Given my main contributions to the forum this year involve whinging about the Chinese Bye Virus round, I thought I should do something a bit more positive. Alongside the magnificent Run Home thread from @tyze1 I'll put together a few previews each week that take a look at some of the key matches. This week i'll focus on; Banchang v Nuytsland Gisborne v King Island Korumburra v Pearcedale Ararat v Staghorn Southern Cross v Serengeti
I wouldn't waste too much time on Banchang. Probably won't be able to field 15 players again, just like the last 2 weeks. Missing from our best 15.....Jonas Suckling Barrass Hanley Reid EVW Gray with potentials, Wigg and Knight also out. Although Barrass and Knight might be re-called. Another loss coming up.
Round 17 Korrumburra v Pearcedale Selection table For the Blowflys Vlastuin will be a welcome in after a week off for suspension while Jimmy Webster will look to find form second up after returning from an injury enforced layoff in round 16. Pearcedale are close to full strength although Conca will continue to miss with a broken ankle and Smith remains out for the season Form The Blowflys are riding the wave of an impressive 4 game winning streak and even though the Panthers lost last round they have won 3 of their past 5. Korumburra have arguably been more impressive in their wins scoring 1237 & a huge 1422 since the mid season break while the rest wasn't as beneficial for Pearcedale who have been unable to break the 1200 mark since their rest. Key Players Jack Redden. In a midfield that doesn't have the star power of some of the top teams Redden has been a revelation for the Blowflys this year showing the form of earlier in his career with an ability to go big and significantly improve one of the teams weaker lines Charlie Curnow. If Pearcedale are to leave Korumburra with a vital 4 points it could quite possibly be done on the back of their young star. Curnow has shown all the markings of a future champion but will he be able to deliver for the Panthers when they need him given he is still so early in his career? Burning question Korumburra: The Blowflys are one of the form teams of the competition but will the post bye resurgence continue? Pearcedale: With Harley Bennell building back towards full fitness will the coaching staff be willing to take the risk on throwing him back into the fray in such an important contest? Prediction Hard to go past the current form of Korumburra and m tipping the Blowflys high powered forward line to get them over the line 1290 to 1230
Round 17 Southern Cross v Serengeti Selection table This is where the challenge lies for the 'Gropers. Consistently high performances have seen them putting up incredible scores for well over a year but injuries are starting to take their toll. The biggest star of all in Nat Fyfe remains on the sidelines nursing an injured hamstring, Cyrill Rioli has decided to call it quits and now McVeigh and Stringer have been added to the list which will put pressure on all areas of the ground. With ruckman Paddy Ryder also in some doubt, there will be real pressure on the Southern Cross match committee to come up with a winning formula although the potential return of Jack Darling could ease some of that pressure considerably if he recovers from his knee injury in time. Serengeti are free of the top end talent drain that Southern Cross are having to deal with. Daniher, Gleeson & Elliott remain a fair way off and Darcy Parish will more than likely need at least one more week before he is to make his Buffalo debut. Steven May is under an injury cloud but should get up for such a vital encounter while Jeremy Cameron is still on self enforced exile... Form Injuries have started to take their toll on results for Southern Cross. Although they have won 4 of their last 5, their scoring has dropped off slightly from the elite levels we had been seeing earlier in the season. Serengeti have been inconsistent to say the least in season 2018 but have started to string some solid performances together having also won 4 of their past 5 and posting scores of 1292 & 1351 since the mid season break. Key Players Dion Prestia. No one is ever going to make up for a Nat Fyfe sized hole but Prestia is handy replacement to have coming back into some form when his side really needed him. Stringing consistent games together has always been the struggle for Prestia but he looms as a key piece for Southern Cross unlock another win Ben Brown. In the absence of key forward partner Jeremy Cameron a lot is going to be left on the shoulders of Ben Brown in carrying the Serengeti forward line. After moving to the Buffaloes via an extended trade deal, Brown has shown a great ability to put up some massive performances and if he can deliver again against the likes of Hurley and McGovern Serengeti may just be on their way back to the finals. Burning question Southern Cross: Will the mounting injury list take its toll? Any team is going to struggle with the amount of injuries to key players that Southern Cross have suffered. The Sandgropers have dealt with them manfully in season 2018 so far but will the addition of McVeigh and Stringer to the rehab room be the straw that broke the camels back? Serengeti: After looking a shadow of the 2017 premiership season for so much of this current season, the Buffaloes have started to string some better performances together. Will they be able to continue their march towards a finals berth or will the Sandgropers put them out of their misery once and for all? Prediction The return of Darling could well be a key difference but (completely unbiased) I'm tipping the depth of the 'Gropers to be stretched just that little bit too far and Serengeti to run out 1310 to 1285 victors.
Round 17 Gisborne v King Island Selection table Gisborne comes into the clash at pretty much full strengeth with the biggest selection questions around whether cult hero Liam Jones will get a gig. Much bigger news at selection for King Island with the return of star mid Jack Macrae who may also be joined in returning to the squad by Eddie Betts Form Neither team has a very impressive win/loss record recently with Gisborne only taking 2 wins from their last 5 while King Island have brought home the 4 points just once in the same time frame. Digging a little deeper though sees some more impressive trends on the Gisborne side while King Island also shows some hope. Despite their recent losses the Grenades have actually been scoring well including a mammoth 1395 in a win just two weeks ago while the Monarchs hopes of improved W/L results rest on the return of Jack Macrae Key Players Jack Billings. After an absolutely shocking start to the 2018 campaign, Jack Billings has started to come back into form over the last few matches and if he can continue the upward trend and support the rest of an improving forward line it could go a long way to getting the Grenades back on the winners list. Jack Macrae. It all comes down to one man for the Monarchs. There are other solid players in Rance down back and Boak up forward but if King Island want to not only get a win in this match but be a threat later in the season, they need their star man back in the team and performing at the astronomical levels he was producing before his injury. The first part of that equation is solved, will he be able to perform as quickly as his team needs? Burning question Gisborne: With an impressive win against the might of the Vikings a fortnight ago, Gisborne were daring to dream of a return to finals action. Their loss last week put a dent in those hopes but is a late charge to the finals out of the question for this up and coming squad? King Island: After starting the season 5-1 and sitting pretty in the top 4, things were looking rosy for the Monarchs. Things haven't quite gone to plan since then having dropped to a 6-7 record and now outside the top 8. Can the return of Macrae be the return to form for the Monarchs? Prediction The Grendades are one of my favourite squads with the team they are putting together and would be a self-indulgent prediction to be a contendor in the near future. Season 2018 may be just slightly too early for that to be an ultimate reality but I am predicting them to get over the line in this one and keep their faint finals hopes alive. Grenades to win 1250 to 1195
Round 17 Ararat v Staghorn Flat Selection table No fresh injury concerns out of round 16 for Ararat but they are still missing Adam Treloar and the perenially injured forward pair of Wood & Wells. Not so fortunate for Staghorn Flat as they copped a massive blow last week with their sole ruckmen, Ben McEvoy, fracturing his whole face and looking like missing the rest of the season. He may not have been the difference in this contest but Bulls management will be sweating on their controversial list management decision not costing them a spot in the finals. Key playmakers Zaharakis, TJ Lynch and Fasolo remain on the sidelines. Form Another week, another win for the Armadillos. Can anyone stop this juggernaut? Not so far. Even without their star midfielder last week, Ararat posted a 1400+ score in a scary sign for the rest of the competition. The Bulls meanwhile had a little wobble before the bye with back to back losses but they have bounced back since the break and righted the ship with 2 straight wins. Key Players Luke Dahlhaus. With the coach unable to rely on Wood & Wells being fit enough to play in any particular week, he will be hoping that Luke Dahlhaus can start to put in some more impressive performances. There has been the odd highlight for Dahlhaus in season 2018 but the team will be hoping he can perform more consistently and ensure the forward line depth isnt tested any further. Tom Rockliff. With Coniglio coming back brilliantly after a long injury layoff and Lachie Whitfield performing solidly, Rockliff is the missing piece of a star studded midfield trio. The coaching staff would have been hoping for a lot more from Rockliff this season but if he can maintain the improved form he has started to show he may just be the difference make the Bulls need to cling onto a finals berth. Burning question Ararat: Will they ever lose? Even the loss of Treloar didn't seem to cause a problem for the Armadillos. They will be doing everything in their power to ensure the people's beard doesn't suffer the same fate as Big Boy McEvoy but who'd be willing to bet against them even if he did go down? Probably not me. Staghorn Flat: Will the coach keep his job if the loss of McEvoy costs the team a spot in the finals? Supporters won't be happy if the team suffers some close losses that sees the Bulls drop out of the 8 in the run home. A softer draw may save them the worry but there will be some nervous decision makers around Staghorn Flat Prediction Tipping a heavily one sided affair in this one with a big win on the cards for Ararat and some scrambling to be done by the Bulls. Ararat 1350 to Staghorn Flat 1115
Have run out of time for the final promised preview of this week. Apologies to @choppers and @bryzza. As mentioned by the Barcrawlers coach, Banchang will be happy to just be able to get 15 men on the park so we should see a Viking victory and a severe dent put in the finals hopes of the Barcrawlers.