By RUSSELL BENNETT
ELLINBANK AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE
ROUND 21 PREVIEW – WEST DIVISION
GARFIELD v BUNYIP
THE Bulldogs will be out to spoil the Stars’ premiership reunion party at Beswick Street this Saturday in the third and final clash of the traditional rivals this season.
In a sign of where the two senior sides are at this season, the Stars have easily disposed of the Dogs in each of their two previous grand final rematches – by 47 points in Round 7, and by 46 in Round 14.
But on Saturday – as Garfield celebrates each of its premierships ending in ‘4’ from 1964 to 2004 – Bunyip will be hoping to reverse the trend and finish its season on a high.
It won’t be easy, though, with Dogs coach Brad Walker facing the unavailability of some players through injury.
He, too, is facing a race against the clock to take his place in the line-up after injuring his knee against the Goon.
But he insists “I’ll do enough during the week to make sure I get the last game of the season in”.
Walker wants his side to put in a strong four-quarter effort this week after fading against the Goon and could welcome young star Tom Papley back from Gippsland Power duty.
But the Stars will be smarting after letting their game against Kooweerup slip on Saturday and they’ll look to take some strong form into the first week of the finals. Tom and Ned Marsh rejoined the Garfield line-up on Saturday and, in a danger sign for the Dogs, were among the team’s best players.
The Stars should win fairly comfortably – by 35 points.
CATANI v KOOWEERUP
The biggest intrigue surrounding this clash will be the make-up of the Demons line-up, with player-coach Matt Shorey aiming for a return from his troublesome achilles injury in time for the finals.
He admits that if he can’t get up for this week, it’s doubtful he’ll return for his side’s biggest game of the year. It’s make or break for him in a sense.
Meanwhile, Ben Miller (ankle) and Matt Grant (hamstring) are also battling to play after their costly injuries against Garfield. Miller seems the more likely of the two to play this week.
Josh Tymensen’s men will be looking to finish their season strong and they deserve a good result but it’s hard to imagine a repeat of their two-goal win over the Demons in Round 7.
Kooweerup by five goals.
NAR NAR GOON v LANG LANG
Scott Goldsworthy will also want to finalise his best side in time for its semi final clash with Garfield next week.
The Goon has had more than its fair share of disruption in recent weeks – through a combination of injury, suspension and unavailability – and it will likely want to get as many first choice senior players as possible on the park this week for one last hit-out before the business end of the season really gets underway.
That said, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them rest players carrying niggling injuries rather than risk making matters worse in a game that has no impact on the top four make-up.
Either way, they should win this one easily – by 45 points.
ROUND 21 TIPS
GARFIELD v Bunyip
Catani v KOOWEERUP
NAR NAR GOON v Lang Lang
Cora Lynn – bye
