MILLICENT will be in the box seat for another win when it hosts South Gambier at McLaughlin Park for Round 11 of the Western Border football season on Saturday.
The Saints sit just one win behind the undefeated Casterton Sandford on the premiership ladder and with the Cats expected to have a close game with West Gambier on their hands, this could be the break Millicent has been looking for.
However, South should not be ruled out completely, as the 30-point deficit to the Cats last round was a credit to the young side’s development this year.
The last time the Saints faced the Demons Matt Duldig scored his biggest haul of the season, banging home six goals to see the handy full-forward top score for his team.
South’s Brayden Kain equalled this score on that occasion, standing tall for the underdogs in their defeat.
Since then the accurate forward has only improved and he will be a player Millicent’s backline will need to address.
And the Saints are more than capable to hold him at bay, with the likes of Steve Duldig, James Weir and Blake Kenny all in top form.
In fact, Millicent has shown immense depth in all aspects of its game this season, with few passengers in the side.
From Tom Hutchesson, Clint Gallio and Hamish Gordon running through the centre, to Jonah Grimes in the ruck and the likes of Hamish Nitschke, Sam Willis and Dylan Bromley adding firepower up forward, there is no shortage of talent in the lineup.
The combination of Willis and Bromley with Matt Duldig has been a spectacle to watch each round, with almost every contested mark the full-forward misses – which are few and far between – swept up by one of the others for a shot on goal.
This deadly trio will be a handful for South defenders, so the likes of Taylor Saffin, Kaleb Bowd and Dion Stratford will need to be on their game.
Accurate delivery through the midfield will be critical for the Demons and both Brett O’Neil and Nick Tarca will be looked to greatly in that domain.
The two have been in good form of late and provide a vital link to Carl Slape in centre-half forward and either Kain or young gun Henri Capewell up front.
Last week against the Cats it was some of the younger talent in the side which stood up, with Saffin named as best-on-ground, while Todd Reid, Connor O’Reilley and Alex Harkness all received mention.
They will each be out to impress again this week.
In the previous clash with the Saints, the match began as an even affair, with just two points separating the sides at the first break.
Millicent was unable to shake off its foe until late in the game, with a four-point lead at half time extended to an eventual eight-goal victory.
If last week’s match with the Cats is anything to go by, South should not be judged by its ladder position and with both North and East caught out by the young squad in recent rounds, the Saints will need to put the game away early.
The match will be entertaining to watch regardless of the result, but Millicent should come through with another win on its home deck.
