Aberfeldie v Keilor
IT’S a massive final round of football and this game is a mouth-watering clash. Aberfeldie are flying and Keilor have struggled for form recently, but Mick McGuane has the ability to pick his boys up for a clash like this.
Aberfeldie were able to rest some key players and still get it done with ease against Airport West and that will serve them well heading into this one.
Angus Grigg kicked nine goals and his versatility and quickness are a real handful for the defender who lines up against him. Kyle Reimers kicked an easy four and there was no shortage of other contributors, with a further 12 goalkickers.
Keilor were upset by a resurgent Maribyrnong Park, leaving them two games behind Aberfeldie.
For only the third time this season they were held goalless for an entire quarter, and that left them playing catch-up all day. They pulled the margin down to 11 points in the final term but were unable to get any closer than that.
Although they were missing the likes of Tanner, Joyce, Burke and Ogden it was a bitterly disappointing result for the Blues.
It has been rare this season to see them so hurried and sloppy. Luke Cartelli, Jamie Papalia and Kane Barbuto were key in dragging their side back into the game.
Dean Galea kicked three goals but was well beaten for almost the entire day by Lee Johnston. Keilor often looked tall and slow up forward with the presence of so many big bodies, allowing the Lions to rebound with ease.
If their forward setup is similar against the reigning premiers, Ryan Allan and Josh Toy will have a field day.
The Blues will want as many personnel back as possible this week, with Michael James also going down with a shoulder injury last week.
Aberfeldie’s midfield is stronger than Marby’s and won’t let Keilor back into the game easily if they take control early.
Aberfeldie by 27 points.
Maribyrnong Park v Essendon Doutta Stars
Potentially the biggest clash of the round depending on the result of West Coburg and Greenvale. Greenvale lose and this game decides who plays finals football.
The Lions kept their hopes alive in a massive upset against Keilor last week, winning by 14 points.
Lee Johnston was best-on-ground for his defensive efforts against Dean Galea and co, limiting a dangerous Keilor forward line to only 10 goals.
Caleb Vearing was excellent off half back, and Ben Jones was impressive rotating through the ruck and backline.
Nick Prowse struggled late in the game with a shoulder injury, but was able to negate Andrew Browne and Dean Putt in an excellent performance.
Injuries caught up to Douttas as they fell by 24 points to Pascoe Vale at home.
Five goals from big man Cleve Hughes wasn’t enough to drag them over the line.
Mitch Jensen was dangerous up forward with three goals, Tyson Hartwig and Jamie Allan were good down back.
Patrick Veszpremi, Darren Pfeiffer and Alex Marklew were all kept fairly quiet.
Marby have come from nowhere late in the season to challenge for finals and are the form side in this clash.
They’ve won six of their last seven games while Douttas have only won three games since defeating Aberfeldie in Round 11.
The Lions have won five out of seven games decided by less than three goals but Douttas have won only one of four.
Marby have been impressive in holding onto close leads this season and Douttas will have to put them away early to win.
Maribyrnong Park by 11 points.
Avondale Heights v Airport West
Avondale Heights gave Greenvale a scare last week with a seven-goal-to-one final quarter, cutting a 51-point margin to only 15 points at the end of the game.
Patrick Rose kicked six goals and Xavier McMahon showed his worth down forward with three.
Charlie Nastasi was excellent through the midfield and played a key role in the revival. Tom Russell had a strong return to form impressing in the ruck against Fabian Deluca.
It was always a tough ask for Airport West to take on league leaders Aberfeldie this late in the season, and unfortunately it was as ugly as we all imagined.
They kicked 3.3 for the day as Aberfeldie piled on 32.20 in a 191-point loss. Clayton Rogers was the Eagles’ best and Trent Crawford and Jack Formosa put in solid showings.
Heights have found improvement in the last month or so and will finish off on a good note.
Despite their lacklustre season, their finish to the season should leave them feeling somewhat optimistic about next year.
Expect Patrick Rose to dominate, and the likes of McMahon, Harding and Clouston to chip in with goals.
Heights midfield will control this game and Tom Russell will provide them with first use of the ball around stoppages.
Avondale Heights by 90 points.
Strathmore v Pascoe Vale
Strathmore just got up against West Coburg thanks to eight goals from Matt Little.
He was one of their best, alongside Adam Iacobucci and Sean Tighe. Will Jury and Luke Holian impressed in their first games for the Mores as well.
Pascoe Vale were impressive against Douttas, Jacob Polizzi following his bag of seven against West Coburg with a bag of six.
Ryan Jackson, Ben and Michael Ross, Dean Soncin and Daniel Harris were all influential through the midfield. It was their influence that gave the Panthers control of the match, providing a good balance of inside and outside work.
The Panthers can finish either third or fourth depending on results, but their finals spot is guaranteed.
The focus will be more on avoiding injury but you’d imagine they’d like to finish third.
Jacob Polizzi’s form in front of goal is promising and their midfield appears to be hitting its straps once more right at the business end of the season.
Their ruck combination of Giles Guest and Dylan Reid hasn’t reached the heights they probably would have liked this season but both men have VFL experience. If they can increase their output, it’ll have a big impact.
Pascoe Vale by 37 points.
West Coburg v Greenvale
Massive clash that will have huge implications on the make-up of the final four. If Greenvale win they will play finals, but if West Coburg get up then the winner of Douttas and Marby will play finals instead.
West Coburg fell short in a thriller at Strathmore last week, inaccurate kicking seeing them fall short by only eight points.
Omar Saad kicked four, and Ruairi Cleary, Tom Baravi, Danko Bzenic and Angelos Sidhom all kicked two goals. Tom McMillan starred through the midfield with good support from Jack Yelland and Marwan Abdulwahed.
Greenvale had a fright thanks to a last quarter lapse against Avondale Heights after playing three quarters of excellent football.
Trent Shinners starred with nine goals and Fabian Deluca was excellent in the ruck. Nat and Fort Caruso both played yet another good game and Addam Maric capped off a solid month of football with a good performance.
The last time these two sides met the Jets did it with ease in a 75-point smashing. Greenvale’s form has declined since then though, and this time around it will be played on Coburg City Oval.
West Coburg have taken it to the best playing at home this season, but with finals to play for Greenvale should win.
The height of Trent Shinners will trouble the Burgers backline and should be provided with good use of the footy from the Caruso boys, Nick Lower and Josh Smith.
Bzenic, Baravi, Fabian Brancatisano and Omar Saad will likely all have to play good games if West Coburg are to win, but they do have the quality to do so.
Greenvale by 29 points.
