DARLEY v LAKE WENDOUREE
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at Darley Park, Saturday, 2.15pm
STANDINGS
DARLEY (1st): 6 wins, 0 losses
LAKE WENDOUREE: (2nd): 6 wins, 0 losses
LAST MET
R12: 2016, Darley 13.14 (92) d Lake Wendouree 12.17 (89)
Lake Wendouree coach Tim Malone and his Darley counterpart Heath Scotland are like minded ahead of their top-of-the-table encounter at Darley on Saturday.
Each agree the midfield battle will be pivotal to the outcome.
The biggest point of agreement of all though is that only the best will do.
Anything less is going to be a massive factor in one of the combatants suffering a first loss of the season.
Malone cannot wait for the game to begin.
“I’ve been looking forward to it.” That is as a coach and it was as a player too.
Unfortunately though Malone will not be out on the ground rubbing shoulders with Scotland, with a strained hamstring meaning he will coaching from the sidelines.
Lakers have not been fully extended since the opening round and Malone says this assignment will show them exactly where they stand.
“We’ll see how we shape up.
“They’re a benchmark. We’re going to have to play at our best.”
This is the first of two huge back-to-back matches, with an encounter with reigning premier Bacchus Marsh to follow next week.
Nick Peters, Steve Clifton, Ben Taylor, Angus Kirby, Lucas Anderson, Bailey Edwards, Nathan Pring and Ben Hayes are all big game players for Lake Wendouree.
Their battles with Dan Roy, Brian and Chris Graham, Kyle Docherty, Leigh Spiteri, Darren Leonard and Scotland are going to be full of fireworks.
Like Malone, Scotland says this fixture will show where ladder leader Darley is at.
He said Lakers had an even spread of talent, like Darley, and getting the ascendancy in the midfield would be crucial in breaking the deadlock.
While Malone is Lakers’ only loss, Darley goes in without Brad Inglis (general soreness), but does regain Chris Graham after being a late withdrawal with illness last round. Matt Inglis (shoulder) also remains sidelined for the Devils.
DARLEY
In: C. Graham
Out: B. Inglis
LAKE WENDOUREE
In: S. Willmott, E. McCuskey
Out: T. Malone, D. Sliwa
PREDICTION: Darley
NORTH BALLARAT CITY V BACCHUS MARSH
at Eureka Stadium, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST MET: round 8, 2016 - Bacchus Marsh 19.8 (122) d North Ballarat City 10.11 (71)
NORTH BALLARAT CITY (8th): City desperately needs to show something, but with a heavy injury toll the odds are stacked against it in this clash.
Key forward Will Young (medial ligament soreness) is the latest to join a casualty list which also features Derrick Micallef, Jim Vanderkley, Mitch Giddings (all hamstrings), Ryan Hobbs (knee) and Ryan Luke (knee). Throw in the unavailable Daniel Kilpatrick and that's the backbone of the team.
What can you do though?
In: H. Lamb, A. Turley, S. Willian
Out: W. Young, D. Kilpatrick, B Draffin
BACCHUS MARSH (3rd): Western Jets-listed tall forward Blake Graham returns for his second appearance in a match in which Travis Hodgson will be urging his players to put in their first "four-quarter" performance of the season.
He said this would again be a focus after a third-quarter fade-out against Redan.
Ruckman Daniel Burton continues to struggle with leg trouble and will not be risked if there is any doubt with still a long way to go.
No change
PREDICTION: Cobras
MELTON SOUTH V EAST POINT
at Melton Recreation Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST MET: round 6, 2016 - East Point 21.16 (142) d Melton South 7.9 (51)
MELTON SOUTH (4th): the Panthers know another win is a step closer to playing finals and it will be all about getting the points at home again.
Their strong finishes have been a trademark, as they did against Ballarat, and this is most likely where Melton South will take hold of the Kangaroos.
Tayte Pears (foot), Tom Derickx (finger) and Mozzie El Houli (shoulder) are the frontliners still missing, but Matt Notman, Shaun White, Craig Searle and Dan Hillier ensure depth.
In: M. Callus
Out: R. Holzer
EAST POINT (10th): young defender Hasker Dawborn (ankle) and Cameron Jackson (suspension) are back to bolster the Kangaroos in a game in which they will need to focus on keeping the football out of the hands of Mark Lynch and Mitch Banner.
Coach Jake Bridges said East strayed away from some non-negotiable areas in its latest loss to Darley and would need to ensure it refocused on what it could and needed to control.
There is an upset in East Point this season. It would take a special effort, but if there is to be an upset this round this could be it.
In: H. Dawborn, J. Draffin, C. Jackson
Out: M. McCrow, C. Lee, J. Peeters
PREDICTION: Panthers
SEBASTOPOL V MELTON
at Marty Busch Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST MET: round 12, 2016 - Melton 15.12 (102) d Sebastopol 10.10 (70)
SEBASTOPOL (11th): can the Burra catch the Bloods off guard on the back of a bye?
If Sebastopol is to get its first win of the season, it will need to jump Melton as it did Ballarat.
While the Burra could not keep it going on that occasion, it will have learned from that and has a stronger line-up with the return of key players.
In: J. Grills, T. Mookhoek, R. Henderson
Out: S. Keiller, D. Williamson, C. Dummett
MELTON (9th): if ever the Bloods needed a win it's now. The season is still young, but Melton has to get on its bike quickly if it is to make anything of it.
Melton regains the important Daniel Walker, who has not played since a nasty elbow injury in round one, and Jordan Cotter expected back from Werribee in the VFL.
The Bloods' injury list, including stars Jake Gleeson and Jack Walker, continues to create headaches for them though.
In: D Walker, J Cotter. C. Armstrong, J. Taylor
Out: D. Falzon, J. May, B McGregor, B Crofts
PREDICTION: Melton
REDAN V SUNBURY
at City Oval, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST MET: round 13, 2016 - Sunbury 11.17 (83) d Redan 7.7 (49)
REDAN (5th): A hurting Redan will be fired up to hit back. Ruckman Orren Stephenson (hamstring/lower back) is taking the week off and young tall Nick Hausler returns to the North Ballarat Roosters in the VFL.
These changes will impact Redan, with back-up ruckman Ben Smyth going to need some help.
Redan will be looking to lift in attack, where it needs greater potency, and this should come via a dominant midfield.
Liam Gill, Pat Fitzgibbon and Brenton Riordan have all been recalled, while Ben Schiltz is back from injury.
Damien Horbury was set to play his 150th senior game, but will have to wait for the milestone.
In: J. Eales
Out: G. Valles
SUNBURY (6th): the Eastern Lions are desperate for a "decent" scalp and this is the chance.
Coach Ben Jordan says while they have landed the wins they expected, they need a circuit breaker to stay ahead of the chasing pack.
Grant Valles has gone overseas and is a big loss - especially with defender Adam Short still missing - but Sunbury gets another game out of Williamstown VFL-listed big man Jayden Eales.
In: L. Gill, P. Fitzgibbon, B. Riordan, B. Schiltz
Out: O. Stephenson, N. Hausler, D. Horbury, C. Giampaolo
PREDICTION: Redan