By AKSHAY KAPADIA
Westmeadows v Oak Park
THIS has to be the game of the week, and a brilliant way to start season for these two teams.
Think back to last year’s Semi-Final, where the Tigers hosted the Kangaroos in a knock-out clash.
Oak Park smashed Westmeadows by 91 points. It followed the usual script in that Westmeadows hasn’t beaten Oak Park for a while now.
Two close home-and-away losses against Oak Park also cost Westmeadows the chance to play Craigieburn in the first week of the finals last season.
Westmeadows lost ruckman Osman Allouch, who decided to retire. This is going to hurt. They’ve recruited three players from Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division and two others from Roxburgh Park.
They’ve also recruited Justin Taylor and Brad Sutcliffe from the Port Melbourne Colts and Leigh Owen from the Goulburn Valley Football League.
As for Oak Park, they’ve lost their ruckman Rhys Bloomfield, who decided to retire. They did however recruit strongly from the Elmore Bloods in the Heathcote Districts Football League.
Airport West v Tullamarine
Airport West had a tough season in 2016, eventually getting relegated from Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division. Tullamarine is one of the title contenders this season, along with Westmeadows.
Now without the obstacle that was Craigieburn and the Cloke brothers, it’s going to make the premiership battle a close one this season.
Airport West have brought in an array of players from all over the place for their 2017 season, including former Northern Blues player Jack Cripps, and well as brothers Marcus and Josh Mammoliti from Westmeadows.
However, they’ve lost seven players all to Wyndhamvale in the WRFL.
For Tullamarine, Colin Laurie, who was instrumental in defence in 2016, has decided to retire along with five other players.
Glenroy v East Keilor
Glenroy are coming off a mediocre season last year after they struggled to string wins together, while East Keilor are back in Essendon Ford Division 1 after being regulated in Season 2015.
This game could be close or it could be a blowout.
The Cougars could only manage two wins last time they were in this division, but times have changed and they recruited really well over the summer under the new coaching structure led by Ash Arrowsmith and Nick Grigg.
East Keilor landed three players from Strathmore, Dean Roberts from Maribyrnong Park, Vincent Schiavello from Tullamarine and Gerard Sbaglia from Avondale Heights, all deciding to move down a division.
They also landed Andrew Ruberto from their Round 1 opponent, Glenroy.
Speaking of Glenroy, they’ve brought in Luke Capuano from Roxburgh Park, Judd Brewster, Daniel Ferraro and Ricky Tonna from Hadfield, along with Jayden Walker from Greenvale.
