Gunnedah Bulldogs v Muswellbrook Cats at Wolseley Oval on Sunday 1pm
Due to Werriman Field being unavailable, this match has been transferred to Wolseley in Gunnedah. However, due to another booking, the match was moved to Sunday, marking the second straight year that Sunday footy will take place in Gunnedah.
This is a clash that both sides would fancy their chances in. Both lost their first round clash last weekend, but neither were disgraced in losing. The Dogs fought hard and pushed the Roos all the way to final siren and the Cats ran out of legs in the second half against the Saints. Both clubs will be desperate to get their first win of 2013, and that means this match will be a cracker.
The Dogs continued on from their solid finish to 2012 last week with a gritty display on Saturday night. They showed in the second quarter that they will be able to match it with any team in this league where they dominated the Roos. Their midfield is the equal to any in country NSW, with player coach Scott Hardy and Captain Andrew George leading the charge. Their forward line has struggled in the past, but big Ben Middlebrook was a strong focal point on the weekend and will be relied upon to kick another bag on Saturday in order for the Dogs to get the win.
The Cats were game last week, and it was their midfield who were the standout in the performance. Ruckman Cameron Davis earned a call up to the TAFL rep squad following a dominant performance in the middle, with some good contributions from Brian Martin and Nick Bottrill providing good delivery forward. Kicking a score could also be an issue for the Cats, and will rely upon their midfield runners to go forward and snag a few majors as well.
This result of this clash will come down to which side can kick a winning score. Both defences are very strong and don’t allow too many easy goals so it could well be a low scoring battle. The midfield of both teams will be called upon to move forward and kick goals to support the forwards up front, and the Dogs probably have the edge in that regard. If the Cats can find a way to stop that midfield charge, they will be a big show in this clash.
TAFL Tipster – The Dogs at home are a tough nut to crack, and should be just too good in this one. Dogs by 15 points
Last Modified on 17/04/2013 13:35