By Ken Moore
CATANI will be out to put last week’s dismal showing against Ellinbank behind when it meets Warragul Industrials. The main interest in the match will sit with the Industrials, who must win to participate in the finals. A Dusties victory would displace the loser of the EllinbankBuln Buln clash. The reigning premier has too good a team to drop a second consecutive game, the more so at home. Furthermore it will not want another setback on the eve of the finals. Catani should get the points, but not without a few scares along the way. Paul Rust’s return in round 14 has added a bit of spine to the Industrials’ lineup in addition to another goalkicking option and it will be interesting who the Blues assign to tag the Dusties’ game breaker.
Ellinbank hosts Buln Buln in a mustwin game for both sides. Both enter the game on the back of convincing victories over strong opposition and this game is effectively a final one week early. The Bankers lost convincingly to Buln Buln in round five but Ellinbank was not travelling anywhere near as well then as it is now.
The Lyrebirds welcomed back Jeremy Jagoe and Brent Lewein last week and both should be better for the run after missing a number of weeks. Matt Gray and Mick Pratt both pulled up sore last week but from all reports will be available. The game will be a classic encounter pitting the most miserly defence against arguably one of, if not the best attacks in the competition. The ruck duel between the athletic Matt Gray and David King alone should be worth the entry price. On their home patch I’ll lean towards Ellinbank in a game that will go down to the wire. Although the loser could miss out on the finals if the Industrials win, the winner could quite conceivably go on to play in the grand final as little separates the second from seventh on the ladder and both sides have shown enough ability to match the best on their day.
Longwarry sounded a warning last week that it is peaking at the right time. The Crows will host Cora Lynn, a team that has improved significantly in the second half of the season, but it should still win handsomely if complacency doesn’t take over now they have secured a finals spot. With the return of Jeremy Duiker and the presence of Paul Fabris to support Cameron Haynes, the Cobras have more firepower and the Crows will find it a far better unit than the team it touched up by 104 points last time they met.
After successive defeats by 134 points against Kooweerup and 64 points by NeerimNeerim South, NilmaDarnum appears to have tapered off and the only interest in its game against Nyora will be the margin. Nyora was in an uncompromising mood last week against Lang Lang and it is unlikely to take it easy on the Bombers with the finals approaching. Nathan Osler will be eyeing another bag of goals.
Bunyip will have home advantage against Kooweerup but expect it to be deflated after last week’s loss in which its final prospects vanish. Kooweerup will be keen to get its season back on track after its abject performance last week and if it has genuine premiership aspirations it should get across the line. The Bulldogs will miss its assistant coach Adrian Bray, who suffered a knee ligament injury that may end his stellar career. The Demons badly missed Che Jenkins last week with a broken bone in his foot and he must be doubtful for the rest of the season.
A few weeks ago Poowong’s home clash with NeerimNeerim South loomed as a battle for the wooden spoon, but the Cats’ recent victories over Lang Lang and NilmaDarnum avoided the ignominy that comes with bottom position. Poowong has put in some plucky performances of late, however NeerimNeerim South is also improving and with Chris Urie, Paul Whelan and Jack Halligan in good form the visitors should record a fifth victory for the season.
Lang Lang will travel up to Nar Nar Goon and this match is too close to call. Both sides have disappointed this season. The Tigers are down on personnel at the moment so I’ll lean towards Nar Nar Goon. The Goon traditionally pulls off a few upset wins but that has not been the case this season, so this week provides a last chance to beat a side above it on the ladder and salvage something. The Goon players will be out to impress coach Pat Henwood, who was reappointed on Saturday night for the 2006 season, and this may be enough to see it get the points and finish the season on a positive note.
