WGLFL round 15

By Ken Moore
LAST week was a lowwater mark for Garfield’s season, a loss to the bottom side Leongatha.
This week the Stars will be out to make amends when they meet Drouin at Drouin, despite it being a Stars’ home game.
The recent return of Dean MacFarlane, Matt Cunningham and Dean O’Brien has provided the Stars with more balance but more players must step up to support the reliable Tom and Ben Marsh, Shaun Pickering and Jake Hower.
Drouin’s last victory was in round three against Leongatha and it looks pressed to record another this season. Key Hawk playmakers Todd Cook and Malcolm Dow are expected to return this week but tough utilities Marc Olsen, Chris Wallace and key forward Brent Mounsey will all miss the rest of the season. Drouin’s cause this season has not been helped by the loss of its best utilities, Damian Carmody, who hasn’t played a game because of a knee injury, and Clint Proctor, who has been a regular fixture at VFL club Williamstown.
Garfield stole an unlikely victory over Drouin with four late goals in their roundsix clash, however the Stars are likely to be well in front by threequarter time and will not be required to dig deep and repeat such lastquarter heroics this time.
Warragul has proved disappointing against the big guns this season and faces another testing time this week when it hosts Sale.
The Gulls missed Matt Gray last week and badly need the versatile tall utility if they hope to spring a surprise. Rob Murphy and David ScottSmith left the field in the second quarter last week, took no further part in the game and must also be doubtful. Gull midfielders Des Barr, Ryan Davey, Nick Edney and Leigh Sheehan will hold their own against all comers but in defence and across the forward line the Gulls do not have the strength to trouble the Magpies.
Sale has done little wrong to scare off the punters that have installed it premiership favourite and should win well.
In other games 2005 premiers Traralgon will be too good for Leongatha and Maffra will have a class edge on Moe.
This weekend’s games with likely winners in capitals: TRARALGON v Leongatha, GARFIELD v Drouin, Warragul V SALE, MAFFRA v Moe, Morwell bye.