Airport West v Glenroy (Radio Game)
A SURPRISE top-of-the-table clash is the headline act in Round 7 for Essendon Ford Division 1.
Airport West is the hottest team in the division having won five straight, while Glenroy keeps ticking off the wins and has now beaten almost every contender it has faced bar Oak Park.
Here it’s going to be another big test for Ross Terranova’s men.
The Eagles have been well-led by the McVeigh boys and former co-coach Clayton Rogers, and up forward Tyson Young is second on the current Essendon Ford Division 1 goal-kicking table with 17.
Glenroy’s impressive tall brigade will again be tested and led by skipper Travis Dulic, they should be able to match Airport West at either end of the ground.
It’s the midfield battle that will most likely decide who will top the ladder come 5pm.
Taylors Lakes v Westmeadows
Both sides last week dropped games they really needed to win.
Taylors Lakes led for three quarters at Oak Park before allowing five goals to one in the final term.
Their season has been an interesting one to follow – winning the games they need to win and so far breaking even in the coin-flips.
This is a coin-flip, too.
Westmeadows has had a staggered month since going down to Tullamarine under lights in Round 2.
It was a daunting three-game stretch against the division’s top three contenders and to come away from it with one win might be viewed by some as a tick.
However the fact remains that the Tigers are 2-3 and performing below par.
This presents them a chance to reassert themselves in the premiership conversation – one that Sam Tankard and his men want to be part of themselves.
Whoever takes the L here is going to face an uphill battle.
Tullamarine v East Keilor
The Demons haven’t been in action for two weeks and, in all honesty, haven’t really been pushed in three.
Here they get to face up to an East Keilor side that finally got to sing the song under new coaching duo Ash Arrowsmith and the division’s leading goal kicker, Nick Grigg.
The Cougars’ 171-point drubbing of Hadfield should already be enough to ensure survival from relegation, so that should now allow them some freedom in going after the rest of the division.
Despite their 1-4 record, the Cougar’s enjoy a healthy percentage of 115.67, not only indicating a level of genuine competitiveness in their four losses but providing a bit of hope that in such an even competition, finals are not yet out of the question.
So, given Tullamarine’s soft lead-in, East Keilor should be gearing up to take it up to the Demons and make a statement.
Only trouble is, Tullamarine is rested up and still boasts plenty of experience and class and on paper, looks the favourite here.
Hadfield v Oak Park
The East Keilor loss would have dampened the mood significantly at Martin Reserve.
It was the fixture that seemed most winnable for the Hawks to somehow survive relegation but now that they’re two games and nearly 100 percentage points behind the Cougars, it would be a genuine footballing miracle if they don’t end up back in Strathmore Community Bank Division 2 in 2018.
In a bizarre sort of way, it could have a positive effect on their mentality.
Clearly the cattle simply isn’t there, so the aim should now be to cause as many headaches as they possibly can every week.
The more they persist, the more likely they’ll eventually catch someone off-guard.
Oak Park, coming off an impressive come-from-behind win over Taylors Lakes, shouldn’t be taking the Hawks lightly.
Michael Hooper will be keen to ensure his side does not take the foot off the gas during the week and coming into game-day.
By the same token, for the sake of keeping up with the rest of the division, the Kangaroos need to get the percentage boost, because every club that has played Hadfield to date is plus-100 in that category.
