By DAVID NAGEL
CASEY CARDINIA FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
PREVIEW – ROUND 12 (split round)
DOVETON v ROC
IF OPPOSITES really do attract then Doveton and ROC will form quite a partnership when they run onto Robinson Oval on Saturday for the pick of the two games, in week one, of a split round 12.
The tight and contested style of the Doves against the free-flowing running power of the Kangaroos, it’s a recipe that has already seen them attracted on the ladder and is one that is sure to draw them close at the final siren on the weekend.
There are no secrets here and the equation is simple… which team is going to trust, and execute its style of play and go longer and stronger for the full four quarters.
“That’s what we’re expecting, for the game to come down to the last five minutes of play and we’re excited by the challenge,” Kangaroos coach Brad Jones said.
“We know how important it is and we know it could decide which team might play finals at the end of the season.”
We all would have scoffed at that suggestion a month ago, but with Beaconsfield and Berwick losing form, and these two teams on winning streaks, the Kangas on four, and the Doves on three; it is all of a sudden a very real possibility.
For Doveton to make it there are no second chances, they need to win, while ROC might still have a sniff if things go awry.
The Kangas love to run, but to do that they need to win the contested ball and distribute and, in this area, they do have some strengths.
Ruckman Dylan Chapman and strong bodies like Chris Potalej and Blair Allan will relish this week’s contest while Ben Tivendale, Matt Rogers and Andrew Logan won’t be overawed by the occasion.
Robinson Oval can be a daunting place to visit – especially for such a young side.
You’ve just got to dip your lid to Shannon Henwood and his Doves, who looked destined for a very long season after winning just two of their first eight games.
Since then, they’ve rallied with the inclusion of youngster Mitch Pierce, the return of the silky-skilled Michael Henry and the consistent form of Henwood, Jake Mullen, Michael Laszczyk and big-man Frank D’Agostino seeing the Doves become a very tough team to beat again.
So who wins… the road runner or the coyote?
The outer wing at Robinson Oval is wide, and this will suit the Kangas, but you just get the feeling that the street-smart coyote might have a few tricks up its sleeve and, will somehow, get the job done.
It’s the Doves by four points.
PAKENHAM v KEYSBOROUGH
PAKENHAM has worked its backside off to get in position for a double-chance so can’t afford a slip-up when it welcomes Keysborough to Toomuc Reserve.
The biggest challenge here for Steve O’Bryan and his Lions is being able to apply mentally to the challenge.
The Lions are coming off a magnificent month of footy, defeating Cranbourne, Beaconsfield and Berwick… but this season is littered with stories of teams hitting an extreme high before plummeting the following week.
It’s happened to the three teams mentioned above – if the Lions want to be a contender this year they need to keep their levels high and handle this one in their stride.
Experienced players like Nathan Brown, Dean Blake, Cory Lenders and Kym Jones have been around long enough to know opportunities like this don’t come around very often. They’ll have a big job this week, because there’s a lot of young – which means inexperienced – talent on this Lions’ list, needing guidance through the experience.
The Burra are battling at the moment, having lost 10-on-the-trot, but players like Geoff Humphreys, Ryan Goodes, Tim Werner, Danny Morland and Michael Downie might all click on the one day, and that’s what makes them dangerous.
Keysborough might have a free-swing, but the Lions have too much to lose – they’ll take a well-deserved break on the back of a 10-goal plus triumph.
