THE roar of the Tigers will be heard once again tomorrow when North Gambier hosts South Gambier at Vansittart Park for Round 11 of the Western Border football season.
Coming off the back of five consecutive wins – all of significant margins – North will be the hot favourites going into the clash, with the side finding its season-best form at the perfect time of year.
On the other hand, South will be out to prove itself worthy of the top four position it currently holds.
The substantial loss to East Gambier last week will have shattered some confidence in the Demons.
This defeat followed a victory over West Gambier in Round 9 that was a lot closer than South would have liked, with a meagre 16 points separating the teams at the final siren.
The Demons will want to make a statement when they go up against the seasoned Tigers tomorrow and will be out to show they can keep up with the heavyweights of the competition.
However, the last meeting between the two sides saw North claim the win by 52 points at Blue Lake Sports Park back in Round 6 and the Tigers have only gotten bigger and better since then, as they hunt down the top spot on the ladder.
Fraser Marshall was best-on-ground for North in its clash with Millicent last week and bagged two goals for the side – a performance he will look to back up this week.
Nick McInerney was also in fine form against the Saints, with his work around the ground a vital component in the team’s success, while Brett Kennedy’s efforts in the ruck often rewarded the Tigers with first touch.
Young guns Declan Carmody and Brad Close have become integral parts of the North line-up, with their work both through the midfield and in the forward line recognised each week as they frequently appear among the Tigers’ best players.
The two will look to provide solid performances again tomorrow and will be out to replicate their efforts from the previous week against Millicent, with five majors between them in the Round 10 thrashing.
If the last two rounds are anything to go by, North will hit hard in the opening term and if the Demons are unable to subdue the onslaught, they will be playing catch-up for remainder of the match.
Tom McLennan and Sam Stafford have played important parts on the scoreboard in recent weeks and will likely do so again this week, after they recorded three majors each in the previous round.
For South, the focus will again be on its rising stars, after the young players in the team continue to step up and make their mark on the A Grade stage.
Henri Capewell and Kaleb Bowd were among the best players against the Bulldogs, which is a promising sign for the team looking forward.
Scott Fleming was also in fine form last week as he took home the best-on-ground honours for the Demons, while the consistent Ash Bryant also proved valuable.
The young brigade of Jack Capewell, Ryan Broome and Dylan Ridding made their marks on the match as well in Round 10, with a goal to each of their names.
Despite tipsters favouring the security of North prior to tomorrow’s clash, this season is no stranger to upsets, but the Tigers form of late can not be ignored and it is unlikely they will be denied the points for Round 11.
