ABERFELDIE v PASCOE VALE
Saturday 2:15pm at Clifton Park
PASCOE Vale didn’t get blown out in either of its games against the ‘big three’ earlier in the season.
But until the Panthers can claim a big scalp, the doubters will continue to exclude them from the premiership conversation.
This presents them with a massive opportunity to change some minds.
Pascoe Vale’s multi-pronged forward structure will be put to the ultimate test against the league’s best defensive unit, which might not be at full strength this weekend.
While they’re not kicking huge scores, the Panthers do boast a good mix of bigs and smalls that can inflict scoreboard damage if enough supply comes in.
So it’s a massive game for the likes of Liam Ogden, Ben Allan and Errol McConnell, because if Pascoe Vale’s midfield can’t breakeven in the engine room, then they’ll struggle to kick a winning score.
Aberfeldie’s forward line is arguably the most lethal if allowed enough opportunity around goal.
Jayden Foster and Kyle Reimers have combined for 41 goals in seven games, that’s nearly an average of six goals between them per game.
Keeping both quiet is a tall order.
Whichever midfield gets on top will win.
GREENVALE v STRATHMORE
Saturday 2:15pm at Greenvale Recreation Reserve
Greenvale has placed itself nicely heading into the second half of the home-and-away season.
The Jets came very close to handing Keilor its first loss of the year in Round 7 but some costly free kicks and undisciplined play down back hurt their cause.
That seems to be a recurring theme when Greenvale loses, but the good news for Chapman is that sort of thing is easily correctable.
Paul Chapman has been able to bed down his line-up and his side boasts playmakers on every line, so the Jets are in prime position to challenge the top two.
That may spell bad news for Strathmore.
The Mores are in good form but haven’t yet beaten a current top four team.
At times they have proven they can go with anyone but sustaining a high level of football in Premier Division is hard for a young and developing side.
Their focus here should be to maintain a high level of intensity for four quarters.
Any major lapse will allow a more experienced Greenvale to run away with the game.
AIRPORT WEST v AVONDALE HEIGHTS
🎥 Broadcast Game 📻
Saturday 2:15pm at Hansen Reserve
Airport West coach Geoff Maddern will be hoping his side has turned a new leaf.
The Eagles have been far too patchy so far this season and as a result are still waiting for their first win.
In Round 7 at Strathmore, Airport West produced its best defensive effort of the year in keeping Strathmore to 14 goals, but five of those majors were kicked in the final term.
Yet again the Eagles were overrun after leading at halftime.
Bior Malual was a welcome inclusion but there still seems to be too much of a reliance on Damandeep Aujla, Jesse McVeigh, Brendan Godden and Tyson Young to get the job done.
Starting now, it’s time for the rest of the group to lift their game because if Airport West loses here, then instant relegation back to Division 1 is most likely going to be how its season will end.
Avondale Heights is only 2-5 but has played some very good football and been able to unearth some good prospects.
Donald McDonald has done well to cultivate a young group of playmakers who can play an exciting brand of footy when allowed to do so.
The challenge for the Heights here will be to match Airport West in tight.
If Avondale Heights can win the hard ball then the likes of Hisham Kerbatieh and the Robb twins will be able to cause havoc on the outside and provide their dangerous attack with the appropriate supply to kick a winning score.
Expect Airport West to come out hard for what will be its biggest game since last year’s Division 1 Grand Final.
If they do, we’ll find out if the Eagles have enough potency to keep their season alive.
ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS v KEILOR
Saturday 2:15pm at Nipper Jordan Oval
The Queen’s Birthday break came at an ideal time for Keilor.
They were pushed hard by Greenvale in Round 7 but still managed to come away with a hard-fought win, which would have been taxing on an undermanned side.
Without the extra week’s break, Essendon Doutta Stars would have looked to spread Keilor on the wide expanses of Nipper Jordan Oval and potentially run the Blues off their legs.
While that may still be an option for Douttas coach Kyle Hardingham, it remains hard to pinpoint exactly where his side can get an edge over the ladder leaders.
Keilor doesn’t exactly hurt you over four quarters of football.
Instead, the Blues have a habit of producing brilliant 10-to-15-minute bursts where they strangle you in midfield then deliver the ball to the in-form Dean Galea, who’s been close to unstoppable so far this season.
Douttas may look to tag Kane Barbuto, but they still have to worry about the likes of David Isbister, Jamie Papalia and Jayden Hind, while Matthew Clark and David Gourdis can easily step up if Galea is quelled by Charles Lill or Dalton Comito.
Keilor’s abundance of A-grade playmakers should prove too much for the Stars to handle, but strange things often happen at Nipper Jordan Oval.
GLENROY v MARIBYRNONG PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Sewell Reserve
The break may have also come at good time for Glenroy.
We’ve seen some clear signs of improvement for the Roys in recent games against Pascoe Vale and Essendon Doutta Stars, but execution in front of goal is still letting them down.
At home against a young Maribyrnong Park outfit, Glenroy will be looking to set the tone early and key in on converting their chances in front of goal.
If some of the Roys’ bigger-bodied mids, particularly Judd Brewster and Daniel Ferraro, can assert their authority in the middle then Maribyrnong Park will struggle to establish an attacking flow.
The Lions’ best players this year have been forward James Breust and key defender Scott Clarke, and neither will be able to have much of an impact if Marby doesn’t get on top in the middle.
It’s a big game.
Whoever wins will more than likely be safe from the relegation mix, at least in the short term.
