought encounter, and on their home turf, expect the
Hawks to take the game right up to the undefeated Saints.
On the opposite end
of the scale, the second game of the round will be the battle for bottom spot
on the ladder, with Cardross taking on Werrimull at Cardross Reserve.
Both these teams are
still looking to sing the club theme song for the first time in season 2009,
and both will be extremely determined to get off the mark this afternoon.
After a massive
thrashing at the hands of Gol Gol a fortnight ago, the Lions bounced back with
a terrific display against Nangiloc to only go down by 1 goal. Jake Zoch has
been revelation in the ruck for the Lions, and the ever consistent Chris
Bounias has provided real stability down back. With the knowledge that their best
football can test any side in the competition, Cardross supporters will be
hoping their team is switched on from the outset today.
However the Lions run
into a determined Werrimull outfit, who really took it up to Gol Gol last
round, only to fade away in the second half to lose by 90-points. Jamie Keenan and
Chris McGregor have been fantastic all year for Werrimull, and the Pies will be
looking for them to put in another big effort to get them over the line.
The Pies will be
looking to apply four good quarters of competitive football this week, which is
something they haven’t been able to produce this year.
This encounter will
be a close one, and Cardross will start slight favourites to take out win
number one for the year. However, if they don’t take the Pies seriously, things
may just come back to bite them.
The final game of the
round sees Euston make the long trip out to the Lake to take on Meringur. This
is a massive game for both sides, with the Roos hoping to stay inside the top
4, while the Bombers will want to keep in stride with Gol Gol as they tussle
for second spot.
Euston will be
refreshed after having two weeks off courtesy of the bye and the Queen’s
Birthday layoff, and will be looking to return to the winners circle after they
were beaten by Bambill back in Round 6. Joey Denaro has provided real drive out
of the middle for Euston this year, which enables the likes of gun forwards
Sean Smith and Felix Liparota to kick big bags of goals. The Bombers are 4 wins
and 1 loss from their 5 starts, and they will be looking to improve that record
today.
However, they run
into a desperate Meringur unit, who are desperate to show they can challenge
the powerhouses of the competition this season. The ever reliable Colin Keatch
and Carlo Longeri will again need to turn in big performances if they are to
knock off the reigning premiers. The Roos are coming off an 11 goal loss to
premiership favourites Bambill, and will be looking to dust themselves off and
get back on the horse today.
Like the other two
games in the round, this match promises to be a tight tussle. However, in the
end, the Bombers should have enough class to take the points today.
Last Modified on 11/06/2009 14:02