Last time: Beaufort 14.12 (96) d Gordon 7.5 (47), round 3, 2018
When Gordon travelled to Beaufort back in round three, the Eagles were dismantled by a blistering opening term from the hosts.
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The Crows showed stunning ball movement and piled on eight goals to zip to lead by 49 points at the first change.
Things evened up after the break, but the damage was done.
Now, it’s a new-look Gordon side that will have another crack at Beaufort.
The Eagles have a different line-up to the one back in mid-April and are playing a much better style of football. Some of their method can be attributed to the arrival of giant ruckman Zac May, who has allowed the side to structure up differently to the past.
Coach Ron Watt said his side was playing a brand that he thought would stand up to whatever opposition teams threw at it.
“I think we are playing a lot better team football at the moment than what we were then,” Watt said.
Watt has recalled top onballer Tye Murphy after he sat out last Saturday’s win over Buninyong to freshen up, while fellow midfielder Jordan Clampit is among the inclusions following an arm injury.
Beaufort finished the home and away rounds in second spot on the Central Highlands Football League ladder, a game and percentage clear of the Eagles.
Like their rivals, the Crows are close to full strength this weekend. The return of past Geoff Taylor Medal winner Nick Sullivan is a boost after he was given round 17 to get over some “general soreness” issues. Classy defender Ben Hayes is close to a return from a knee injury, but was missing from the selected side submitted on Thursday night.
I think we are playing a lot better team football at the moment than what we were then."
- Gordon coach Ron Watt
Beaufort coach Rohan Brown agreed that it was a vastly different Gordon that his team would meet at Buninyong on Sunday.
“It’s finals footy so it starts again basically,” Brown said.
“They are well coached, well drilled and they play a bloody good and tough brand of footy.”
In one of the feel-good stories of the season, forward Lachlan Murray made his return to the Crows’ senior side last weekend, less than 12 months after hurting his anterior cruciate ligament in the grand final defeat to Hepburn.
Murray booted two goals against Newlyn last Saturday and has kept his place in the team.
The winner of this match gets a week off and moves into a preliminary final, while the loser must front up in a do-or-die match against the victor of the Hepburn versus Newlyn fixture.
Prediction: Beaufort.
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