By Brad Kingsbury
WHO would have thought that ROC v Berwick would be nominated as the Casey Cardinia league match of the day even two weeks ago?
Well, much to the disgust of Pakenham and Beaconsfield supporters, that is the case this week after both sides underlined huge on-field improvements from 2008 with solid early-season victories.
Casey Cardinia league sceptics, and there was plenty of them at Berwick on Saturday, point to the fact that neither has yet run into a top three side from last year, however the pre-season work undertaken by debutant coaches Glenn Dale and Kris Fletcher has borne immediate results and, importantly, interest in both sides.
ROC mentor Fletcher was an interested observer at the Edwin Flack Reserve on the weekend and walked away knowing that the 2009 Berwick outfit was strong, fit, well balanced and importantly, passionate about winning.
While his new-look Kangaroos side is also up and about and will be at full strength excluding Craig Eagleton, he will be aware that the Wickers will start as short-priced favourites to win the contest.
Berwick coach Glenn Dale is also not counting on anything even though his side has started the year on fire.
“We’ll be prepared for next week for sure. It’s a new week and the players know it’s a game-by-game proposition this year,” he said after last weekend’s win over Beaconsfield.
“We’re starting to compete well, but we know they’ve got some quality midfielders and we’ll be preparing for them and another serious challenge from a good side.”
Injured Wicker ruckman Dale Robinson will not play but Shaun Calamatta and Brett Robinson are both a chance to return, further strengthening the visitors’ line up.
Hampton Park’s great effort against reigning premiers Narre Warren last Saturday made ROC’s round one win over them look good, but the jury is still out on the Kangaroos.
Berwick has talent across all lines and with multiple avenues to goal headed by big full forward Grant Noonan, the Wickers should be able to maintain their unbeaten record despite the tight Starling Road ground.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Other games
Pakenham
v Beaconsfield
The Highway Cup will be on the line when Pakenham hosts traditional rivals Beaconsfield this week, but Lions president Brian Jagoe need not worry about unbolting the trophy because, on form, it will be staying safely in the Pakenham silverware cabinet.
In fact, if the Lions bring their A-game, Beacy supporters could be in for an early afternoon.
It is a big call after just one round, but it is difficult to see how any 2009 opponent will be able to dismantle the Lions game and cover all their stars, let alone a side that is coming off a confidence-sapping loss to last year’s 10th-placed team.
The biggest problem for Pakenham coach Michael Holland is fitting all his senior players into the team, while his counterpart at the Eagles, Robbie Taylor, is under no illusions as to his team’s task.
“I think our improvement is going to come from our younger type of kids. No one will tip us to win this week but you have to beat the best sides if you want to be rated as any good and Pakenham is the best at the moment,” he said.
Saturday’s events at the Toomuc Reserve will confirm and possibly even underline that opinion.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Hampton Park
v Doveton
More tradition is on offer at the Robert Booth Reserve with the O’Brien-Batten Cup up for grabs when Hampton Park takes on Doveton.
On paper this looks like a predictable result but that is never the case when these two sides meet, especially when it is at Hampton Park.
And also when the Redbacks are so desperate for a win
Last weekend’s three-point loss to Narre Warren, while disappointing, proved that the Redbacks are not that far from the best sides. With great leadership from coach Josh Taylor, Ryan Simpson, Matt Shorey and Chris Hussey, the young Hampton Park players constantly lift to perform at their best so the Doves will need to be on their game.
Complacency has been a problem at Doveton since they have been in the MPNFL and some rivals have exploited that well.
The challenge for the Doveton coaching team is to maintain the players’ concentration and focus for four quarters. If that happens, the result will look after itself.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Cranbourne
v Keysborough
Cranbourne plays its first home game of the year at Casey Fields and will rightfully start as favourites against Keysborough, which must pretend that its round one loss to Pakenham was a dream, or more accurately a nightmare.
Physically the Burra will be fine but mentally, the test will be intense and how they approach and react to the 106-point drubbing will set their 2009 season up one way or the other.
Coach Greg Siwes is no dill and recognised the areas in which his players needed to improve after their opening game. Unfortunately he ran out of room on his whiteboard while he was listing them!
On the bigger ground and with a couple of weeks of soul-searching under their belts, the Burra will be ready to perform.
They will need to be too, because Cranbourne can and should improve markedly on their effort last week.
The Eagles are fit and have good structure, but were rusty after half-time against Tooradin on the weekend and needed the hit-out.
If they can outrun Keysborough and isolate Marc Holt in attack, a second win is a formality, however Keysborough is not as bad as it appeared in its first game and providing the psychiatrists have done their job, should bounce back with an important victory.
