Round 11 – AFL Round 11 Date 28.05.2021 THEME - COVID Relocation Round Well, here we go again ... again. At least in Victoria that is. COVID-related lockdowns have seen AFL games quickly shifted to all parts of the nation. Unfortunately attempts by the ORFFA to have some game hosted at our own batch of high-quality rural, regional and suburban venues were met with icy silence from the AFL and a blank stare from Gil, who was heard to quietly ask his advisors what on earth the ORFFA was. But never fear, as always the ORFFA and its array of star-studded teams will provide ample entertainment without the need for those AFL bigwigs. Onwards. Waikikamoocow Incorrigibles V Wineglass Bay Packers Marble Bar Misfits V Gundagai Grasshoppers Iron Knob Codpieces V Nareewillock Nuffers Whitsunday Warriors V Gariwerd Cockatoos Charlies Opening Spelunkers V Lovely Banks Lilacs Foul Bay Chickens V Larrikin Lagoon Lefties Wagga Wagga Wombats V Venus Bay Vultures Nowhere Else Wanderers V Mount Beauty Uglies Cradle Mountain Devils V Birdsville Battlers
Probable cows side to host the Packers. Wineglasses at the ready D - N Newman, R Burton, B Williams, H Morrison (D Howe) M - N Fyfe, T Mitchell, B Crouch, M Robinson (D Prestia) R - R O'Brien (J Tracey) F - Z Bailey, N Cox, T Papley, J Finlayson (K Coleman) I/C - B Parfitt, S Menegola
Cradle Mountain Devils Round 11 team Out: J Mahony (omitted) In: T English Def: D Rich, J Lever, N Vlastuin, L Brown (H Cunningham) Mid: J Steele, S Pendlebury, J Hopper, D Heppell (J Mahony OOP) Ruc: T English Fwd: D Zorko, A Naughton, T Membrey, L Breust(D Zaharakis) Int: J Redden, T Nankervis (S McAdam)
Minor edit - Harry Morrison managed by Hawthorn so Dan Howe is now named as onfield with O Fantasia (D/F) as the D emergency.
Battlers team for Round 11 Def: Ryan, Doedee, McKenzie, Greaves Mid: Cerra, Hunter, Sheed, Rowbottom (Berry) Ruc: Battle (OOP) Fwd: McKay, Hipwood, Moore, Robertson Int: Smith, Acres
Birdsville were impressive early in the season and the Devils have lost all three of their games decided by 70 points or less this season so weren't taking their home game against Birdsville lightly. The return of English this week strengthened the CMD line-up and allowed them to use their preferred interchange formation of a ruck and a midfielder. Progress score Cradle Mountain Devils 1227/12 Average of 102.3 Lead @JC 's Birdsville Battlers 635/8 Average of 79.4 Having several best 15 players not available has hurt Birdsville with D4 Damon Greaves scoring 26 and ruck Josh Battle scoring an adjusted 34 for being OOP. Dylan Moore (102) has made the most of his opportunity in the forward line to be one of three Battlers to score a ton along with midfielders Lachie Hunter (126) and Dom Sheed (107). Hopefully several best 15 players for Birdsville return after the mid-season break. Starting the round two wins behind the third to fifth placed teams in Marble Bar, Venus Bay and Wagga Wagga, Cradle Mountain are in a commanding position to register their second 1400+ score of the season and get the win to consolidate sixth position and remain in touch with the top 4. Seven Devils have scored tons including four with 130+ in forwards Dayne Zorko (162) and Tim Membrey (132) along with midfielders Jack Steele (154) and Dyson Heppell (134).
The cows (871/10) have a small advantage against Tracey's Packers (852/11) with the Sunday games to come. For the home side Nic Newman, Ryan Burton, Nat Fyfe, Tom Papley and ROB to play. For the visitors Liam Baker, Ben Keays, George Hewett (OOP) and Nat Wilson to come. E&OE