HILLSIDE v STRATHMORE
Friday 7:30pm at Hillside Reserve
THIS is a must win game for Hillside.
With the fifth-placed Westmeadows to play ladder leaders Aberfeldie, a win here could elevate the Sharks into a finals position.
An away win in Round 12 to the aforementioned Tigers was evidence that the Sharks are ready to feature in August, but they still have a task at hand to get there.
Strathmore stand in the way and come off a competitive showing against Keilor, finishing with two majors in the last quarter to go down by under four goals.
With Rebecca Said and Zana Maginness surging the ball forward for the Mores, they were able to bring Ellie Young, Eloise Freeman and Bianca Michienzi (a goal apiece) into the game.
Hillside have ball winners, led by Annalise Wilkie and Rachael Jackson, that can run and carry and if they produce their best, will likely shape the result of this match.
ABERFELDIE 1 v WESTMEADOWS
Saturday 11:00am at Aberfeldie Park West
The story for Westmeadows here is opposite to Hillside.
The Tigers haven’t found themselves outside the top five since Round 7 and face off here against Aberfeldie in a danger game.
Westmeadows would have to be the first team to break the run of 12 consecutive wins for their opponent to sure up fifth spot going into the final round.
A 78-point deficit was the result out of their last encounter in Round 3.
On that day Siobhan Carlton did the damage on the scoreboard with three goals.
Amy Starzer was influential around the ground and has continued her form of late, with best-on-ground performances against Burnside Heights and Sunbury.
The Tigers will need to find a way to negate her to stay in the hunt.
Winning the ball out of the centre and getting it into the hands of Natalie Linton and Jacinta Scott will also be significant.
It’s difficult to see Aberfeldie getting beaten but Westmeadows have added motivation to pull off an upset when they head to Tilba Street on Saturday morning.
BURNSIDE HEIGHTS v PASCOE VALE
Saturday 11:50am at Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve
Pascoe Vale have now all but avoided the wooden spoon with a solid win in a low-scoring match against Craigieburn.
Two wins in three weeks is good reward for a team that has fought hard to be competitive despite much pressure this season.
With four less players taking to the field, the attack of the Panthers in the third quarter proved to be the difference with Stephanie Rogerson and Emelia Yassir the goal kickers for the winning team.
Burnside Heights come into this match-up after a mixed month of results.
Not blown away in games against Keilor and Aberfeldie most recently, the Bears sit only two points behind the Sunbury Kangaroos, keeping their hopes alive for the double chance.
Four different goal scorers were able to contribute in Round 12, led by Kayla Ravanello and Brodie Stevens.
Hayley Rogers also provided a different option, kicking her first major in the seniors.
The Strathmore Community Bank Division 2 match between Burnside Heights and Keilor Park will follow, so Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve should be buzzing on Saturday.
CRAIGIEBURN v SUNBURY KANGAROOS
Saturday 12:50pm at DS Aitken Reserve
The turnaround of games between these two teams is short with both having lined up at Eric Boardman Reserve in Round 9.
A 144-point win on that day cemented the Kangaroos’ position within the top four.
The Kangaroos have won two matches (and received a draw) in similarly convincing fashion since, whilst Craigieburn have found it difficult to score.
Their Round 12 win over the Sunbury Lions was especially commanding, holding their opposition Sunbury team scoreless.
Karla Dalisay and Tara McKean are some of the Kangaroos’ more unheralded lights.
They have been in great form over recent weeks and played important roles alongside Alex Quigley and Bronte Koutras, who have been proficient in front of goal.
Samantha French, returning to the Craigieburn side having not played since Round 13 last year, was the Eagles’ sole goal kicker against Pascoe Vale in a game they would have been hoping to take the points in.
The Sunbury Kangaroos can lock in a double chance in this match, setting up a match against Keilor in the first week of the finals.
SUNBURY LIONS v KEILOR
Sunday 2:30pm at Clarke Oval
The Lions have been out of finals contention for a large period of the season but have continued to look like the pick of the bottom four ranked teams.
In recent games against Burnside Heights and Westmeadows, they were able to produce some great team plays and win passages, including a quarter of football against the Bears.
However, they come off a tough game against a finals-bound Sunbury Kangaroos outfit with Jessica Sutton named best, continuing her consistent season, to face an equally difficult Keilor.
In their last match-up, rebounding 50 was the problem for the Lions as the Blues were repeatedly able to win the ball back and turn defence into attack.
Keilor have won five in a row, accounting for Strathmore in Round 12.
Laura Wright was the leading scorer (two goals) in Round 12 and is one of Keilor’s exciting rising stars.
Keilor have a plethora of options up forward but have been inaccurate over the last month.
If they produce a straight-shooting game here, they will overpower the Lions.
ROXBURGH PARK v ABERFELDIE 2
Friday 7:30pm at Lakeside Oval
Aberfeldie hold the current advantage over Roxburgh Park after a 17-point win in Round 4 and will need to repeat the result to keep their finals chances alive.
However, Roxburgh Park have got their season back on track in the last three weeks with wins over bottom ranked Coburg Districts, Avondale Heights and Greenvale turning momentum back in their favour.
A three-goal game by Haylea Cooke was important in delivering the Magpies the four points against Greenvale.
Whilst less than a goal separated Aberfeldie and Keilor Park going into the final quarter, as the Devils were held scoreless in the third in a game of quarters.
The script remained consistent and Keilor Park were able to assert their presence in the last, kicking four goals to edge Aberfeldie out.
It will be interesting to see if the bye has any effect on the way both teams begin, with Roxburgh Park having played in the first week and Aberfeldie coming straight off the match from Saturday against Keilor Park.
Neither team will want to give the other the opportunity to get an early lead.
MOONEE VALLEY v COBURG DISTRICTS
Saturday 10:00am at Cole Reserve
Moonee Valley are back on the winners list headed into Round 13, recovering from disappointing results in the two previous weeks.
Georgia Marsland’s three goals were complemented by one each to Hannah Greasley and Sarah Gooden.
Erin Tarollo continued her prominence, having been amongst the best in the last four games.
Coburg Districts were able to score early against Essendon Doutta Stars by registering a goal in the first quarter, but it wasn’t until the third quarter that they could add another.
Abbey Lord and Abbie Storer were named best.
Wins should not be the only sign of a successful season, with Coburg Districts seemingly having made important gains in several off-field and on-field areas throughout the year.
A lengthy team list shows just how much support they have gotten for the Women’s side, having had an additional four players on the bench against the Stars.
However, it looks likely that they will finish the year without four points to their name, with only the game against Tullamarine to come.
Moonee Valley on the other hand are right back in amongst the pack of challengers and appear likely to finish second after the home-and-away season, with finals action on the horizon.
MARIBYRNONG PARK v GREENVALE
Saturday 10:00am at Maribyrnong Park
It looks like there could be a couple of disappointed teams in Division 1 that may just miss out on a finals spot over the next couple of weeks, with four teams contesting for two positions.
Exactly how much Maribyrnong Park have improved over recent weeks will be tested here with Greenvale having recorded their inaugural win over the Lions the first time around.
Gabrielle Mahoney has had a significant impact on the fortunes of the fifth-placed Lions, having not missed a game since Round 8 and kicking 11 goals in that period, although she was quiet against Avondale Heights with only one last week.
Lucy Herd, having played with Mahoney at Kew, has also come across to Maribyrnong Park in recent weeks and was amongst the best in Round 12.
Greenvale are still searching for playing numbers but have shown potential as they have grown together as a team with Bianca Torrijos and Courtney McLaughlin strong against Roxburgh Park.
Maribyrnong Park will be fighting hard to make sure they are not the team that ends up on the wrong side of the ledger and a win could go a long way to securing their position in the finals.
Their final game is against Aberfeldie 2, which could go down to the wire.
KEILOR PARK v TULLAMARINE
Saturday 11:50am at Keilor Park Reserve
Keilor Park will come into this match full of confidence on the back of three wins in a row capped off by a combative three-quarter winning performance against Aberfeldie 2.
Sam German took her tally of goals for the year to 25 by booting two, with Cheyene Macumber amongst the play.
Caitlin Holzheimer also proved to be a handful, backing up her best-on-ground performance from the round prior against Greenvale.
Tullamarine have now almost let their season slip, sitting a game out of finals contention after a five-goal loss to a rebounding Moonee Valley.
Tricia Devine and Emily Angelidis were amongst the play but will need to inspire their teammates to take on the run of the Devils.
Keilor Park have greater percentage than Moonee Valley but are unlikely to jump into second position, even with a win, but have secured a second chance during finals.
The Demons should have an awareness of Keilor Park’s game plan and the belief to execute, having won their last battle by 25 points, but have the extra pressure of their season being on the line when travelling to Keilor Park Reserve on Saturday.
ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS v AVONDALE HEIGHTS
Sunday 2:20pm at Nipper Jordan Oval
Essendon Doutta Stars appear the equivalent of Aberfeldie 1 in the higher competition.
They have proven to be the Division 1 team with all the answers thus far, but this time of year can always throw up some surprise results.
How far Avondale Heights can push the Stars is questionable though, with a 108-point win to Douttas the result in Round 4.
Halving that margin could be a great result for the Heights here.
In Round 12 the Stars extended the margin at all breaks against Coburg Districts, running away with a 66-point win.
Aleesha Hobbs was ever dangerous and kicked four goals, supported by Sophie Fazzolari and Joanna Falconer with two each.
Avondale Heights held sway for much of the last quarter against Maribyrnong Park last week, finishing with a two-goal-to-one last term to close the gap to under three goals.
Two of Keilor’s permitted players were the goal kickers for the Heights in Shenay Thomas and Lisa Kirby, next to Isabella Iaccino.
Jacklynn Honey played her best game in her first season for the Heights, receiving a mention amongst the best.
