By Brad Kingsbury
BEACONSFIELD will go into this weekend’s Battle of the Creek clash against traditional rivals Berwick as massive underdogs and that hasn’t happened for a long time.
It’s the right call however, because the Eagles form has been patchy at best and fell away badly against bottom side Keysborough last Saturday.
Berwick coach Glenn Dale has groomed his side to play winning football and will go in with the attitude that the opposition has to be beaten on its merits over the whole four quarters.
“The game will be played on top of the ground and it will be a good game. It always is against Beacy,” he said.
“I don’t think either side will blow the other out of the water and that’s just the way we play. I’m looking forward to it.”
His big guns in Jason Heath, Grant Noonan, Dale Robinson, David VanDiemen and Sean Calamatta are standing up under the scrutiny of success and that augers well for the coming finals campaign.
What to make of Beacy is the question?
The spirit shown by coach Robbie Taylor and leaders like Chris Kelf, Andrew Williams and Kane Airdrie has been outstanding, but is not reflected across the whole team and Taylor said he was hoping for a committed effort.
“It’s the Battle of the Creek, it’s our home ground, you would hope that it would prick them a little bit to come out and give something to our supporters in return,” he said.
Taylor has announced his intention to step aside at the end of the season and it’s about time his players paid his loyalty and pride back with a home-ground win.
Unfortunately that is most unlikely this weekend.
OTHER GAMES
Narre Warren v Hampton Park
NARRE Warren will be confident of winning its home-ground clash with Hampton Park this Saturday, but the Magpies had better beware of the wounded Redback.
Last week Doveton thought the same thing and almost went down to the youngsters from the Booth Reserve.
Hampton Park was depleted last weekend, but will welcome back Kevin McLean, Dean Jameison, possibly Matt Shorey and Linden Fredericks as well.
That will make them an even more dangerous proposition and Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners is well aware of the challenge.
“Hampton Park doesn’t mind coming to Fox Road and has played well here in the past. Every week is a test and they are obviously in pretty good form,” he said.
The young Magpies have taken the best every team has offered to date and will have to do it again against Hampton Park.
Narre Warren has the mix of experience and talent to overcome the visitors and should do so after a typically rugged affair.
Devon Meadows v Doveton
DOVETON would not want to approach this week’s trip to the Glover Reserve the way it approached last weekend’s match against Hampton Park or there could be tears.
The Panthers pushed Pakenham on Saturday and usually rise to the occasion when playing the better sides.
Coach Steve O’Brien, who is a former Doveton player, is keen for another top showing from his side.
“We owe ourselves another good game against the Doves. I think the players know what is required to do well against them now and I’m looking forward to this one,” he said.
Devon Meadows plays a strong brand of accountable football this year, but Doveton has the edge in ability even if injured stars Callum Pattie, Danny Casset and Michael Henry do not return to the side.
Cranbourne v Tooradin
CRANBOURNE comes off the bye and takes on Tooradin and coach Doug Koop will be looking for a vast improvement over the latter part of the season leading into the finals.
Three losses in succession led into the bye and the Seagulls will be hoping to make that four with a big performance on the Casey Fields oval.
With ruck star Steve Arvanitis back in form and the return of a few other stars, Tooradin will be a dangerous opponent but, on paper, the Eagles look far too classy.
If Cranbourne can regain some of the form it started the season with and players like Marc Holt, Brad Coller, Ryan Jones and Stuart Morrish hit their best, Tooradin will not see the Eagles for dust after half-time.
Pakenham v Keysborough
THE Lions will be in no mood to muck around against Keysborough this Saturday.
Pakenham destroyed the Burra by 106 points in round-one at the Rowley Allen Reserve and the mental scars that would have been struck on that day will be just under the surface, although Lions coach Michael Holland is wary.
“They’re not as bad as the ladder position suggests and we know that. They’ve got some good players and we know we’ll have to prepare properly for it,” he said.
Keysborough will be keen to maintain last week’s form and put in a better performance, but there’s no way the Burra will upset the Lions’ push to bridge the gap to top side Doveton.
