By Trevor Jackson
Port MacDonnell v Hatherleigh
PORT MacDonnell will need to be at its best this weekend when it hosts Hatherleigh in Round 8 of Mid South East football.
The reigning premiers would hope to be the first to claim the points off the Eagles this season but will face a huge task to achieve that goal.
Hatherleigh has not put a foot wrong this season, with strong victories from each outing.
The Eagles’ closest contest this season was against the fourth-placed Robe, which was still a big 44-point victory.
The issue of slow starts was put to rest last week against Kongorong, where the Eagles banged on 9.9 (63) in the first term to set up a big win.
Hatherleigh coach Jake Dowdy said he expects a tough contest and takes nothing for granted, despite an undefeated start to the season.
The Demons have not started as well, with a big loss to Kalangadoo, along with a close defeat at the hands of Robe.
However, they have managed to chalk up four wins from their six outings and appear to be on the right track after an exodus of players from the 2021 premiership side.
Just like Dowdy, Demons’ coach Simon Merrett is keen to take on the Eagles, with the chance to test his side and see where they sit at this stage of the season.
The home-ground advantage could play into the Demons’ hands but everything would have to go to plan to secure a victory.
The talls such as Tim Sullivan and Will MacDonald will play a pivotal role for the Demons, along with the hard running of Mark Smith and the versatility of Kevin Thomson.
For Hatherleigh, it appears 2022 will be a prosperous season and victory over the Demons will be another box ticked on the way to post-season glory.
The Eagles will need Dowdy to be at his best up forward, while Jack Skeer and Brad Mitchell certainly provide a couple of strong targets inside 50.
Neither coach wants to give too much away but both sides appear to be in good touch, which should equate to an entertaining contest.
With the newly-renovated oval down at the Bay, there will be no excuses for either side but the Eagles should get the job done and remain undefeated ahead of their clash with Kalangadoo a week later.
Kalangadoo v Tantanoola
Kalangadoo hosts Tantanoola in what should be another big win for the Magpies.
Take nothing away from the Tigers, who currently sit in fifth position on the ladder with three wins and as many losses.
Quite simply, the Magpies have been in a league of their own in 2022 and it will take a huge effort for any side to halt the juggernaut.
They have had a mixed start to the season and will hope for a strong performance this week but up against the benchmark of the competition, will face an uphill battle.
While Magpies coach Kevin Stark has said last year’s grand final loss is not a talking point this season, it certainly appears Kalangadoo is on a mission to atone for that result.
Regardless, every team they have faced this year has felt the wrath of the Magpies’ desire to claim that coveted honour.
While Tantanoola will put up a good fight, as they have all season, it will simply be too steep a climb to knock the Magpies off their pedestal, who will continue to roll on in preparation for the upcoming clash against Hatherleigh the following weekend.
Kongorong v Glencoe
Kongorong hosts Glencoe in what should be an entertaining clash.
Both sides languish down towards the blunt end of the ladder and would want another victory to have some separation from the bottom-placed Nangwarry.
They need not worry this week, with the Saints enjoying a week off with the bye but Kongorong in particular sit in a precarious position, just one win ahead of Nangwarry.
The Saints have certainly challenged some sides this season and a win might not be far off,
with that in mind, the Hawks will certainly throw everything at this contest.
However, Glencoe would consider itself a better side than seventh place would suggest.
Despite having to travel to face the Hawks, the Murphies should claim the points in what will be an entertaining match-up.
Mount Burr v Robe
Mount Burr holds the home-ground advantage against Robe on Saturday and will hope to use that well as the Mozzies chase their third win of the season.
They will face a tough task against a strong Roosters outfit, which sits two positions ahead on the premiership table, currently in fourth place.
The Mozzies have certainly pushed hard this season, with some strong starts and a clinical display against Nangwarry last weekend.
While the Mozzies come off that big win over the Saints, the Roosters would still be licking their wounds after a tough day out against Kalangadoo last weekend.
The Magpies controlled that contest and slammed home their dominance with a massive final term.
While the Mozzies do not have the firepower of Kalangadoo, they will certainly be in the mix against Robe.
It is a must-win scenario for the Mozzies, currently two wins outside the top four with a long road ahead to taste post-season action.
A four-quarter performance will be required and if they can achieve that, they may well upset the Roosters in what should be an entertaining contest.
