By Brad Kingsbury
THE big two sides of the past two years, Pakenham and Narre Warren, will renew hostilities for the first time in 2009 at Fox Road this Saturday and anyone planning an afternoon at the local football should get there early.
On form, this will be a belter.
The Lions will enter the match as favourites, as usual, and it will take a supreme effort from the Magpies to counter the sheer class of the visitors across the field.
The advantage that Narre Warren has in that respect is that to most of the teenage Magpies, the Pakenham players are just names and numbers on a team that have to be beaten.
They are all too young to know (or care) much about the wonderful careers of players like Dan O’Loughlin, Glen Wouters, Jared Goldsack, Stuart Burridge, Ryan Cassidy, Nathan Brown or Clint Walker.
Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners admitted as much and said he was happy for his side to make its own way rather than be reactive.
“The good thing about my group is that I can just say to them ‘there’s a task in front of you and this is how I want you to approach it.’
“They don’t have to do too much thinking about the opposition, that’s our (coaches) job. We just want them to play and they’ve been doing that well,” he said.
“It’s a big game for us. I have watched them and they’re really strong across the field this year.”
His Pakenham counterpart, Michael Holland, is perplexed at the opinion by so many that the Magpies are a spent force and will not allow that attitude to creep into his team’s preparations.
“I can’t understand why so many people have written Narre Warren off. They have won the last three premierships and they’ve got blokes like Hammo (Glenn Hamilton), Birdman (Brett Evans) and Steven Kidd in the side that will lead their kids,” he said.
“We have to be at our best this week and every player knows that – or they should.
“It will be a tough day and another true test of how we’re going.”
As much as Holland’s words are true, there is no getting away from the fact that there is an air of invincibility around at the Toomuc Reserve at the moment and that will be proved justified by a good win after a hard-fought contest this weekend.
Other games
Devon Meadows v
Keysborough
IT is the past players’ reunion day at Devon Meadows and that adds a little more spice to this weekend’s clash with Keysborough – given that Burra coach Greg Siwes is also a former Panthers’ coach and player.
Not that this game needed any more incentive.
Both sides are coming off shocking losses and both have serious form and fitness concerns to deal with.
Amazingly, neither has won a game this season and you could have written your own ticket on that at the start of the year.
It will be up to each team’s big guns to stand tall this week and the ones that do will share a winners’ drink for the first time in 2009.
Keysborough has the forwards to kick a winning score with Tyson King, Luke McGuiness and Greg Walker all match-winners on their day.
That day has to be this Saturday.
Hampton Park v Berwick
THIS is also D Day for Hampton Park who will host Berwick at the Booth Reserve.
The Redbacks are coming off the bye and will be fresh and well prepared for a big effort in front of their loyal supporters.
Several Hampton Park players watched the way Narre Warren dismantled the Wickers last weekend so they will know how to do it.
The question still remains, can they?
Berwick is a different side this year and this week’s match will tell us just how much different.
The ability to bounce back after a loss will be the test, but players like Jason Heath, Darren Granger, Shaun Calamatta and Rowan Pybus have brought a new culture of spirit to the Edwin Flack Reserve.
They should be able to drag their teammates along with them to spring back to the winners’ list through sheer class around the ground.
ROC v Tooradin
THIS match is the fourth of a crackerjack round that could produce wins from any side without too much of a surprise.
The Kangaroos were given a lesson in intensity and accountability last week and their preparation for this game needs to be better or else another, far more season-damaging loss will be the result.
Tooradin will be keen and confident after last weekend’s triumph.
The Seagulls owe ROC one after the Kangaroos got up in the last quarter to beat them in the only real chance they had to win a game last year.
Both sides have improved markedly, but neither is a world-beater yet, so there are areas that can be exploited by the other if they get on top.
A sideshow will be the performance of marquee recruits Chad Liddell and Greg Tivendale with Liddell’s performance probably the key to the Seagulls chances.
It could go either way but ROC at ROC is the tip with only a few points in it.
Beaconsfield v Cranbourne
AND just to add one more point of interest to an already keenly anticipated round, the league’s two sets of Eagles will meet each other at the Perc Allison Oval for a crack at the higher perch.
Both these sides are at the crossroads as far as being serious finals threats or also-rans is concerned and one will confirm itself as the real deal this weekend.
Beaconsfield has a good mix of youth and experience and that, plus the home ground advantage, will see them start as favourites.
Cranbourne was exposed as wasteful last week and if Marc Holt or Brad Coller does not boot a decent bag of goals, neither does Cranny.
That is where Beaconsfield has the edge.
With Lachlan Oakley, Andrew Hunter and Andrew Williams, the home side has regular and consistent goal scorers who get good assistance from players like Daniel Mislicki, Abe Roder and Joel Gibson.
Beaconsfield look to have too much firepower at home.
