James Murphy
Port MacDonnell v Nangwarry
A consecutive home game for Port MacDonnell will hand it an opportunity to bounce back from its disappointing Round 13 result.
The Demons fell to Mount Burr by a single point prior to the bye and now face the Nangwarry Saints at the Bay this week.
They will be favoured heavily for the win but will take caution against the Saints as their last meeting was a little too close for comfort.
Nangwarry kept within firing distance throughout the game and at the final siren conceded a 23-point loss.
Joel Virtanen was the man of the match for the Saints, while Kev Thomson topped the best players for Port MacDonnell.
Thomson snagged five majors on the day – a feat replicated by brother and Nangwarry coach Luke Thomson.
However, it was Nangwarry’s Andrew Hyland who top scored with six goals.
He has continued to be a focal point in the Saints’ forward line and will be one to watch this week.
Virtanen has also upheld his form and the Nangwarry captain will look to lead by example again.
For the home team it will be a matter of putting things back on track with a win.
The reigning premiers have not tasted victory since Round 10, with a bye followed by tough losses to Kalangadoo and the Mozzies.
The Demons sit in fourth place on the ladder and while they maintain a one-win buffer over fifth-placed Robe, a strong win over the Saints would be a valuable percentage boost.
We are well and truly in the business end of the season and if they are to stand a chance at defending their title, they will need to build some momentum over the final five rounds.
There were solid signs shown in the loss to Mount Burr, with the Demons holding their guests goalless in both the second and fourth quarters.
A similar effort on Saturday will shut down any chance the Saints may have of claiming win number two.
Brandon Newton was exceptional against the Mozzies and his high work rate can be expected to continue, while the likes of Mark Smith and ruckman Tim Sullivan also carry form into the clash.
Port MacDonnell should post a convincing win at home and kickstart its run towards finals.
