By DAVID NAGEL
SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
PREVIEW – ROUND 4
Narre Warren v Tooradin
JUST like the mountain Sir Edmund Hillary and his companion Tenzing Norgay faced back in 1953 – it is the colossal size of the challenge that stands before the Tooradin Football Club that could make its next trip so defining.
Okay, conquering Narre Warren at Fox Road might not seem like a great comparison to scaling the 8,848 metres of Mount Everest – but to the Seagulls, it’s just as great a challenge.
We have to go all the way back to August 6, 2005, round 16 of the Casey Cardinia Football League for the last time the boys from Westernport Oval conquered the six-time champions of the last decade.
Local-league legend Dan O’Loughlin was coach of the Seagulls that day, a proud man after his team’s six-point triumph.
“Without doubt it’s the first time we’ve pressured a side for four quarters,” O’Loughlin told the Gazette.
“Narre Warren kicked goals that can usually put you on the back foot but we continued to pressure and tackle. We did the simple things well and we forced the turnovers. It was a really good arm-wrestle.”
There – in a nutshell – is the blueprint for success for Lachie Gillespie and his side this Saturday, pressure all day, be resilient, and expect a tough fight to the end.
Oh yeah – Did we mention that a young Lachie Gillespie was named best on ground on that successful day back in 2005?
Gillespie will have to pull a rabbit out of his hat this week, trying to lift his side out of the doldrums after their 91-point loss to Cranbourne on Anzac Day. Not only do the Seagulls need to take on the Magpies, they need to do it away and coming off a paltry five-day break.
This really is the ultimate test of what’s under the bonnet – and what’s between the ears!
Michael Wallace looks the perfect match-up for Narre dangerman Darren Sheen while Jason Kestle, Shaun Keenan and Andrew Proctor could all take first crack at Dean Kelly.
It’s only early, but Sheen and Kelly have provided enough of a sample size to suggest they’ll be the Magpies main avenues to goal this year.
Ben King seems to have a new lease of life after being released from the last line of defence, while Jake Richardson has had a solid start to the season is in his ruck-forward role.
The Seagulls have been fast starters this year, but have then disappeared quicker than one of Tenzing’s lost Sherpas.
It’s the Magpies to climb the mountain by 32 points.
Hampton Park v Berwick
IT may have been largely lost in all the glory of four premierships in the one year – but the Berwick Football Club made one hell-of-a-statement against Hampton Park in 2015.
Instead of cruising to victory against the cellar-dwellers of the competition -like they had in previous years- the Wickers showed a ruthless side to their character by smashing the Redbacks by 159 and 113 points in rounds five and 11.
In 2014 the margins were 65 and 67 points -significantly different indeed!
Ingrained into their system by coach Rhys Nisbet -that ruthless edge would prove critical as the Wickers ground their way to their first premiership in 16 years.
They’ll win again, but it’s important they put the foot down in the final term and finish off in style – because last year’s grand finalists Cranbourne are just seven days away.
Luke O’Brien and Aaron Holden are showing promising signs for the Redbacks -but they’ll need to dig deep to stop this one from being a blowout. It’s the Wickers by 122.
Doveton v Beaconsfield
TWO of the best ruckman in country football will go head-to-head when Doveton welcome Beaconsfield to Robinson Oval on Saturday.
The huge physical presence and workmanlike qualities of Doveton’s Russell Gabriel get tested against Beaconsfield’s Scott Meyer, the most unique athlete in the competition.
Since we ranked Gabriel at three, and Meyer four, in our recent list of the 25 most influential players in the league, we’ve had mixed reaction. Footy nuts just can’t agree on who is the better player.
It’s a pointless argument really -they’re both champions and we should just sit back and enjoy and admire their magnificent skills.
Beaconsfield has a 5-0 record over the Doves over the last two seasons, Clint Evans and his side ending Shannon Henwood’s reign as coach in last year’s elimination final.
This one’s tough to pick -but we’ll give the Doves the edge based on their home-ground advantage.
Cranbourne v Officer
ISN’T it strange how, despite ladder positions, some teams just match up better than others, as is the case with Officer who head to Casey Fields to take on Cranbourne on Saturday night.
The Kangaroos defeated the Eagles in 2014, and then almost did it again last year, going down by three points in an absolute thriller. And it wasn’t like the Eagles were going through a flat patch or anything; they were actually in the middle of a 12-game winning streak that went from round six through to the second semi-final.
To win, the Kangas will need to exploit Cranbourne’s five-day break, take the game on, stay in touch, and then roll the dice in the dying stages.
But the Eagles are a mighty side -expect their defence to stand tall and hold the Kangas to a losing score.
Pakenham has the bye.
