ONE of the best match ups of the Western Border football A Grade competition has been that of Casterton Sandford and West Gambier.
So when the Roos make the trip to Island Park tomorrow for the final minor round of the season, spectators are likely to be greeted with another entertaining showdown.
However, with both teams cemented in the top four, players with niggling injuries may be rested and that will especially be the case for the guests.
West will square up against East Gambier in the first semi-final just next week, while the Cats do not contest Millicent in the qualifier until the following Saturday, begging the question of how many Roos will be risked in this somewhat meaningless game.
Cats coach Hamish Jarrad will be eager to continue his team’s dominant run into finals, with monstrous victories in the previous two rounds.
A 121-point win over North Gambier in Round 14 was followed by a similar 120-point victory against South Gambier on Saturday and the Cats will want to finish the minor rounds on a high as they chase premiership glory.
Besides their last meeting, which saw the Victorian team with a 78-point win over the Roos, the previous two clashes have both been close, but the Cats are yet to be bested by West this season.
The closest margin was eight points in Round 1, while the Round 6 match saw 18 points the difference, with the Cats coming from behind in the third quarter.
West coach Brad Wilson was sidelined in the last hitout between the two teams, but he should take to the ground tomorrow and lend his valuable services.
He has kicked 16 goals in the last four rounds, so will be out to make another impact in front of the big sticks.
Tom Zeitz’s return to the side in Round 14 saw him with a massive five-goal haul – level with Wilson’s score – but the young gun did not convert a major last week against North.
He will be out for another bag, while the likes of Tom Holmes, Lawry Bradley-Brown and in-form ruckman Todd Lewis will look to make an impact.
Lewis will square up against Will Macdonald – if both players take to the field – and it should be a good battle to watch.
Sam Zeitz has also been in form of late and will help bolster the midfield in what will likely be another battle through the centre.
For the Cats, Macdonald has shown on more than one occasion he can be a game changer through the pack, while Callum Currie will add his finesse, while looking for another bag of goals.
Currie kicked an impressive five majors in the last clash with West, closely followed by Josh Stephenson with four, but the latter has not played since Round 13 due to injury.
Coach Hamish Jarrad will also add his strength and determination to the side, as he does week in, week out, while the likes of Tom Sullivan, Aaron Nesbitt and Angus Cleary will look to uphold their current form.
Dylan Ayton will be a force to be reckoned with off half-back and will provide plenty of resistance against West’s attack.
He has been in stellar form and is joined by the likes of Daniel Wombwell and Ben Guthrie down back, who will give the Roos further hurdles to overcome.
However, the West back half is also capable, with Steve Wenman leading the likes of Jesse Pfitzner, Dylan Walsh and youngster Kyle Giddings, who had a standout performance last week against the Tigers.
In what should be another close contest, it will all come down to the tactics put to use in tomorrow’s game and who might be rested, but either way the Cats should maintain their perfect 2018 record against the Roos.
