The likely return of Tyson King should bolster Keysborough ahead of Saturday’s clash with finals-bound Cranbourne. 22379By Brad Kingsbury
THE pressure is off at Keysborough and suddenly the 2008 grand finalists have hit something like their best form.
That has been enough to string together three wins and coach Greg Siwes believes that there is no reason why this Saturday’s opponents Cranbourne can not become the first on another three victims to close the season out.
“I think we should win the last three,” he said confidently. “I said after we beat Pakenham that there was no reason that we couldn’t win the last four and get something out of the season. We’re still a very good side when the magnets go on the board.”
With the likely inclusion of key forward Tyson King and solid defenders Davor Rajic and Corey Wilkinson, the Burra will not be an easy prospect at home.
That fact has not escaped Cranbourne coach Doug Koop and he will be looking forward to the addition of Eagle play makers Curtis Barker, Callum Lester and Adam Wright after they missed last week.
“Keysborough has hit a bit of form late in the year and it’s down there so we’re going to have to be on our game. This is another good tester for our progress,” he said.
Cranbourne matches up well on smaller opposition but that will not be the case in this game and it will be a matter of which side resists the pressure around the stoppages the best.
If the Eagles have any intentions of progressing anywhere in the finals they simply must meet Keysborough’s challenge head on and beat it this Saturday.
Keysborough has the star factor, but Cranbourne has more on the line in 2009.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:PAKENHAM v NARRE WARREN
THIS probably should be the match of the round on ladder position but the way the two sides went last week, it may be a bit of an anti-climax.
Pakenham is flying and there suddenly looks to be a serious gap between the top two and the rest.
The Lions have started playing to their strengths with Luke Walker, Daniel Fry, Jeremy Everett and Nathan Brown all starting to dominate at the business end of the season.
Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners will be hoping that Brett Evans can overcome a back complaint and be available but he is still searching for the right formula after last weekend’s loss.
“We’ve got to look at our structure this week. We’ve played 38 players through the senior side to date so there are options available to us but we certainly need to lift,” he said.
That is true, but even if the Magpies do lift this week, the Lions look to have a serious edge in form.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:ROC v DOVETON
ROC was beaten badly by the Lions last weekend and that does not auger well for the outcome of this Saturday’s clash with top-placed Doveton.
That is especially true given that Danny Casset and Michael Henry are due back to the Doves line-up after injury.
Assistant coach Clint Wilson acknowledges that point and his confidence is high.
“It’s another small ground and we have to adjust to that and play to our strengths,” he said.
“We’re playing well and we should have most of our (injured) blokes back except for Adam Dean so there will be no excuses.”
The Kangaroos have made a good start to a long-term revival this year and they should take heed of the standard required to reach the top because that is what they are going to encounter this weekend.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:BEACONSFIELD v DEVON MEADOWS
DEVON Meadows could finish on the bottom of the ladder and that should be enough to drive the Panthers to great heights against Beaconsfield this weekend.
It has little to with skill or fitness at the Glover Reserve at present, and coach Steve O’Brien knows it.
“It’s the six inches between the players’ ears that will decide whether we end up finishing as we should or fall away,” he said.
“We will get a couple of players back and that will make us stronger but they have to produce it on the field.”
It is a similar situation at Beaconsfield and has been all season.
There is little to play for other than pride at the Perc Allison Oval right now but the one thing that all Beaconsfield followers will be hoping for is a positive end to a tough season and, fresh off the bye, a home win is on the cards.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:HAMPTON PARK v TOORADIN
THE Seagulls got a nice touch-up last week and have to travel to the Booth Reserve and face a Redbacks side that is similarly down on confidence.
Neither has much to play for and both will be looking towards a rest and a 2010 revival.
Hampton Park coach Josh Taylor is as confused as anyone about his side’s form this year.
“We’re certainties this week aren’t we? The way it plays it’s one week on one week off, so this is our on week,” he chuckled.
“In all honesty the difference in our efforts on a week-to-week basis is very confusing, but if we don’t win this week we’ll probably finish on the bottom and I really don’t think we deserve that.”
Be that as it may, these two sides both have issues scoring enough to win games and it is a hard one to tip.
Let’s see-the coin goes up and it’s … heads, Hampton Park by a point.
