Gordon v Beaufort
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at Gordon, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Gordon 9.13 (67) d Beaufort 6.6 (45), round 10, 2015
BEAUFORT’S hopes of a top four finish at the end of the home and away season are under threat, with another huge challenge on the horizon this weekend.
The Crows were sitting pretty in top spot on the Central Highlands Football League ladder at the Queen’s birthday long weekend break, but a surprise loss to Dunnstown last Saturday has seen the side tumble to fifth.
And another defeat here – against a Gordon outfit that has won eight-straight matches – would spell disaster to a double chance in finals.
Last weekend, Beaufort coach Dale Power admitted the loss to the Towners “really hurts our top four chances” and will know the consequences of another defeat this weekend.
The Crows made a host of changes to the team at selection on Thursday night, with key players Scott Howard, Chris Drew, Jack Duke and Damien Day among those to miss.
After grinding home to a 33-point win over Daylesford last Saturday, Gordon coach Gary Learmonth said his charges needed to lift against the better teams in the league.
“We’ve got some massive games over the next month coming up so we need to improve,” he said.
Learmonth has signaled a number of players unavailable this weekend, including Jeremy Krojs, Ben Peters and James Lewis.
Prediction: Gordon
Clunes v Skipton
at Clunes, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Skipton 12.11 (83) d Clunes 9.7 (61), round 10, 2015
FOR Skipton and Clunes, the 2016 Central Highlands Football League season always shaped as a tough one.
And it has panned out that way.
The Emus and Magpies remain winless after the opening nine games and will be desperate to bring up a breakthrough triumph this weekend.
Skipton joint-coach Peter Brokenshow said his charges “desperately need a win to start believing in themselves” and was confident it would come in this round 10 encounter.
The Emus, which missed a big opportunity against battlers Smythesdale early in the year, have one change to the team that went down to Ballan by 73 points last outing, with Alistair Sudholz in to replace Jake Wyatt.
Clunes has endured a tough campaign of its own, with the departure of its senior coach Dale Cowell coming amidst heavy losses throughout the season.
The Magpies are fronting from a 63-point loss to rivals Newlyn and have named two changes to that team.
Toby Johnston and Aidan Thompson have been included in the senior line-up at the expense of Joel Nevill and Liam Newton.
Baring a draw, Saturday’s result will see either Brokenshow and his sidekick John Northey or stand-in Clunes coach Ryan Hudson-Morgan register a maiden success in charge of their respective clubs.
Prediction: Skipton
Buninyong vs Dunnstown
at Buninyong, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Buninyong 11.19 (85) d Dunnstown 12.4 (76), round 10, 2015
DUNNSTOWN coach Justin Abrams says the club is building its way towards being one that “will worry anyone we play in the future”.
Abrams’ comments come after the Towners’ upset victory against Beaufort last weekend.
This result helped the side stay a game clear inside the top eight ahead of this Saturday’s battle with ladder-leaders Buninyong.
Abrams said the victory last week simply “progressed our belief internally that our path is the right path”.
“We are not intimidated by any team. We believe our best football is as good as anyone in the competition. What we lack in talent we make up for in effort and resilience,” he said.
Buninyong heads into this clash on the back of six-straight victories, including three big percentage-boosters against Carngham-Linton, Rokewood-Corindhap and Smythesdale.
Bombers coach Jarrod Morgan, who will play his 200th senior game for the club on Saturday, said his team had been rating the Towners pretty highly all season.
“They’re a good side, so I wasn’t surprised that they won (against the Crows), but it was a good result for them,” Morgan told The Courier.
Key figures Glen Phelps, Keelan Fejo, Jarrod Rodgers and Alex Bomitali have all been named to return for the Bombers on the weekend.
Prediction: Buninyong
Ballan v Waubra
at Ballan, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Ballan 12.17 (89) d Waubra 9.10 (64), elimination final, 2015
Ballan (9th): The Blues get back onballers Lachlan Herring and Kyle Doyle, but lose defender Daniel Neilsen (unavailable) as they look to extend their good record against Waubra.
Ballan beat the Roos twice last season, including the elimination final triumph.
Waubra (7th): Arguably the Roos' best player returns to the side this weekend for the trip to Ballan.
Tom Nijam is back after missing the narrow one-point victory over Bungaree, which leaves Waubra seventh on the ladder.
Prediction: Waubra.
Bungaree v Carngham-Linton
at Bungaree, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Bungaree 33.16 (214) d C-L 5.5 (35), round 10, 2015
Bungaree (6th): The Demons' top four hopes took a hit on the weekend following the one-point loss to Waubra.
That result saw Bungaree - which get back star Marty Dufty from a wrist injury on Saturday - drop from second to sixth, a game adrift of the fourth-placed Springbank.
Carngham-Linton (18th): The Saints are battling away and still remain winless after last weekend's defeat against Creswick.
And while this Saturday's game is a tough one, there's some light at the end of the tunnel with winnable fixtures against Clunes and Skipton still to come before the end of the season.
Prediction: Bungaree
Creswick v Rokewood-Corindhap
at Creswick, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Creswick 9.9 (63) d R-C 7.13 (55), round 10, 2015
Creswick (11th): It will be a huge fixture for the Wickers on Saturday as club legend Tim Rieniets celebrates his 300th open-age game with the club.
The match will also see key signing Ryan Knowles make his first senior appearance for Creswick after joining from Springbank early in the season.
Rokewood-Corindhap (13th): After a tough few weeks, the Grasshoppers will see this game as a chance to break back into the winner's stall.
Rokewood-Corindhap's loss to Hepburn last weekend was its fourth in succession.
Prediction: Creswick
Daylesford v Springbank
at Daylesford, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Springbank 26.15 (171) d Daylesford 6.5 (41), round 10, 2015
Daylesford (10th): The Bulldogs have a couple of injury concerns ahead of the big clash against Springbank.
Daylesford coach Marcus Goonan said defender Toby Hughes will miss with a shoulder issue and revealed star midfielder/forward Seb Walsh was to undergo a fitness test on Thursday night after a hamstring strain in the loss to Gordon.
Springbank (4th): After seven-straight wins, the Tigers are now in the top four.
However, they will be without premiership player Jesse Galea for the next couple of weeks while he is overseas.
Prediction: Springbank
Hepburn v Smythesdale
at Hepburn, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Hepburn 42.20 (272) d Smythesdale 2.2 (14), round 10, 2015
Hepburn (2nd): Burras coach Jason Olver says he won't risk onballer Ricky Ferraro for this weekend's clash after he picked up a slight hamstring strain in the win over Rokewood-Corindhap last round.
This means Ferraro will miss five-time premiership player Alan Ware's 250th senior game for the club.
Smythesdale (15th): Bulldogs coach Stephen Frys has openly stated that his team is capable of winning a couple more games in 2016.
And while success appears unlikely this weekend, Frys will be eyeing games against Creswick and Clunes as their best chances in the run home.
Prediction: Hepburn
Learmonth v Newlyn
at Learmonth, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Newlyn 9.9 (63) d Learmonth 9.8 (62), round 10, 2015
Learmonth (14th): After a tough few weeks, the Lakies get a crack at a couple of games they will be confident of winning.
And to help the cause this weekend against Newlyn, they get back Jye Rich for just his second senior game of the season. Rich has been sidelined for much of the year with a bad finger injury.
Newlyn (12th): Onballer David Richardson and defender Wes Carter are unavailable for this clash, while defender Tom McKinnon is out for the year after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Gun forward Will Young was also left out with a hamstring issue.
Prediction: Learmonth