PASCOE VALE v MARIBYRNONG PARK
🎥 Broadcast Game 📻
Saturday 2:15pm at Raeburn Reserve
THIS looks to be the pick of the three games on offer in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division this weekend, and we’ll be there for EDFL Match of the Day.
Both Pascoe Vale and Maribyrnong Park are evenly-matched at 2-2 on the ladder and have aspirations of getting back to the finals come season’s end, but their respective season’s to date have followed different paths.
If you put their 33-point Round 1 loss to Greenvale aside, the Panthers have been one of the division’s form teams to start the season.
Against Essendon Doutta Stars and Strathmore, we’ve seen the some of the best that Pascoe Vale has to offer and in Round 3 at Joe Brown Oval, they almost handed Keilor its only loss for the year.
The improved top-end of their list is so far delivering in its promise, particularly up forward.
Matthew Watson (12 goals), Daniel Archer (six), Jacob Polizzi (six) and Josh Cauchi (five), have all caused havoc for opposition back lines and in the middle, Ben Allan, Liam Ogden and Michael Ross have also been solid contributors.
That level of star power is going to be enough to overwhelm many opposition Premier Division clubs and will likely be a problem here for a young Maribyrnong Park outfit.
The Lions have had an easier draw than Pascoe Vale and have done well to capitalise on it and score two wins.
However, last week’s 14-point loss at home to Essendon Doutta Stars might be some cause for concern given the talent disparity that was on the park.
The smaller Raeburn Reserve deck may play into Marby’s hands a little, but against what will likely be a superior 22 in red and black, a win here would be considered an upset.
GREENVALE v GLENROY
Saturday 2:15pm at Greenvale Recreation Reserve
What should we make of Greenvale’s 30-point loss to nemesis, Aberfeldie, last week?
It was a disappointing performance that didn’t reflect the previous output the Jets had produced to start the season.
If you’re willing to put Round 4 aside and treat that result as Greenvale simply being beaten by a better team, then you should still be feeling pretty good about Paul Chapman’s men.
We’re seeing consistent individual output from the likes of Nat Caruso, Fabian Deluca, Tom Cleary and Jacob Thompson in four different parts of the ground, while A-graders Addam Maric and Courtenay Dempsey have played all four games and will only get better from here.
Expect the Jets to bounce back in a big way against a vulnerable Glenroy side.
The undermanned Roys were excellent in their win over Airport West last week but prior to that, were quite ordinary to start 2019.
They’ll now be without big man Jayden Walker for the next six weeks through suspension and injury clouds still hover over Matt Walker and Aaron Kite, among others.
For an upset to occur here, either Glenroy needs to vastly improve on what it has dished up so far, or Greenvale needs to have an off day, because most of the top-end talent on the ground will be wearing black and green.
AIRPORT WEST v KEILOR
Saturday 2:15pm at Hansen Reserve
On paper, this match-up looks like it will play out in a very similar way to that of the game above.
Airport West’s return to Premier Division has not gone to plan and last week’s 53-point loss to Glenroy has left many worried the Eagles might be coming straight back down to Division 1 at season’s end.
We simply haven’t seen enough individual output from the likes of Tyson Young (two goals for the year), Jesse McVeigh and Jayden Ranno (both of whom missed last week), among others.
The onus is on the entire squad to help get their team mates into the game and have the impact we saw them make in previous years as a Division 1 premiership contender.
Coach Geoff Maddern will be hoping to see a more even contribution from his 22 in coming weeks and the effort will need to be at an optimal level this weekend.
Keilor has been the most impressive team of 2019 so far, given it remains undefeated despite going through what can only be described as an injury crisis.
The Blues’ stirring Round 3 win over in-form Pascoe Vale was followed by a come-from-behind victory over Avondale Heights last week.
Poor conversion in front of goal allowed the Heights to jump out of the gates, before the Kane Barbuto-led Blues stormed back to claim what turned out to be a comfortable 75-point win.
That will serve as a stern reminder that Airport West needs to be on for four full quarters if its any chance of pulling off an upset here.
