PASCOE VALE v STRATHMORE
THE winner of this has a good chance of being in the top four by the end of Round 12, depending on other results.
For either one of these sides to be in the four this deep into the season will be a real confidence-booster – as both may be capable of going all the way despite being disappointing at times this year.
Pascoe Vale’s good mid-season run came to a halt last week against its bogey side Keilor – where Matthew Watson and Lachie Hansen were both held to a single goal between them.
Defensively Strathmore has been quite sound of late and if the Mores can remain stern down back then they’re in with a big chance to claim an away win here.
But to do so would be to reverse its fortunes from back in Round 3, where Watson bagged five in a 55-point drubbing at Mascoma Street.
The Mores had to make six changes to their side last week and while that didn’t seem to matter up at Greenvale, it could definitely be a factor here.
WEST COBURG v MARIBYRNONG PARK - Shore Reserve
Perhaps the only thing going for West Coburg here is the fact they’ll be facing the ladder leader at the division’s most uncomfortable setting for visiting teams.
Shore Reserve is unlike any other ground in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division, not only in size but in shape, too.
If you’re not used to it, it takes time to adjust to, and that’s why West Coburg always seems to be in with a better shot against better sides at Shore than they are at Coburg City Oval – a finals venue where the better sides have had more experience.
But like I said, the ‘Shore Factor’ is the only thing going in the Burgers’ favour.
They’ve quite frankly been ordinary since the calendar turned to June and haven’t had a win since Round 5.
On the flipside you have the top-of-the-table Lions travelling along beautifully with coach Robbie Castello this week declaring via Leader Newspapers he’s back available for every game for the remainder of the season.
All signs point to another Marby win here.
GLENROY v GREENVALE
Greenvale is the favourite, but a tentative one.
The Jets had a shocker last week against an undermanned Strathmore and if it were an isolated result then you’d probably dismiss it as an anomaly.
But Greenvale’s form line has been shaky for a large chunk of the season now and despite their pedigree, the Jets simply can’t be trusted at the moment.
Against the bottom three sides Greenvale has only just squeaked by to collect the points, but here the Jets are facing a Glenroy side that has proven it is better than the three teams below them.
Back in Round 3 this match-up was Glenroy’s first test against one of Premier Division’s powerhouses and with Kurtis Sanajko and Jacob Thompson combining for six goals, the Jets won comfortably at Section Road.
But now we’re talking about two rather different sides and a very different venue, and neither Sanajko nor Thompson played last week.
Glenroy has shown at times this year that they’re close to claiming a big scalp and this is their best opportunity yet.
AVONDALE HEIGHTS v ABERFELDIE
Believe it or not, when these two sides met earlier in the season, it resulted in a draw at Clifton Park.
Cam Wood was one of the Heights’ better players alongside his fellow ex-Blue team mates Dennis Armfield and Ciaran Sheehan.
Wood’s now gone and has been replaced by raw North Melbourne rookie Tom Jeffries, who will have his hands full up against Courtney Johns here.
So Armfield and Sheehan are going to need plenty of help if the Heights are any chance of pulling off an upset.
Aberfeldie welcomed back some key personnel last weekend and enjoyed its second biggest win of the year over West Coburg.
A top two finish is what Aberfeldie is eyeing off and by taking care of business and doing so well here, it’ll be a step closer to securing that all-important double chance.
The premiers can’t afford to let up and they’ve clearly got Avondale Heights outgunned, so they need to take advantage of it.
ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS v KEILOR
Keilor is the hottest team in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division and they’re probably in no mood to take the foot off the gas against their arch rival.
The Blues, if they feel like it, will take plenty of pleasure in delivering would could be the final dagger in Douttas’ failing attempts to survive relegation.
Given the final margin was 131 points back in Round 3, you feel as though Keilor should be able to play this on its own terms, but the Blues aren’t exactly facing the same Douttas outfit that they did in April.
Essendon Doutta Stars has been desperately unlucky not to get a win in recent weeks and almost got over the line at Glenroy last week.
Their form is improving and with a big game against West Coburg looming, the Stars need to put in a good performance here and try to protect their slender percentage.
