Nathan Pring is out for the Lakers.

MELTON v EAST POINT

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at MacPherson Park, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 16 - Melton 13.8 (86) d East Point 11.12 (78)

STANDINGS

MELTON (5th): 2 wins, 0 losses

EAST POINT (2nd): 2 wins, 0 losses

Melton and East Point have had just the starts they needed to the Ballarat Football League season.

For outfits which found wins so difficult to come by in 2017, eight premiership points apiece are invaluable.

While no doubt supporters in each camp are cock-a-hoop, coaches Aaron Tymms and Jake Bridges are from being carried away.

It is a hackneyed phrase, but each will be keeping a lid on it. There is a long way to go and much more improvement is needed if either is to do any more than achieve their minimum goal of playing finals.

Melton first-year mentor Tymms said while there was a tremendous atmosphere across the whole club and throughout the entire player list, no one was getting ahead of themselves.

He said it was too easy to allow things to fall away.

Melton has no plans to throw away anything, especially after taking down reigning premier Darley.

The Bloods know giving up a game at home would be giving back what they had gained from their performance at Darley Park.

“We’re not about to take our foot off the pedal,” Tymms said.

He said the message to his players was the need to work even harder that they had been to capitalise on the start they had had.

Tymms said having claimed the scalp of Darley, it would make Melton the hunted rather than the hunter.

“They’ll be coming at us.”

Tymms said one of Melton’s biggest focuses would be on combatting East Point’s dangerous muiti-pronged, which has already shown how menacing it can be with several hit-up forwards.

It will have a different look this week though, with Joel Ottavi and Jake McQueen named on an extended interchange for Essendon and a chance to play in the VFL, and Jordan Johnston and Cam Lovig also out – leaving Bryson McDougall and Brad Whittaker to carry the load.

The inclusion of Kayne Wilson is Melton’s only change.

SELECTION: Melton

Melton

B: L. Heaney, R. Carter, K. Wilson

HB: B. Crofts, B. McIntyre, L. Walker

C: J. Hickey, J. Walker, R. Walker

HF: D. Haby, L. Carter, J. Cotter

F: B. Kight, K. Baker, R. Davis

R: B. Archard, C. Griffiths, M. Denham

Int: T. Button, J. May, M. Beck, L. Hickey

Emg: H. Davis, L. Ericson, D. Walker, M. Orr, N. Gale

In: K. Wilson

Out: L. Ericson

East Point

B: A. Maconachie, R. Walsh, L. Thornton

HB: C. Bilney, J. Van Meel, D. Tung

C: A. Nestor, M. Johnston, L. Dahlenburg

HF: M. Rotumah-Onus, B. Whittaker, N. Canny

F: M. Walsh, B. McDougall, J. McQueen

R: P. Kodorenko, J. Brown, D. Semmens

Int: J. Payne, J. Taylor, D. Murphy, R. Monument

Emg: C. Quinlan, J. McClure, J. Watkins

In: N. Canny, C. Bilney, J. Payne, L. Thornton

Out: J. Ottavi (Essendon VFL), C. Carson, J. Johnston (AFL Young Guns), C. Lovig (concussion)

SUNBURY v DARLEY

at Clarke Oval, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 16 2017 - Darley 13.6 (84) d Sunbury 9.8 (62)

LIONS (1st): For coach Ben Jordan everything is in place to instill more pain on the reigning premier. He has a settled unbeaten line-up coming off a strong preparation and is playing at home.

"We're positioned to give it a shake." Although it lost to Melton, Jordan has no doubt Darley will again be among the top few teams and this is an opportunity for the Lions to make an impact against a genuine contender.

The only downside for the Lions, which boast plenty of class with Grant Valles, Andrew Duhau and Alik Magin, is the loss of Jack Sheahan (hamstring) and in-form Mitch Conn to Coburg in the VFL.

DEVILS (7th): Injuries are starting to bite with Steve Kennedy (glute) out again, Jake Edwards (hamstring) missing and Dan Roy (anterior cruciate and medial ligament) gone for the season.

Coach Heath Scotland is not using these setbacks as an excuse. It is all about better application across the board.

This pressure is now on for regular players to step up and others who get an opportunity to grab their chance.

PREDICTION: Sunbury

Sunbury

B: D. Sanderson, P. MacDonough, N. Wood

HB: L. Bramble, T. Lenaz, M. Conn

C: L. Berry, R. Wood, A. Christensen

HF: M. Edwards, G. Valles, T. Stead

F: A. Duhau, A. Goodson, J. Rizk

R: J. Eales, A. Magin, G. Hay

Int: B. Guthrie, R. Allen, B. Mundy, N. Bridgland

Emg: N. Cox, M. Wright, J. Hannett, J. Guthrie, W. Healy

In: L. Berry, A. Goodson

Out: J. Sheahan (hamstring), J. Hannett

Darley

B: C. Cullen, D. Reid, A. Azzopardi

HB: J. Zeestraten, L. Delahey, D. Leonard

C: L. Spiteri, S. Page, T. Evans

HF: J. Carrick, M. Hanson, R. Ellis

F: H. Inglis, R. Closter, D. Robson

R: A. Kur, B. Graham, L. Baker

Int: L. Herring, L. Cahill, J. Spiteri, J. Dodemaide

Emg: T. Stone, M. Ward

In: M. Hanson, J. Dodemaide

Out: D. Grenfell, J. Edwards (hamstring)

BACCHUS MARSH v NORTH BALLARAT CITY

at Maddingley Park, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 7 2017 - Bacchus Marsh 15.15 (105) d North City 11.10 (76)

COBRAS (6th): Coach Travis Hodgson said the Marsh had used a bye to freshen up after a taxing first-up loss to Darley.

He said the sustained intensity of that clash had taken a toll on some players and a break had been timely.

Daniel Foley (hamstring) has been in doubt, but Jacob Chisari has been given the all-clear after concussion. Harrison King (hip), Jake Bolton (knee) and Logan Blundell (shoulder) remain sidelined.

CITY (4th): Although unbeaten, this is by far North's biggest challenge so far.

"It's an opportunity to test ourselves," coach Shane Skontra said. He said their focus would be on greater ball movement - ensuring they kept the ball moving, particularly offensively.

City is keen to where possible stretch the Cobras for pace. James Sclanders (Dennington) will make his debut, while Elliott Lamb returns from the GWV Rebels.

PREDICTION: Bacchus Marsh

Bacchus Marsh

B: M. Sutherland, L. Phyland, D. Velden

HB: S. Lafranchi, T. Angwin, L. Mullen

C: A. Del Papa, T. Shea, H. Coulton

HF: B. Speight, J. Owen, D. Phyland

F: R. Stuhldreier, A. Willitts, B. Griffiths

R: D. Burton, N. Stuhldreier, S. Sherlock

Int: M. Chisari, J. Chisari, D. Bishop, J. Trowsdale

Emg: J. Harrington

In: S. Lafranchi

Out: D. Foley (hamstring)

North Ballarat City

B: B. Simpson, R. Hobbs, B. Draffin

HB: B. Leonard, R. Luke, C. Jenkins

C: J. Sclanders, S. Mc Cartin, O. Nash

HF: S. Bromley-Lynch, W. Young, C. Perks

F: N. Olver, S. Dunstan, T. George

R: N. Dunstan, T. Speirs, D. Jones

Int: H. Loader, M. Gilbert, J. Cusack, E. Lamb

Emg: R. Polkinghorne, M. Giddings, S. Bowen

In: E. Lamb, J. Sclanders

Out: M. Johns, M. Giddings

REDAN v LAKE WENDOUREE

at City Oval, Saturday, 6.15pm

LAST MET: semi-final 2017 - Lake Wendouree 12.10 (82) d Redan 7.10 (52)

LIONS (10th): They put up a substantially improved effort, throwing off a hiding at the hands of Sunbury to push North Ballarat all the way.

It was no surprise this resulted from some big efforts from experience players such as Orren Stephenson, Liam Hoy and Dean Mathews.

As the much anticipated first game on the redeveloped City Oval, this is a big occasion for the Lions, which will be eager to impress in a showcase match.

They have some handy inclusions with the return Jack jess, Hayden Edwards and Jacob Short among five changes, but covering for the loss of Dan Colbert, coach Brendan Peace, Tom Watson and Joel Mathews – all with soft tissues and likely to be sidelines for at least two rounds – will be tough to cover.

LAKERS (3rd): Upbeat after defeating Ballarat, this is another winnable game. Lake Wendouree will need do better over four quarters, it retains a strong core of experience.

Disappointingly Lakers lose Jack Elkington (knee) for perhaps up to four weeks with a medial ligament strain and Lachie O'Connell is unavailable - taking out two of their bigger players.

Although there is no tear, Nathan Pring has been another concern with quad soreness and he is also a major loss Jacob Lohmann (GWV Rebels) is an addition.

PREDICTION: Redan

Redan

B: A. Gercovich, P. Britt, J. Giampaolo

HB: P. Fitzgibbon, J. Short, D. Okely

C: C. Craig-Peters, L. Hoy, T. Hamilton

HF: J. Jess, G. Bell, H. Edwards

F: L. McLean, W. Madden, A. Harvey

R: O. Stephenson, D. Mathews, M. Coon

Int: T. Douglass, B. Schiltz, Z. Jenkins, L. Phillips

Emg: C. Inglis, S. Carr, X. Curran

In: Z. Jenkins, J. Jess, L. Phillips, H. Edwards, J. Short

Out: D. Colbert, B. Peace, T. Watson, J. Mathews (all injured), J Toulmin

Lake Wendouree

B: A. Gillett, T. Littore, S. Hepworth

HB: T. Malone, S. Clifton, A. Kirby

C: J. Lohmann, C. Hepworth, H. Robertson

HF: A. Simpson, L. Hepworth, K. Raven

F: M. Phillips, C. McKay, B. Taylor

R: A. Armstrong, S. Willmott, B. Edwards

Int: T. Nijam, W. Henderson, T. McKechnie, N. Nash

Emg: X. Schuurs, N. Clifton

In: W. Henderson, T. McKechnie, J. Lohmann

Out: L. O'Connell (unavailable), J. Elkington (knee) N. Pring (quad)

SEBASTOPOL v BALLARAT

at Marty Busch Reserve, Sunday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 16 2017 - Ballarat 16.18 (114) d Sebastopol 8.16 (64)

BURRA (9th): Sebastopol gets the chance to bring up its first win.

The Burra, still without Brett Goodes (calf) but with key defender Jack McNab back, showed marked improvement on round one in going down to East Point by 10 points - a game it could easily have won.

Lachie Cassidy has quickly settled into a midfield leadership role and what Sebastopol does have is physical strength, which will trouble the Swans.

It does need to be cleaner with its ball use, but that is already on the improve.

SWANS (11th): Winless, they have had a disappointing start. Key forward Hayden Hughes has made a promising return after missing last year, but outside him and ruckman Marcus Powling the Swans lack big power players who can to take hold of a game.

This has not been helped by the loss of Chris Proctor (pectoral muscle) and Daniel Hobbs (back), but Mitch Bowman (quad) returns.

They need a lift through the likes of Nick Garner, Keegan Mellington, Sam James and coach Shane Hutchinson.

PREDICTION: Sebastopol

Sebastopol

B: B. Trew, T. Petersen, B. Hutt

HB: J. Wilkinson, J. McNab, T. Lockyer

C: G. Lovett, M. Austin, S. Butler

HF: A. Sheridan, T. Currie, J. Keeble

F: J. Gercovich, T. Hutt, M. Cain

R: N. Hausler, L. Cassidy, J. Harvey

Int: D. Widgery, R. Noether, J. Morgan

Emg: D. Furness, J. Grills, B. Stevens, B. Dummett