Another pivotal round in the season awaits us this Saturday, gents. Title contenders face banana peel fixtures, finals aspirants go head to head, and the relegation battle gets going in earnest. This is what we play for. Let's preview the five matches:
EEW vs HWK The Tigers' season goes on the line in this probable match of the round. Recent tight losses to fellow Top 4 aspirants the Lions and Ravens has put EEW behind the 8-ball and bumped them out of a semi final position for now. Lose here and, if those same Lions and Ravens take maximum points on Saturday, it could be curtains for the Boronia boys in 2016 - with 6 points likely too big a gap to bridge in the last 5 rounds. The Hawks would love nothing more than to snooker the Tigers' season and pocket another key scalp on their way to a potential maiden title. But with the Bushies breathing down their necks (and the possibility of a JUICE-Y title deciding derby on the last Saturday in July) they will know they need to keep winning to achieve their ultimate goal. Two very desperate sides for two very different reasons going at it this Saturday.Jake Pullan has been scoring goals for fun recently with 4 in his last 3 games. Will he split the sides this Saturday?
Prediction: HWK 1-0
NOR vs KEN This season sadly hasn't delivered as the Eagle boys would've been hoping. Accused of spending more time whinging than playing again this week, they are not winning TOO many friends with their attitude nor with their football at present. Sure, you can consider yourselves hard done by having a -3 goal difference and only 3 wins plus 2 draws to show for it 12 games in, but true character is shown by how you respond in such circumstances. Wings clipped they now find themselves perched perilously above the relegation zone. And with Penno and Glenhaven awaiting them in the next two rounds they may need to scrounge a result here to avoid being pulled into a relegation scrap. Kenthurst had been humming along until their Queen's Birthday weekend slip up against perrennial bogey side St Andrews whereby they relinquished top spot to the Hawks. But their form of late has been ominous, especially that of key marksman Tim Simpson who has matched Jake Pullan's effort of 4 strikes in his last 3 matches. Ably assisted up front by Kel Gibbons and the wily old Matt Seale you've got to think the Bushies will have too much firepower here. But again, two sides with all to play for for quite different reasons. And with Normo losing a tight one 3-2 in the reverse fixture earlier this season at KP2 the result here may just surprise!
Prediction: KEN 2-0
WRR vs RAV This fixture will determine what the Rovers boys are playing for for the remainder of the season - a shot at finals football or pride alone. Even with a game in hand they are at the last chance saloon and only a win here will keep alive their slim Top 4 chances. The rigours of premier league football seem to have been catching up with the West Ryde boys in recent weeks. Desire is what's needed to force another of their unlikely results here. But is there enough left in the Meadowbank tank? The Ravens suffered the ignominy of a Queen's Birthday weekend donut including a loss to bottom placed Glenhaven. This capped off a 3-match losing streak for the black and whites and strangely coincided with a 75% downturn in traffic on the forum the week following! Having slumped from a 6 win/2 loss record to a 6 win/5 loss record there is no underestimating the value of last week's 3-2 rebound win against the Tigers. They'll be hell bent on adding to that character building win this week so as to hold their opponents and other Top 4 suitors the Tigers and Woodies at bay. At the same time they need to plug a worryingly leaky defence which had been the linchpin of their early season form.
Prediction: RAV 2-1
GLH vs PEN Not many would've touted this game as a potential relegation decider before the season kicked off, but that is what it could well be. As noted in the Normo preview there is a fascinating little three-way competition within a competition between these 3 sides over the next 3 weeks - GLH vs PEN, PEN vs NOR and GLH vs NOR. Glenhaven has finallybegun showing some ticker in the top league with wins over old SL foes West Ryde and the high flying Ravens. Another win here and they will remarkably be out of the relegation spot with 5 rounds left to play. Do you need more motivation than that on your home patch? Penno remain the overwhelming disappointment of season 2016. A new field that is the envy of the competition, a gaggle of returning superstars, a club seemingly on the up and up. Yet now a realistic risk of plying their trade in the SL in 2017. Where has it all gone wrong? As usual some have begun pointing the finger at the coach. But as we all know a coach can only do so much. Is there any faith left in Alby among the playing group, any pride left in the green and yellow skivvy? We'll know more after Saturday!
Prediction: 1-1
STA vs WPH Another fixture with plenty riding on it this Saturday. As mentioned by another poster on the forum this week, the vagueries of the draw mean that Eastwood's remaining 7 fixtures are home games (albeit one of those is a midweek catch-up game at the neutral Christie Park). Sparked by the evergreen Michael Pearson, who has notched some key goals in recent weeks, there would be genuine belief at the Wood Dome that finals football is still possible. And the familiarity of six games in a row on their homr turf would only heighten that sense of expectancy. Is it by chance STA are the only team listed on the GHFA official website tables with AFC (not FC) after their name? Or will they prove to be the Adelaide FC of the PL comp this year - coming from nowhere to double-up their GF win of last year? West Penno, though not able to keeppace with the two big boys, continue to impress with their fearless brand of football. Jules has rightly gotten the plaudits for instilling this belief in his young squad. But he for one will know that the season is only 2/3rds done and, as Penno found out last year, flashy headlines are no replacement for dogged consistency. The Lions are still a chance of missing out on finals football and need to keep producing results to be certain of August action. Make no mistake this will be a stern test of their credentials away to a revitalised and motivated Eastwood outfit.
Mr EUS
wrote on 24-Jun-16 13:01Another pivotal round in the season awaits us this Saturday, gents. Title contenders face banana peel fixtures, finals aspirants go head to head, and the relegation battle gets going in earnest. This is what we play for. Let's preview the five matches:
EEW vs HWK
The Tigers' season goes on the line in this probable match of the round. Recent tight losses to fellow Top 4 aspirants the Lions and Ravens has put EEW behind the 8-ball and bumped them out of a semi final position for now. Lose here and, if those same Lions and Ravens take maximum points on Saturday, it could be curtains for the Boronia boys in 2016 - with 6 points likely too big a gap to bridge in the last 5 rounds. The Hawks would love nothing more than to snooker the Tigers' season and pocket another key scalp on their way to a potential maiden title. But with the Bushies breathing down their necks (and the possibility of a JUICE-Y title deciding derby on the last Saturday in July) they will know they need to keep winning to achieve their ultimate goal. Two very desperate sides for two very different reasons going at it this Saturday.Jake Pullan has been scoring goals for fun recently with 4 in his last 3 games. Will he split the sides this Saturday?
Prediction: HWK 1-0
NOR vs KEN
This season sadly hasn't delivered as the Eagle boys would've been hoping. Accused of spending more time whinging than playing again this week, they are not winning TOO many friends with their attitude nor with their football at present. Sure, you can consider yourselves hard done by having a -3 goal difference and only 3 wins plus 2 draws to show for it 12 games in, but true character is shown by how you respond in such circumstances. Wings clipped they now find themselves perched perilously above the relegation zone. And with Penno and Glenhaven awaiting them in the next two rounds they may need to scrounge a result here to avoid being pulled into a relegation scrap. Kenthurst had been humming along until their Queen's Birthday weekend slip up against perrennial bogey side St Andrews whereby they relinquished top spot to the Hawks. But their form of late has been ominous, especially that of key marksman Tim Simpson who has matched Jake Pullan's effort of 4 strikes in his last 3 matches. Ably assisted up front by Kel Gibbons and the wily old Matt Seale you've got to think the Bushies will have too much firepower here. But again, two sides with all to play for for quite different reasons. And with Normo losing a tight one 3-2 in the reverse fixture earlier this season at KP2 the result here may just surprise!
Prediction: KEN 2-0
WRR vs RAV
This fixture will determine what the Rovers boys are playing for for the remainder of the season - a shot at finals football or pride alone. Even with a game in hand they are at the last chance saloon and only a win here will keep alive their slim Top 4 chances. The rigours of premier league football seem to have been catching up with the West Ryde boys in recent weeks. Desire is what's needed to force another of their unlikely results here. But is there enough left in the Meadowbank tank? The Ravens suffered the ignominy of a Queen's Birthday weekend donut including a loss to bottom placed Glenhaven. This capped off a 3-match losing streak for the black and whites and strangely coincided with a 75% downturn in traffic on the forum the week following! Having slumped from a 6 win/2 loss record to a 6 win/5 loss
record there is no underestimating the value of last week's 3-2 rebound win against the Tigers. They'll be hell bent on adding to that character building win this week so as to hold their opponents and other Top 4 suitors the Tigers and Woodies at bay. At the same time they need to plug a worryingly leaky defence which had been the linchpin of their early season form.
Prediction: RAV 2-1
GLH vs PEN
Not many would've touted this game as a potential relegation decider before the season kicked off, but that is what it could well be. As noted in the Normo preview there is a fascinating little three-way competition within a competition between these 3 sides over the next 3 weeks - GLH vs PEN, PEN vs NOR and GLH vs NOR. Glenhaven has finallybegun showing some ticker in the top league with wins over old SL foes West Ryde and the high flying Ravens. Another win here and they will remarkably be out of the relegation spot with 5 rounds left to play. Do you need more motivation than that on your home patch? Penno remain the overwhelming disappointment of season 2016. A new field that is the envy of the competition, a gaggle of returning superstars, a club seemingly on the up and up. Yet now a realistic risk of plying their trade in the SL in 2017. Where has it all gone wrong? As usual some have begun pointing the finger at the coach. But as we all know a coach can only do so much. Is there any faith left in Alby among the playing group, any pride left in the green and yellow skivvy? We'll know more after Saturday!
Prediction: 1-1
STA vs WPH
Another fixture with plenty riding on it this Saturday. As mentioned by another poster on the forum this week, the vagueries of the draw mean that Eastwood's remaining 7 fixtures are home games (albeit one of those is a midweek catch-up game at the neutral Christie Park). Sparked by the evergreen Michael Pearson, who has notched some key goals in recent weeks, there would be genuine belief at the Wood Dome that finals football is still possible. And the familiarity of six games in a row on their homr turf would only heighten that sense of expectancy. Is it by chance STA are the only team listed on the GHFA official website tables with AFC (not FC) after their name? Or will they prove to be the Adelaide FC of the PL comp this year - coming from nowhere to double-up their GF win of last year? West Penno, though not able to keeppace with the two big boys, continue to impress with their fearless brand of football. Jules has rightly gotten the plaudits for instilling this belief in his young squad. But he for one will know that the season is only 2/3rds done and, as Penno found out last year, flashy headlines are no replacement for dogged consistency. The Lions are still a chance of missing out on finals football and need to keep producing results to be certain of August action. Make no mistake this will be a stern test of their credentials away to a revitalised and motivated Eastwood outfit.
Prediction: STA 3-1
Good luck for the weekend, gents.
Eric Clapton
wrote on 24-Jun-16 13:09Bravo once again Mr Eus