Hadfield vs Glenroy
THE Hawks are in desperate need of some optimism.
Last month they parted ways with new Senior Coach Steve James after a less than ideal start to Season 2017.
Things haven’t got any better since, but this is a big occasion for them nonetheless.
Not only is it a fierce local rivalry between Hadfield and Glenroy that will play out for the first time this season after some very interesting player movement between the two over the summer, but a very famous former West Coast Eagle will be running around in brown and gold.
Hadfield will have 2006 premiership player and 2007 All-Australian Daniel Kerr in its line-up for this game and that alone will inject some much-needed spark into their side.
There’s no doubt the Hawks will be up for this one, but they run into a hot Glenroy outfit that is absolutely flying on top of the ladder at 6-1.
Kerr or no Kerr, status quo should still prevail.
Airport West vs Hillside
This is a fascinating match-up and, potentially, a season-defining one for both clubs.
Airport West has been out of action for three weeks since going down to Glenroy in a home broadcast game, while the Sharks have slipped to fourth on the table following successive losses to Westmeadows, Glenroy and Tullamarine.
The Eagles being as rested as they are will be of significant advantage with Rex Taylor, Josh Crawford and Jonathan Mullins, among others, hoping to return to the side.
Hillside was stung last start, not only by Tullamarine on but EDFL Radio by coach, Steve Burns.
Burns described their loss to the Demons as “spineless, gutless, weak, terrible football”, and it will be very interesting to see if he rings in the changes come Thursday night at match committee.
A loss here could see the Sharks, a month ago the raging premiership favourite, slip out of the top four.
Tullamarine vs Oak Park
Tullamarine likes to make a point of proving us pundits wrong.
The Demons are 5-2 after three consecutive wins and yet again, they are flying under the Essendon Ford Division 1 radar.
Jack Sims, named EDFL Radio’s RAWFORM Seamless Compression Player of the Day two weeks ago, is having another impressive year and is leading Tullamarine’s goal-kicking with 11.
Justin Marcy and Joel Flanigan both did not play in the win over Hillside, which is testament to Anthony Leydin’s ability to get the most out of his group full of lesser-known types.
Oak Park is seemingly having a typical Oak Park kind of season thus far.
The Kangaroos are sixth at 3-4 and have been unconvincing to date.
Their best win of the year was back in Round 2 over Glenroy and in Round 6 they took care of Taylors Lakes by 11, but other than that, Oak Park has been somewhat uninspiring.
A six-point loss to East Keilor two weeks ago wasn’t ideal and coming up against the in-form Demons will be an even tougher test here.
East Keilor vs Westmeadows
It seemed unlikely at first look of this fixture at the start of the season but right now, this is a coin-flip.
East Keilor is probably a little unlucky to be 2-5 following some close losses back up in Essendon Ford Division 1.
The Cougars have won two of their past three and are honest about where they’re at.
Season 2017 is about consolidation and development, with a genuine finals tilt probably not fully on their minds until at least 2018.
But it’s games like this where they’ll look to cause as many headaches as possible.
Westmeadows has had to battle some ongoing injury concerns through the first half of the season and continuity hasn’t really been there from week to week.
As a result, their form is inconsistent.
Expect the Tigers to lift, but the Cougars will be out to get them.
