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Round 14 Preview - Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division (Part 2)

By ADEM SARICAOGLU


GREENVALE v ABERFELDIE - Radio Game

IT is always a big occasion when Greenvale meets Aberfeldie, so it comes as no surprise that this looms as one of the biggest games of the season.

What is surprising, though, is that both teams are currently outside the top two and have been shaky with their form of late.

Greenvale has won four from five and slowly the winning margins seem to be increasing, but that one loss – which came at home to Strathmore – still carries some weight.

Paul Chapman will be hopeful of some key pieces returning to the line-up this weekend, as Fabian Deluca, Addam Maric, Jayden Ranno and Chris Farchione all missed the Round 13 win at Pascoe Vale.

Ruckman Deluca is particularly vital, as he’ll be up against Courtney Johns in what could loom as the key match-up of the game.

Aberfeldie’s in a similar boat to Greenvale, in that its form isn’t excellent, but the wins column is still ticking over often enough to keep Abers in touch with the top four.

Currently six points off the pace, they really can’t afford another loss.

So for the first time in a very long time, Adam Potter and his men are in the hot-seat in the lead-up to finals.

MARIBYRNONG PARK v PASCOE VALE

Pascoe Vale’s season is on the line.

After dropping three consecutive games by no less than five goals, the Panthers find themselves well off the finals pace and if they can’t get their mojo back now, then it’ll be yet another bitterly disappointing end to their season.

Their midfield stocks took a hit in the lead-up to last week’s split round break, so Kyle Hardingham will be hopeful of welcoming back some key pieces against a star-studded Maribyrnong Park outfit.

Marby remains the competition’s benchmark after a very consistent season to date.

After emerging unscathed from a four-week block against weaker opponents, Marby struggled to lift its game against Strathmore in Round 13.

That said, the Lions were only five points short with Scott Clarke, Daylan Kempster and James Breust all out of the side.

The break came at a good time for both sides, so recent form might not be the best indicator for this one.

If Pascoe Vale is desperate enough, then it’s certainly good enough, so Marby needs to match the Panthers for intensity from the get-go.

KEILOR v WEST COBURG

We all know there’s a clear favourite here and making a genuine case for a West Coburg upset isn’t easy.

After going down to Essendon Doutta Stars two weeks ago, the Burgers have now been beaten by every other Premier Division team since Round 6.

As a result, they’re now well and truly in the relegation hot seat.

The silver lining is that the Burgers have a slightly easier run home than Douttas and the percentage gap is currently only 1.67.

So Digby Morrell has no choice but to somehow try and protect West Coburg’s percentage.

There’s no evidence to suggest that West Coburg can build percentage by scoring big, so don’t expect any shoot-outs in their remaining fixtures.

Their only real option is to shut games down.

West Coburg does have the best points-against total of all the bottom four sides but at the other end the Burgers are well behind the other nine teams in points-for.

There isn’t much room for error and the risk that comes with shutting the game down is that it could play right into Keilor’s hands.

If anyone knows how to coach ‘shutdown footy’, it’s Mick McGuane.

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