Hatherleigh versus Glencoe
BRAGGING rights and top spot are on offer when ladder-leading Hatherleigh hosts second-placed Glencoe in the Mid South East Football League match of the day on Saturday.
Unless the Eagles and the Murphies have a tie, the victor will be entrenched in top spot at the half-way mark of the season.
There is a slight possibility that reigning premiers Robe will have such a massive percentage boost at Nangwarry that it will leapfrog these two teams and claim top spot for the first time in 2019.
All eyes will be on the impact of star Glencoe recruit Brodie Foster who must polling well in the Mail Medal.
The hierarchy of the Murphies were delighted to announce on 2018 grand day that he was leaving Penola to join their club.
Foster has been the stand-out forward in club football and also excelled in a higher class of company in the South East zone carnival at Naracoorte on Saturday.
None of the 60+ players who represented the three leagues on this day booted more goals than Foster.
He booted a total of seven goals in the three shortened contests and was twice named in the list of MSEFL best players.
Hatherleigh coach Gerard McGrath has to devise strategies to stop the influence of Foster and the most obvious one is to starve him of supply.
This is where the on-ball division of the Eagles has to play a part.
However, the right kind of tagger can also blunt Foster as shown in the May 7 match at Kongorong.
Although his team was beaten by 61 points, Hawks defender Aaron Lightbody kept the width of a cigarette paper away from Foster and limited him to just one goal.
McGrath might assign himself to the Foster-minding role with other options being Jase Bateman, Ben Parish or Mitch Pulmer.
At the other end of the oval, Brad Wight is the key forward who could boot a winning score for the Eagles.
Whomever wins this match will gain the status of premiership favourite and I believe Glencoe will assume this mantle.
On a serious note, both teams are supporting the Motor Neuron Disease “Big Freeze” charity by wearing special socks.
Mount Burr versus Tantanoola
THE clash of the cross-town rivals is always of added interest due to the number of players who migrate between the two near-Millicent clubs.
There was a drift of players from Mount Burr to Tantanoola over summer, but ex-Mozzie premiership skipper Andrew Ferguson had a change of heart after just one match in the Reserves.
On current form, the Mozzies are well placed to win and are guaranteed of moving into fourth place if a victory occurs.
This is due to Kalangadoo having the bye and an inferior percentage.
New Mount Burr skipper Jack Gregory will be keen to do well against his home club and boot a bag of goals.
The best chance of a Tantanoola win will be assistant coach Sam Haniford getting his hands on the ball and converting.
Haniford had about 20 shots on goal for 13 majors in his side’s big win in round eight at home over Nangwarry.
The Mozzies are a much stronger outfit than the Saints and either Sam or Josh Wallis will be placed on Haniford.
Tigers coach Josh Peters would dearly love to defeat his former club, but the ‘Burr Boys’ have too much at stake.
Nangwarry versus Robe
THE Saints and the Roosters had opposite outcomes in their pre-bye outings and this should give a clue to what will happen in round nine.
Nangwarry went on the road to Tigerland with Tantanoola comprehensively winning three of the four terms.
On the other hand, Robe clipped the wings of the Hatherleigh Eagles to inflict their first loss of 2019.
It was the third win by the seasiders this season by less than one straight kick.
Such form suggests the visitors will win well and move ahead of the loser of the Hatherleigh/Glencoe game and into second spot.
With a victory 95pc guaranteed, does Robe coach Jack Kelly want to rest some of his key players like himself for this match?
He was one of the regular Robe A Graders who played in the interleague carnival at Naracoorte on Saturday, along with co-captain Jake Wehl, Tom Wachtel, Todd Lockwood and colt Harry Bigmore.
Kelly also missed the equivalent match in 2017 as he took part in the charity dancing stunt called Dancing With The Stars to benefit the Stand Like Stone Foundation.
He is a man of his word and the big-hearted Kelly is sure to lead a squad of fellow Robe tradies to Nangwarry when the time comes to replace the fire-ravaged Nangwarry licensed clubrooms.
Over in the Nangwarry camp, they had two A Grade players in the training squad, but they did not make the final 23.
Colts and regular A Graders Ryan Zerk and Joel Virtanen had a taste of representative football with the MSEFL Under 17 team.
There was a good number of usually travel-shy Robe supporters in attendance at the distant venue of Port MacDonnell on May 25.
Let’s hope a similar number turn up this Saturday and supports Nangwarry.
Port MacDonnell versus Kongorong
The gruelling Limestone Coast football carnival featured numerous Port MacDonnell players and this may indirectly help Kongorong when it visits the seaside.
There were no easy kicks provided to the Demons who proudly wore the red-and-black colours of the MSEFL.
Playing interleague football is exhilarating, but it does take a punishing toll on the body.
On the other hand, the Hawks have all had the benefit of a three-week break due to a scheduled bye and the break for the interleague carnival.
The two teams compete at the Bay each year for the Ian Smith Trophy, while the game at Kongorong has the Bruce Lightbody Memorial Trophy on offer.
It has been quite a while since Kongorong has held either trophy and this is unlikely to change in 2019.
Unless Port MacDonnell can win games such as this, it is not worthy of a place in the major round.
Demons assistant coach Daron McElroy has recovered from injury and regained the form which made him a runaway winner of the 2018 Mail Medal.
