at Marty Busch Reserve, Saturday 2.15pm,

LAST MET: round 11 this year - Cobras 16.19 (115) d Burra 10.6 (66)     

SEBASTOPOL (7th):

BACCHUS MARSH (3rd):

Bacchus Marsh has recalled two premiership players as it keep its sights on regaining the double chance in the Ballarat Football League.

Simon Lafranchi and Matthew Sutherland return, along with James Dickson from the under-18.5s to face Sebastopol at Marty Busch Reserve on Saturday.

LaFranchi has not been in the senior line-up since the Cobras’ second match of the season in round three, when he strained his groin.

He has forced his way back after just three reserves games.

Sutherland has earned the selectors’ nod in what has been a season when he has been in and out of the line-up.

They replace the injured trio of key defender Trent Angwin (foot), creative onballer Jacob Chisari (hamstring) and Daniel Foley (calf).

While Chisari and Foley were injured in Bacchus Marsh’s win over Sunbury, Angwin has been sidelined after a mishap at work.

Although needing Darley to drop one of its last two matches – the Devils meet North Ballarat City and East Point in the toughest of runs home – the Cobras desperately want to regain second position.

Bacchus Marsh coach Travis Hodgson said neither Chisari or Foley would play again until the finals.

Hodgson said the Marsh was desperate to get back to its best in the weeks leading into the finals, with wins crucial to gain the highest possible finish.

For Sebastopol, this is the most important match of the year with its finals hopes on the line. Lose and it could be all over.

The Burra has the players in defence, led by Tony Lockyer and Brett Goodes, to quieten the Cobras’ potent attack.

Sebastopol’s biggest hurdle though might be kicking a big enough score to get the win.

It calls for a big day from James Keeble and Michael Powell. The Burra will need to get the ball in their hands deep in attack to have a chance of getting the win it must get.

PREDICTION: Bacchus Marsh

Sebastopol

B: J. Wilkinson, T. Petersen, M. Cain

HB: B. Goodes, J. McNab, T. Lockyer

C: R.  Noether, C.  Dummett, M.  Austin

HF: J. Richards, D. Widgery, T. Hutt

F: J. Keeble, M. Powell, G. Lovett

R: N. Hausler, B. Hutt, L. Cassidy

Int: B. Trew, S. Butler, J. Harvey, B. Weightman

Emg: J. Morgan, J. Gercovich

In: B. Weightman

Out: J. Onley 

Bacchus Marsh

B: L. Phyland, D. Velden, L. Mullen

HB: R. Stuhldreier, H. King, J. Bolton

C: K.  Dickson, L.  Blundell, B.  Griffiths

HF: B. Speight, J. Owen, H. Coulton

F: D. Phyland, A. Willitts, D. Bishop

R: D. Burton, N. Stuhldreier, T. Shea

Int: S. Lafranchi, M. Chisari, M. Sutherland, J. Dickson

Emg: J. Chisari

In: J. Dickson, S. Lafranchi, M. Sutherland

Out: D. Foley, T. Angwin, J. Chisari

EAST POINT V REDAN

at Eastern Oval, Saturday 2.15pm,

LAST MET: round 4 this year - Roos 14.14 (98) d Lions 10.10 (70)    

EAST POINT (1st): More of the same, and perhaps a little more. 

This is what the Kangaroos need to keep producing as they welcome back Jake McQueen and Jordan Payne.

There is always room for improvement though and coach Jake Bridges will be keen for this across the board after allowing Sebastopol had a lot of the football last round.

East Point will not want to be doing too much experimentation this late in the season, but there are sure to be a few things Bridges tries to open up the options available to him in the finals.

The Kangaroos will have too much all-round ability and physical strength even though they will be without impressive youngsters Joel Ottavi and Jacob Brown.

REDAN (9th): The Lions have nothing to lose as their season winds down.

They can and will throw everything at the premiership favourite with veteran ruckman Orren Stephenson back, but having Liam Hoy and Brendan Peace missing hurts in a big way 

Coach Brendan Peace has for the second year in a row been able to give plenty of game time to young and inexperienced players.

This game will be another learning opportunity, with the Lions finding out the level they need to aspire to in the years ahead as they continue to work through a changing of the guard.

PREDICTION: East Point

East Point

B: C. Lovig, M. Walsh, L. Dahlenburg

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

C: B.  Whittaker, T.  Clark, A.  Nestor

HF: J. Johnston, L. Thornton, M. Rotumah-Onus

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

R: P. Kodorenko, R. Monument, D. Semmens

Int: J. Payne, A. Maconachie, J. Taylor, C. Carson

Emg: C. Quinlan, J. McClure, R. Walsh, J. Gallagher

In: J. McQueen, J. Payne, R. Monument

Out: J. Ottavi, J. Brown, J. Gallagher

Redan

B: N. Barker, P. Britt, D. Mathews

HB: K. Linton, W. Madden, Z. Jenkins

C: L.  McLean, N.  Horbury, B.  Schiltz

HF: A. Harvey, D. Colbert, B. Thomson

F: H. Edwards, D. Chester, K. Hayes

R: O. Stephenson, G. Bell, J. Giampaolo

Int: J. Toulmin, S. Carr, P. Fitzgibbon, Z. Oliver

Emg: X. Curran, H. Twaits, S. Kyatt, L. Scheele

In: O. Stephenson, K. Hayes, J. Toulmin, Z. Oliver, P. Fitzgibbon, 

Out: L. Hoy, M. Judd, B. Peace, M. Coon, B. Smyth

LAKE WENDOUREE V MELTON SOUTH

at CE Brown Reserve, Saturday 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 6 this year - Lakers 17.13 (115) d Panthers 13.12 (90)   

LAKE WENDOUREE (6th): Lakers have no choice but to dismiss their heavy loss to North Ballarat City and get on with the job of getting back into winning form.

Their first quarter in that game was too bad to be true and the likes of Arthur Armstrong, Lachie O'Connell, Tim Malone, Ben Taylor and Bailey Edwards have too much pride to allow that to happen again.

Importantly, Lake Wendouree's fate remains it its own hands. Win its remaining two games and it plays finals. 

Lose though and Lakers, which welcome back Ash Simpson (hand), will be looking over its shoulder at Sebastopol and Sunbury with the concern a season of work might fall apart.

MELTON SOUTH (11th): It has been a tough season for the Panthers, but as they return from a bye they are aiming to shake up the top six in their last two games.

Coach Heath Pritchard has been pleased with their efforts in patches in their past two matches against premiership contenders North Ballarat City and East Point.

"We've been thereabouts. There's been some good signs."

He said while not an excuse, fielding 45 players in the past eight games had not made it easy.

The Panthers plan to continue giving youngsters opportunities with a view to the future.

PREDICTION: Lake Wendouree

Lake Wendouree

B: T. Littore, L. O'Connell, W. Henderson

HB: H. Robertson, A. Armstrong, O. Yeung

C: X.  Schuurs, T.  Malone, A.  Gillett

HF: A. Simpson, J. Elkington, N. Pring

F: K. Raven, C. Mc Kay, B. Taylor

R: T. McKechnie, L. Hepworth, B. Edwards

Int: T. Madden, M. Phillips, T. Salau, J. Driscoll

Emg: W. Tickner, M. Madden

In: T. Salau, T. Madden, M. Phillips, A. Simpson

Out: J. O'Connell,  S. Willmott,  N. Nash,  S. Clifton 

Melton South

B: J. Mepstead, C. Searle, M. Sullivan

HB: J. Charge, D. Vasjuta, J. Morrissey

C: M.  Maguang, M.  Lynch, D.  Sharp

HF: J. Thornton Gielen, B. Collins, W. Thornton-Gielen

F: R. Holzer, D. Clarke, R. Miles

R: B. Sortino, B. Hooper, B. Sullivan

Int: B. Notman, C. Charge, B. Sullivan, S. Humphries

Emg: P. Unsworth, N. Reardon

In: J. Morrissey, B. Collins, B. Hooper

Out:J. Koravik, D. Houghton, L. Watkins

MELTON V SUNBURY

at MacPherson Park, Saturday 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 4 this year - Lions 5.9 (39) d Melton 4.7 (31) 

MELTON (5th): It has taken a while, but the Bloods finally look safe.

Statistically Melton could still be displaced from the top six, but it would have to suffer at least one massive loss and lose a heap of percentage.

Ballarat provided Melton with a wake-up call last round. The Bloods were good enough to get out of trouble, but coach Aaron Tymms will be reminding his charges they cannot afford to drop off to any degree.

Look for some big efforts from Matt Denham, Braedan Kight, Billy Crofts, the Hickey and Walker boys, Connor Griffiths and Ben Archard to ensure this opportunity is not lost by the Bloods.

SUNBURY (8th): Win. This is all Sunbury can focus on.

Despite being six of their past eight games, the Lions remain in contention to keep intact their unblemished record of playing finals in every year since joining the BFL two decades ago.

Get over arch-rival Melton, and Sunbury will still be alive.

Lions coach Ben Jordan said all they could concentrate on was winning the remaining two games.

He said as far as what Sunbury needed to do, nothing had changed. "We need to be more competitive...rediscover what we showed early in the season."

The Lions have little scope to strengthen their line-up, but Jack Fenner has been given the all-clear after suspected concussion and veteran Alan O’Connor has been called up.

PREDICTION: Melton

Melton

B: T. Button, R. Carter, L. Walker

HB: L. Heaney, B. McIntyre, R. Walker

C: J.  Cotter, M.  Denham, B.  Crofts

HF: C. Griffiths, M. Orr, N. Gale

F: B. Souter, D. Haby, B. Kight

R: B. Archard, L. Ericson, J. Hickey

Int: J. McGregor, L. Carter, B. Kennedy, L. Hickey

Emg: B. Mawson, J. Whitehand, K. Derose, K. Wilson, J. May

In: T. Button, J. McGregor, 

Out: D. Walker,  R. Davis

Sunbury

B: R. Allen, P. MacDonough, N. Wood

HB: A. Duhau, J. Fenner, N. Bridgland

C: D.  Landt, A.  Christensen, C.  Hansen

HF: J. Landt, G. Valles, W. Healy

F: L. Berry, J. Bygate, J. Hannett

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

Int: B. Guthrie, A. O'Connor, D. Sanderson, R. Wood

Emg: T. Werner, D. Jurczyluc, T. Lenaz, M. Wright, J. Johnson

In: A. O'Connor

Out: B. Mundy

NORTH BALLARAT CITY V DARLEY

at Mars Stadium, Sunday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 10 this year - Devils 11.17 (83) d City 11.12 (78) 

NORTH BALLARAT (4th): City is adding some experience with Mitch Giddings and Keenan George, who has had a stop-start season, returning while youngsters Fletcher Loader and Charlie Perks play for St Patrick's College in the Herald Sun Shield grand final at the MCG.

This could timely against a hard-edged Darley.

While boasting some tall timber with brothers Sam and Nathan Jones, who should trouble Darley's defence, pace and quick ball movement is the key to North.

They have shown how damaging they can be on the spread through Daniel Jones, Simon McCartin, Tim Speirs, and a rebounding Ben Simpson and this is where they stand to get hold of Darley on the open spaces of Mars Stadium.

DARLEY (2nd): Four wins in a row and seven in its past eight games.

And this through a period when at no stage has Darley been a full strength.

The Devils have been building since coach Heath Scotland came out of retirement as a player and in their first time back at the scene of last year's premiership they have a big opportunity to show something special is brewing again.

Steve Kennedy, Shane Page, Darren Leonard, Jake Edwards, Luther Baker, Jackson Carrick and Luke Delahey. With this as a core it is impossible not to be impressed.

Will coming off a bye be an issue? Not likely. They are sure to take a physical brand of play in an effort to stop North.

PREDICTION: North Ballarat City

North Ballarat City

B: B. Simpson , R. Hobbs, S. Scally

HB: D. Graham, A. Turley, S. Bromley-Lynch

C: S.  Willian, D.  Jones, O.  Nash

HF: M. Gilbert, M. Johns, K. George

F: J. Bromley-Lynch, N. Dunstan, T. Bromley-Lynch

R: H. Loader, T. Speirs, S. Mc Cartin

Int: S. Dunstan, J. Cusack, T. George, M. Giddings

Emg: J. Curran, I. Pertzel, B. Leonard, B. Draffin

In: A. Turley, K. George, M. Giddings

Out: C. Perks,  F. Loader, B. Draffin 

Darley

B: C. Cullen, K. Forde, H. Scotland

HB: M. Young, R. Ellis, J. Zeestraten

C: T.  Stone, S.  Kennedy, L.  Delahey

HF: S. Page, T. Evans, J. Cadman

F: J. Spiteri, H. Inglis, B. Graham

R: D. Leonard, J. Ancrum, L. Baker

Int: B. Colley, J. Pattison, D. Grenfell, A. Azzopardi

Emg: L. Herring, J. Carrick, D. Robson, M. Hanson, J. Edwards

No change

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