Broadford v Diggers Rest
At Harley Hammond Reserve
Last week
Broadford - The Roos put on a commanding display against a gallant Kilmore outfit at the JJ Clancy Reserve on Saturday. The Roos were led brilliantly by Michael Gillard in the ruck and Matt Coomans in the middle. Youngster John Hussey showed valuable presence around the packs while Scott Dylan became the next player to jump out of the blue and have a major influence on the game. He kicked three goals and won countless possessions as the Roos celebrated a seven goal win.
Diggers Rest - The Burra fought off a determined Sunbury Kangaroos outfit to sneak over the line, just. The margin was just two points but it could have been greater given that when they had control of the game, they were simply ruthless in their attack and stopped the Roos from getting any clean possession. Tom Gleeson was a stand out and Stuart Clarke was at his brilliant gritty best.
THE GAME
This game will have more twists and turns than a race track. The Roos will welcome the return of Barry Hall, who'll be a great forward focus for the Roos and even though the Burra's have a dynamic midfield with a strong backline, the Roos have shown great signs of improvement to match it with them. The usual Diggers Rest suspects of Steve Ruane, Shaun Sims and Jeff Heritage will show their class but the interesting question remains is whether Brent Tuckey will line-up. The Roos may just lack that touch of experience down back and if Tuckey were to play and get a roll on, we could have a serious shoot-out between he and Hall that would have the crowd enthralled from siren to siren and a case of 'Salmon at one end and Ablett at the other.' Diggers Rest should have the experience to get over the line in this one but don't be surprised on an upset.
Catch this game on 98.3 OKR FM.
Melton Centrals v Kilmore
At MacPherson Park
Last week
Melton Centrals - The Centrals finally notched up a win at the Gilbert Gordon Oval. They triumphed over the Hawks by 38 points in a hard contested game of football. The Centrals suffered injuries to key stars with Kalas, Richardson and Fenton amoung the players to fall to injury. Fenton remained on the ground and was able to be influential when the ball was nearby. The major upside of their injuries is that those on the ground still played at the same level of intensity and showed great fitness in warm conditions. Bullen was at his usual best in the backline, Livingstone was on fire and Hunter was a star across the wing and half forward. Josh Armstrong played his best game up forward in quite some time.
Kilmore - Chris Nolan and his team battled hard all day against Broadford. They trailed by 17 points at three quarter time before they fell away. David and Rick Saunders were standouts while Peter Carter proved to be a valuable asset. Luke Crowley showed that he could match it with some of the best in the team and the young star knows how to make an impact.
THE GAME
The Centrals may be struggling with several injuries but given that their Reserves enjoyed a strong win, any additions to the team will fill the void beautifully. They really are one of the teams to beat this year and while they haven't faced a great level of competition against teams who made the finals last year, there is a great feel around the club that they will still be around the mark this year. The Blues are young, determined and enthusiastic. Their attack on the ball is unquestioned and that's a credit to the great commitment by those on the track. The reality is, the Centrals are highly favoured and could make a big statement to Romsey the following week with a commanding performance today.
Riddell v Woodend/Hesket
At Riddell Reserve
Last week
Riddell - The Bombers enjoyed last week off after a strong performance against Diggers Rest in round one. Ricky Elliott was a stand-out in that game with four goals. The pleasing aspect for the Bombers is that they had nine goalkickers and held on when the Burra's surged. Matt Darby proved to be an elite stand-out with his strong vice-like grip marks and accurate field kicking. He is one of the stars of the competition coming up from the Under 18.5s where he was awarded the best player on the ground in last year's grand final.
Woodend/Hesket - The Hawks were gallant in defeat against the Centrals last week. Their young stars in Luke Macklin, Alex Shipard, Geordie Taylor and Josh Eastley really stepped it up against the experienced Centrals bodies. They unveiled Sam Wood into the forward line and he was an instant hit with a goal through his first kick in senior football. Wood has enjoyed a decorated career at junior level with the Hawks and he will be earmarked as a key focus up forward for years to come.
THE GAME
The two teams have battled out some memorable matches in the past. It has been a long time since the Hawks enjoyed victory over the Bombers. One might have to go as far back as the 2007 grand final to recall that last win. Their experience and bigger bodies may not be enough to get the job done against the Bombers in this game but they will push them every step of the way. Ethan Foreman and Haydn Ross will be expected to make their mark and don't be surprised if the latter kicks a big bag. The red and black will be in full force today and expect them to have too much run for their Hawk opponents.
Lancefield v Rupertswood
At Lancefield Reserve
Last week
Lancefield - The Tigers are full of running after a strong 10 point win over Rockbank last week. The Tigers trailed by 21 points at three quarter time before storming home to a memorable win. Scott Swindells made the switch from full back to the forward line with three goals against the Rams while John Baker was abnle to find some great form with four goals.
Rupertswood - The new kids on the block showed promising signs against the Cats. It was their first game on home soil in the new competition. Ben Brennan was a stand-out in the midfield and Mitch Gaunt was at his flashy best with two goals. They kicked four goals in the last term against the Cats and nearly pulled away with the win.
THE GAME
This match could really go either way. The Tigers will have their first game at home this year and expect a big crowd filled with high anticipation of a great performance. Rupertswood have yet to win a game this year but the quality of their opening performances suggest that they are not too far away from their first win. The Tigers will want to step up to the potential finals contenders. Rupertswood are capable of kicking big scores and they will hope to use their great run through the middle led by Dave Morrice and Tom Podolczak. The Tigers have some great grunt with Dale Joseph and Chris James down back and Phil Conway using his great versatility to advantage. This will be one tough game. Rupertswood should be confident to take the four points but the Tigers will work hard to spoil the party.
Macedon v Romsey
At Romsey Park
Last week
Macedon - The Cats did what they had to in order to pinch the win over Rupertswood last week. They didn't play the fast paced, adrenaline fueled football that we're so used to seeing from them when they are at their best. The pleasing aspect about the Cats is that recruit Ryan Hickinbotham stepped up in the ruck and Pete Markworth was a force down back.
Romsey - The Redbacks were at their blistering best last week with a 70 point win over Wallan. Brad Mitchell was at his typical best while Cam Steeter, Mitch Farmer and Matt Davidson all kicked four goals. Shaun Austin was a welcome return to the team and he looked like that he had not missed a beat since the 2011 premiership win.
THE GAME
This is the match of the round on paper and it should deliver. However, this match has received a big boost in the lead-up over the last two seasons and both times, the Redbacks game out and dominated the Cats on their home turf like no other side had. Their win over the Cats in 2011 was highlighted with 12 goals in a row from the second term through to the final term and effectively stunted the Cats undefeated streak and sent them spiralling down the ladder, while setting themselves up for the premiership. That year also resulted in the Cats ending the Redbacks perfect season with a thrilling win at Romsey Park. This indicates a growing history between the two is spectacular. Macedon have not played to their best this year while Romsey appeared to have not missed a beat in their win over Wallan. Expect plenty of fireworks, lots of goals and hopefully a close finish. The Redbacks have a bit more star power in the team and that could get them over the line.
Tune in on 100.7 Highlands FM and 88.1 FM at the ground.
Last Modified on 26/04/2013 16:44