KEILOR v PASCOE VALE
PASCOE Vale’s tough stretch of consecutive mid-season fixtures continues this weekend with Keilor now next on the agenda.
The Panthers have now won six straight and if it weren’t for Keilor’s hot run of four consecutive wins, there’d be no disputing the Panthers as the team to beat right now in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division.
The beauty of this game is that the winner will emerge as perhaps our new premiership favourite.
The Panthers are ticking every box as we speak and finally, all their key pieces are clicking.
The fact we saw some of their lesser-knowns stand up against Aberfeldie last week is a fair indication that Pascoe Vale could well be the real deal this year.
But so is Keilor, and if the Blues get up in this one then there’ll be no disputing their premiership credentials, either.
Ivan Maric was rolled out for the first time last week and had an immediate impact with his former junior club, kicking a goal and being named in the bests against Strathmore.
His battle with Giles Guest will be a highlight.
GREENVALE v STRATHMORE
This is just as big as the game above.
While both Greenvale and Strathmore have had some questionable form of late, both have shown at times this year that on their day, they can beat anyone.
The Jets are tricky to assess.
How can you be overly critical of a team sitting second on the ladder with an 8-2 record?
While some may question why teams such as Avondale Heights, Essendon Doutta Stars and West Coburg are getting within a couple of kicks of them, others will be quick to point out that the Jets are still collecting wins each week.
The make-up of their side has been mixed of late, so that lack of continuity is going to hurt Greenvale on the park.
Strathmore had similar issues not so long ago but despite last week’s blip against Keilor, the Mores are slowly getting their finals push back on track with a good chunk of their better players now back on the park.
In Round 2 it was Greenvale by four goals, but that feels like a lifetime ago now.
Flip a coin.
MARIBYRNONG PARK v AVONDALE HEIGHTS
Given its hot start to the season, we’ve probably allowed Maribyrnong Park to fly under the radar in recent weeks.
A bit like Greenvale, the Lions are quietly collecting wins and despite some disappointing losses, are sitting pretty on top of the ladder with the best percentage of the division.
Will Martiniello stepped up in the absence of Zac Keogh and Caleb Vearing last week and is having an outstanding season for the Lions, while Panayioti Kokkinakis is back in the side and playing his role nicely up forward of late.
The season is ticking along nicely for the Lions and there’s no reason why that won’t continue into Round 11, because Avondale Heights simply hasn’t got the firepower.
That said, it was good to see the Heights compete hard with the Jets at Canning Street last week and when you couple that with their draw against Aberfeldie earlier in the year, you’ll see that on their day, this team can go with anybody.
The top-end talent is there, with Luke Edwards, Dennis Armfield and Scott Clouston all stepping up last week, but the bottom tier of this side continues to let Avondale Heights down.
It would be a genuinely (and pleasantly) surprising upset if the Heights get up here.
GLENROY v ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
Glenroy probably ensured safety from relegation last week but a win here all but guarantees it.
With players becoming unavailable after their impressive Round 5 win over Avondale Heights, the Roys lacked class against the better sides of the division.
But you could easily mount a fair argument that of the bottom four sides, Glenroy is the pick of them, because the Roys have now beaten all of them.
Yet this looms as a massive danger game and you can’t help but feel Dean Wallis has been preparing his men for this game for a while now.
Douttas showed signs of genuine promise in their close loss to Greenvale a fortnight ago and if they bring that intensity to the table here, they’re a big show.
Like Avondale Heights, there are some very good players that are proven performers in this Douttas outfit, and eventually it’s going to click across four quarters of a single game.
ABERFELDIE v WEST COBURG
Aberfeldie coach Adam Potter spoke with the EDFL Match of the Day crew during the post-game show following last week’s loss to Pascoe Vale and hinted at the possible return of four key players this weekend.
They are Wilson Berry, Josh Cubillo, Mark Austin and James Peters.
Add to that the void left behind by another handful of probable best 22 starters and you can’t help but admire this team’s ability to not only stay in games, but almost win them.
When you’re missing close to half of your best 22, you have no right to be snatching wins away from a quality side like Pascoe Vale, but this mob almost did.
This is therefore a very daunting task that West Coburg is facing this week, because the Burgers are dealing with ongoing player unavailability themselves and suffering the consequences on the scoreboard.
In all honesty, it’ll be no different here unless several players lift.
