James Murphy
CASTERTON SANDFORD v SOUTH GAMBIER
HOT off a thrilling one-point win over the ladder leader, South Gambier will make the cross-border trip to Island Park with confidence in its game-finishing ability.
The young Demons showed they do not crack under pressure and held off Millicent in a frantic conclusion to the match.
This week they meet fifth-placed Casterton Sandford, with the Cats entering Round 5 with just the one win.
That came against East Gambier in the second round and also proved the Cats can step up in the final stanza when the game is on the line.
However, they have yet to claim the scalp of a team higher than them on the ladder and despite strong patches another win has remained elusive.
Last week’s loss to West Gambier showed some positive signs and the Cats outperformed the Roos in two quarters.
The game was close at the final change, before West turned on the boosters to run away with a comfortable win.
Diarmid Cleary was at his trademark best on the day and he is always one to watch around the half-back line and coming through the middle.
Callum Currie has also had a strong start to the year and has featured in the Cats’ best players every round so far.
The likes of Ed Pritchard, Hamish McCrae and Adam McKinnon have also shown good form of late and there remains plenty of talent in the roster.
They pride themselves on performing at home and visiting Island Park is never a road trip taken lightly.
However, South will still enter as the favourite and with a list of in-form talent at its disposal, should get the job done.
Emerson Marks enters the weekend off a best-on-ground performance through the midfield, while Oliver Thomson has had a strong start to his campaign, standing tall in the Demons’ backline.
He is equally as dangerous coming back the other way, as he is in a defensive contest and will be one to keep an eye on again this Saturday.
At the other end the Demons have no shortage of firepower, boasting the likes of former playing coach and star forward Brayden Kain, Ethan Chuck and Nelson Forbes.
Through in the likes of in-form ruckman Mason Hein and Mitchell Sims coming out of the middle and there are plenty of options running into the forward line.
Both teams rely on young talent, but South has stepped things up a notch this year and should return home with the points.
