Talbot v Avoca
After their first victory of the season against Maldon last round, the Talbot Hawks will go into this week’s clash with Avoca brimming with confidence as the Bulldogs are only one win and seven losses for the season.
Talbot has faced the top five sides in their eight games to date, but also let a couple of games slip that they should have won and could have been sitting in the top eight had they done so.
The Bulldogs have also had a horror draw in which they have also played all of the teams in the top eight and now also have the opportunity of posting some wins as they face some of the lower based teams on the ladder in the coming weeks.
The Bulldogs will consider this game as one of those games that is a potential win, but they will not be taking it easy as the Hawks handed them a lesson at Talbot last season.
Matthew Smith and Josh Sutherland have been in good form and Luke Kemp is a versatile player who can score goals if given the opportunity.
The Bulldogs will welcome back Mick Henningsen and Luke Mahoney who are key players for the Bulldogs, but will still be missing Jesse Britton from the injury list.
The home ground may favour the Hawks, but an upset is quite on the cards.
Talbot
B: Josh Sullivan, Luke How, Shaun Carroll
HB: Brendon Shine, Timothy Carroll, Matthew Smith
C: James Collings, Drew Hancock, Tim Solomon
HF: Ross Wise, Tom Sutherland, Jonathon Arnel
F: Jarrod Kemp, Mathew Whiteman, Daniel Romeo
R: Robert Conroy, Luke Kemp, Trent Barras, Matthew Gayton
Int: Lachlan Griffiths, Jorde Bux, Liam Belcher, Kallan Boucher, Troy Cunningham, Ashley Morgan, Matthew Gayton
In: Matthew Gayton, Ashley Morgan, Kane Heathcock, Troy Cunningham
Avoca
B: Toby Beavis, Devon Svilicic, Amos Wilson
HB: Hugh Bucknall, Desmond Critchley, Cameron Holland
C: Matt Veitch, Michael Henningsen, Daniel Howell
HF: Joel Howell, Andrew Hewson, Kelly Lyle
F: Haydn Slater, Xavier Slater, Ben Howell
R: Rangi Vickers, Jacob Nicholson, Joel Carter
Int: James Walton, Joel Howell, Bryce Howell, Leigh Redpath
In: Michael Henningsen
Out: Lachlan Morganti
Royal Park v Navarre
The match of the round between two premiership contenders will take place at Hedges Oval on Saturday when Royal Park host league leader Navarre.
After a slow start to the season, the Tigers are firing on all cylinders of late and have won six games in a row, but this will be their biggest test to date, against quality opposition.
Navarre are yet to be defeated this season and have strung together 30 successive victories since they last tasted defeat in the 2013 Qualifying Final against Newstead.
Perhaps that first loss may be this week, but the Tigers will have to play at their very best if they are to knock over the Grasshoppers in the game of the round.
Tiger forward Murray Bond has had two successive weeks in which he has kicked five goals and Josh Brown is another who is a very difficult to stop up forward as he uses his bulk to take possession in marking duels, and has used this to advantage to currently sit third on the MCDFNL goalkicking table.
They will have their work cut out this week though, as Brent Flood and his defenders are amongst the best in the business and it will be a tough contest for Bond and Brown to break the shackles of the miserly Grasshopper defense, although with Flood missing from the match through suspension, it offers a glimmer of hope that the Tigers will be able to cut through Navarre’s backline effectively
The Tigers will fancy their chances, but the Grasshoppers are expected to continue on their winning way in a hard fought contest.
Royal Park
B: Lawrence Perks, Zachary Dunne, Taylor Stewart
HB: Jay Anderson, Shane Gray, Zachary Tunbridge
C: Chris Cowan, , Hamish Blake
HF: Stefan Pye, Murray Bond, William Short
F: Joshua Brown, Ross Waters, Zachary Stewart
R: James Sutherland, Jake Pring, Trent Pye
Int: Ben Clay, Ashley Noonan, Brendan Murdoch, James Lindeback
In: Chris Cowan, James Lindeback, Christopher Morley
Out: Ashley Hardy, Sam Anderson
Navarre
B: Josh Driscoll, Aiden Lee, Matt Newton
HB: Nigel Greenaway, Jayden Fowkes, Harley McKenny
C: Bryce Tickner, Sam Kaye, Lachlan Slorach
HF: Jeremy Harrington, Kris Brennan, Billy Parry
F: Cody Driscoll, Danny Grellet, Jesse Hannett
R: Josh Fowkes, Daniel Reading, Aaron Slorach
Int: Dale Ansell, Nicholas Murphy, Austin Squire, Louis Hannett
Emg: Thomas Dyke, Matthew Grinham
In: Matt Newton, Josh Driscoll, Thomas Dyke, Danny Grellet, Nigel Greenaway
Out: Shaun Clohesy, Riley Bibby, Brent Flood, Jackson Birthisel, Ashley Driscoll
Maldon v Carisbrook
Maldon are coming off a disappointing loss to Talbot last week in which they were not really in the match after quarter time and now they face the daunting task off taking on one of the premiership fancies who demolished Avoca last week.
Carisbrook have also been missing a couple of key players in Cole Roscholler through injury and Nathan Wright through suspension, but the depth of the Redbacks has been more than sufficient to cover the loss of these players.
Jack Ross has added to the scoring power of the Redbacks and he has had two successive weeks of five goals or more, while the explosive power of Matt Bilton has found opposition wanting as Bilton dominates when he has the ball in his hands.
Bilton is particularly dangerous up forward with his speed and ability to shake off tackles and can goal on either foot if necessary.
It is very rare that Hayden Kelly, Shaun Burchell or Joel Cross do not figure amongst the better players for Maldon as was the case last week, so a better showing from the Bombers will be expected, but they should still be no match for the hard running Redbacks.
Maldon
B: Matthew Gray, Mark Webb, Jackson Douch
HB: Damien Gatti, Michael Mulholland, Joshua Hutchinson
C: Bryce Roberts, Hayden Kelly, Jake Elliot
HF: Lachie Josey, Jeremy Cross, Vaughan Williams
F: Leigh Halliwell, Jamie Cox, Kyle Winstanley
R: Josh Pascoe, Shaun Burchell, Nicholas McKnight
Int: Isaiah Hartley, Marc Carroll, Harley Brereton, Ashley Woodman
In: Harley Brereton, Isaiah Hartley, Marc Carroll
Out: Christopher Milham, Joshua Roberts, Nicholas Kelly
Carisbrook
B: Nathan O'Keefe, Hayden Barby, Benjamin Kick
HB: Andrew Lovett, Jake Bucknall, Kurt Bruechert
C: Riley Herd, Jonathon Gray, Jacob Dyer
HF: Mitchell Whelan, Jack Ross, Adam Hurse
F: Nathan Wright, Brady Neill, Matthew Bilton
R: Ty Stewart, , Jakob Tidyman
Int: Nichlos Wright, Ryan Hudson-Morgan, Mark Cox, Aaron Taggart
In: Nathan Wright, Ty Stewart, Jonathon Gray, Mark Cox, Nichlos Wright
Out: Ashley Robinson, Liam Tranter, Luke Treacy, Lachlan Edwards, Kieran Johns
Harcourt v Newstead
Harcourt will fix its eyes firmly upon returning to the MCDFNL winners list when the Lions confront long-time rivals Newstead in round nine of the MCDFNL this weekend.
After their previously unbeaten record suffered its first blemish against Natte Bealiba last week, the Lions will be fixated upon making amends against the up-and-down Kangaroos this weekend, a fact Harcourt coach Sean Smith will have no doubt drilled into his players at training this week. The Lions were clearly missing the drive of midfield lynchpin Paul Chaplin against Natte, meaning Smith had to put some positional changes in place, even switching leading goal kicker Chris Stone to half-back in an effort to find some structure. Smith shouldn't have to make such drastic changes this week however, with the Lions' top flight players in Joel Smith, Stone, big man Adam Pollock and the Gale brothers more than enough to cause Newstead a few headaches.
After hitting a purple patch around a month ago, Newstead's form has again been on the wane, and first-year coach Nathan Webster will be keen to redress that slump. While there's no doubt the Roos are building a team to watch in the future, they need to score a few more wins this season in order to keep their players on board, and a clash with their arch-rivals could fire the Roos up for a big occasion.
Harcourt
B: Kyle McLean, Alan Mack, Christopher Smart
HB: Christopher Stone, Joshua Collinson, Adam Ward
C: Sean Moss, Brendan Josey, Alex Birch
HF: Sam Gale , Jack Douglass, Michael Dwyer
F: Daniel Smith, Joel Smith, Matthew Giri
R: Adam Pollock, Jeffrey McMurtrie, Sean Smith
Int: Jordan Gartside, Liam Kerkvliet, James Gale, Christopher Ling
In: James Gale, Sam Gale
Out: Clinton Donohue, Andrew Chapman
Newstead
B: Ashley Webster, Cody Kirby, Blake Renfrey
HB: Michael Dalrymple, Dale Bott, Adam Hunter
C: Thomas Cahill, Patrick Cummins, Joel Smith
HF: Oscar Lynzaat, Adrian Conn, Kaleb Mcbride
F: Cameron Hepburn, Jonty Entwisle, Courtney Brown
R: Jayden Bott, Nathan Webster, Zachary Tanner
Int: Scott Beames, Matthew Hunter, Kyle Hamilton, Rhys Smith
In: Zachary Tanner, Kyle Hamilton, Thomas Cahill, Kaleb Mcbride
Out: Brent Devereaux, Bradley Richardson, Dylan Connor, Ricky Bastin
Lexton v Maryborough Rovers
Maryborough Rovers will put their winning form to the test again this weekend, with the Magpies set to clash with one of the MCDFNL's top sides in the form of Lexton on Saturday.
The Magpies are beginning to reap the rewards of a lengthy rebuilding and recruiting process, currently sitting in seventh spot on the MCDFNL ladder, and fresh off the back of an impressive win over Campbells Creek last weekend. The recruitment of players such as Adam McLean and Bryce Fletcher, along with the return of the full complement of Guareschi brothers, has given the Magpies new depth this season, and the boys in black and white are playing like a new team.
Lexton, meanwhile, continues to tick along quietly, and with just one loss to their names and plenty of wins under their belts, the Tigers are setting themselves for yet another tilt at the flag which has eluded the club since they joined the competition in 2011. A few additions to the Tigers side has boosted the club's depth, and they look destined to head deep into the finals race this season.
Lexton
B: Jack Faull, Ryan Wait, Jordan Egan
HB: Trevor Johnson, Liam Cullinan, Nicholas Spolding
C: James Templeton, Dylan Barr, James Morrish
HF: Damon Aspland, Jordan Phelan, Justin White
F: Lachlan Murray, Matthew Brown, Bryce Karslake
R: Nigel Reid, Scott Clark, Michael Smith
Int: Tim Buby, Luke Evans, Mitchell Kennedy, Lachlan Pryor
In: Luke Evans, Mitchell Kennedy, Tim Buby
Out: Jacob Spolding, Nathan Barnes, Cohan Poulton
Maryborough Rovers
B: Danny Whitnall, Kel Chaffey-Jones, Travis Moschetti
HB: Aaron Westbrook, Scott Sellers, Tyler Bennett
C: Ryan Guareschi, Bryce Fletcher, Brayden Guareschi
HF: Tristan Knights, Bradley Fraser, Christopher Gunn
F: Dylan Gibson, Karson Guareschi, Adam Mclean
R: Dion Hedger, Brendon Hedger, Brohdie Smyth
Int: Daniel Jennison, Corey Wilson, Trent Monk, Richard Phillips
In: Corey Wilson, Trent Monk, Bradley Fraser, Travis Moschetti
Out: Grant Ryan, James Rowles, Adrian Knee, David Popovski
Trentham v Natte Bealiba
Natte Bealiba will make the long trek to Trentham this weekend, with the Swans looking to boost their percentage in order to stay in touch with the top four.
Nate came within inches of scoring a win over long-time rivals Lexton two rounds ago, and their clinical win over the previously-unbeaten Harcourt last round showcased Natte at their best. The form of players such as assistant coach Jarrod Bateson, key hackman Kurt Mortlock and ruck-forward combination Adrian Pilgrim and Lachlan Cameron will fill third-year Natte coach Shane Green with plenty of confidence ahead of Saturday's clash with the Saints.
Trentham felt the full wrath of ladder leaders Navarre last round, and coach Clayton Scoble will have been focused on picking his side up off the canvas and getting them back on their feet for this clash with Natte. Proven performers Luke Whitehouse and Justin Hoffman continue to feature among Trentham's best, but Scoble desperately needs to find them some support before time runs out and the Saints miss their run at the top eight.
Trentham
B: Paul Smith, Brendan James, James Gray
HB: Jonathon Nadin, John Cowell, Brok Wightman
C: Kasey Williams, Christopher Whelan, Isaac Jennings
HF: Lewis Bruton, Curtis McNamara, Brian Cole
F: Mark Strickland, Taylor Drew, Luke Whitehouse
R: James Wicker, Ross Moloney, Callan Wellings
Int: Hayden Sundblom, Elliot Drew, Jamie Cutler, Justin Hoffman
In: Ross Moloney, Jonathon Nadin, Callan Wellings
Out: Daniel Lendrec, Luke Adams, Lucas Byrne
Natte Bealiba
B: Dean Graco, Nathan Ross, Trent Mortlock
HB: Kurt Mortlock, Brayden Mills, Jamie Evans
C: Daniel Gifford, Jacob Long, Thomas Douglas
HF: Matthew Stagg, Karl Morley, Zachary Perez
F: Brent Mortlock, Adrian Pilgrim, Stephen Ross
R: Lachlan Cameron, Jarrod Bateson, Bradley Medlyn
Int: Evan Weir, Jack Kennedy, Michael Columbro, Emmet Smith, Jye Mortlock
In: Bradley Medlyn, Jye Mortlock
Out: Jarrod Graco
Campbells Creek v Dunolly
Dunolly travel over to Campbells Creek on Sunday and after a couple of big losses to teams in the top five in the past two games, they will fancy their chances against the Magpies who are currently sitting in eleventh position on the ladder with only one win for the season.
Creek will be a tough opponent though as they never lay down and will fight out the game as they did against Maryborough Rovers last week.
Jayden Molloy and Shannon Berriman are both in good form for the Magpies this year and Brandon Greenwood will provide some pace for the likes of Eagles’ Matthew Gibbs and Joey Thompson to contend with.
Despite both teams being at the lower rungs of the ladder this will be an entertaining game that could go either way, but the Creekers will have to nullify the influence of Justin Laird who is capable of turning a game in a matter of seconds.
The home ground advantage may favour the Magpies in a close contest.
Campbells Creek
B: Ryan Jeffrey, Jayden Molloy, John Prendergast
HB: Chris Klimeck, Ross Slater, Matthew Lorenz
C: Tim Conder, James Boag, Matthew Halacas
HF: Carl Simmons, Shannon Berriman, Shaun Boag
F: Joshua Adamson, Mark Ashmore, Luke Anderson
R: Dylan Gordois, Brandon Greenwood, Daniel Klimeck
Int: Luke Pritchard, Chris Cassidy, Jayson Gilbert, Glen Wallis
In: Luke Anderson, Chris Cassidy, Jayson Gilbert, Joshua Adamson
Out: Luke Fellows, Ryan Crawford, Brayden Beer, Cordie McKendry
Dunolly
B: Grant Raven, Jeremy Hancock, Hayden Wellard
HB: Michael Campbell, Jordi Philbrick, David Bilton
C: Steven Shovan, James Blackwell, Jamie Townsend
HF: Corey Dawson, Justin Laird, Chris Wright
F: Justin Moore, Peter Wytkamp, Bradley McHugh
R: Matthew Stiles, Joe Thompson, Matthew Gibbs
Int: Jackson Baker, Dean Foster, Patrick McGregor, Darren Smith
In: Jamie Townsend, Darren Smith, Dean Foster
Out: Jason Haley, Adam Wright, Martin Gale
Last Modified on 26/06/2015 12:38