James Murphy
Casterton Sandford v South Gambier
THE Demons will be favoured heavily when they make the cross-border journey to Island Park this weekend.
South Gambier has lost only one game this season and as such holds a sturdy seven-game winning streak with no signs of slowing down.
They are firmly locked in the top spot of the ladder with three minor rounds left to play.
While the next few games will not alter their standing heading into finals, the Demons are focussed on carrying momentum into the most important games of the year.
Their last round was a tough game against North Gambier which took them until the fourth quarter to shake off their rival.
However, that was the first time South had been pushed for some time.
It sets up a tough game for home team Casterton Sandford tomorrow and the Cats will need to be at their disciplined best if they are to stay in the contest.
They have caused a few upsets on their home turf over the years, but it is unlikely such a result will unfold this time around.
The confidence of a nail-biting win over East Gambier will buoy the Victorians and they are not to be underestimated.
Sitting just outside the top four, but level on wins with fourth-placed North Gambier, the Cats remain well in the hunt for finals.
Standout performances from on-field leaders Diarmid Cleary and Billy Galpin won Casterton Sandford the game against the Bulldogs.
They will be two danger men for South tomorrow, while young-gun Adam McKinnon also played a solid game last round.
Matt Killey is likely to land a defensive role again and should line up on either Brayden Kain or Brodie Foster.
Both have been influential in the South attack line, while the list of midfielders who push forward to kick goals seems to grow each week.
The young brigade has shown nothing but class this season, with the likes of Brock Keding, Mitchell Sims and Colby Munro – to name only a few – all finding their moments in the spotlight.
At the more experienced end of the table, James Paprotny has been rock solid through the midfield and off half-back.
His rebound capability and never-say-die attitude has had him among the best in recent weeks, while Josh Woodall is another midfielder who has made an impact since his return from injury.
There are few weak links in the South roster and as such the Demons can be expected to claim victory again.
However, if the Cats can keep their heads down and stay focussed on the task at hand, they could make them work for it.
