TATURA V EUROA
Euroa will be looking to make it back-to-back wins and leapfrog into the top six, even if it be for a week until the split round concludes.
The Magpies got back on the winners’ list last round when they defeated United by 37 points, having kicked 13 goals from 34 scoring shots.
Despite the win, the Pies sit outside the top six on percentage at the start of the split round.
The injury-ravaged Bulldogs were competitive for 2 ½ half quarters before they slipped to a 55-point loss to Benalla which will make it that little bit harder for them to avoid the wooden spoon in 2024.
They will look to Jacob Simpson, Andrew Ciavarella, Mitchell Elliott, Mitch Heywood (four goals) and Ethan Penrith to lead the way against the visiting Pies.
Euroa will look to ruckman Nathan Stewart, forward Jett Trotter, Ryan Hill, Michael Barnes and Lachlan Hill to lead the way and ensure it gets the job done. Tip: Euroa.
SHEPPARTON UNITED V ECHUCA
Echuca will be looking to consolidate its place at the top of the tree when it makes the trip to Deakin Reserve for the first time since its 2023 grand final win.
The Murray Bombers are really ramping up their title defence in recent weeks with wins over the previously undefeated Shepparton and last round against 2023 grand finalist Kyabram.
Cooper Barber, Benjamin Reid, Jackson Stewart, Jack McHale and Kane Morris led the way for the reigning premier in the four-goal win over the Bombers.
They had 8 different goalkickers in their score of 11.17 where they won two of the four quarters.
They have still got plenty out of the team and they will only get stronger as we get closer to September.
Kaedyn Napier (five goals), Mitchell Trevaskis, Jesse Cucinotta, Clayton Johansen and Mitchell Serra were the shining lights for the Demons who were pretty competitive at times in the 37-point loss to Euroa.
They will need to continue their good form and bring their team-mates along for the challenge of taking on the best team in the competition to be any chance of causing an upset. Tip: Echuca.
SEYMOUR V SHEPPARTON SWANS
Seymour will be chasing back-to-back wins for the first time this season to revive its finals aspirations for 2024.
The Lions are three games off sixth placed Kyabram and to be any chance they would need to not put a foot wrong from here and rely on other results falling in their favour.
That said, coach Ben Davey and his playing group will focus on the task at hand against the visiting Shepparton Swans before thinking too far ahead.
Riley Mason, Nicholas Quigg, Tom Maloney, Jack Murphy and Nathan Fowler were important as the Lions got the win over fifth placed Mansfield last round.
If Mason can fire up forward and the home team can break even through the midfield given the expected dominance from Swans ruckman, Mark Kovacevic then they should give themselves a strong chance of victory.
Will Dwyer, Zac Clohesy, Lucas Rachele, Tyreece Collison and Kovacevic will be looking to lead the way for a Swans team that is missing a few of regulars through injury.
The Swans, outside the two defeats to Echuca and last round to Rochester, have been very competitive and had it been for a bit more luck they could have easily won an extra two or three games and be closer to the September action.
I think this is a real flip of the coin game and I am going for the Lions. Tip: Seymour.
BENALLA V MOOROOPNA
Can Benalla make it three wins in four matches when it welcomes Mooroopna to the Rose City in the second part of the split round?
The Cats travel to take on the Saints off the back of a bad loss to the second placed Shepparton.
This will be the second time these teams clash, having played earlier in the season at Mooroopna where the Cats recorded a 102-point win.
An area of concern for coach John Lamont this season would be the number of quarters his team have won in 2024.
They have only won 20 of their completed 40 quarters.
It would be a statistic he would be aware of and no doubt working on to see how they can improve that to lock in their place in September.
Bryce Rutherford, Keelin Betson, Logan Campbell, Isaac Dowling and Kai Madgwick were the shining lights in the loss and they will need to fire to ensure the supply to Daniel Johnstone and the rest of the forwards to kick a score.
Mark Marriott, Wade King (5 goals), Colby Mathieson, Nathan Hill and Charlie McCarthy were strong in the win over Tatura.
In a further positive for Jarrod Waite’s boys, the Saints had 8 different goalkickers in the win over Tatura and if their good players can continue their good form, then they will fancy themselves in causing an upset over the Cats. Tip: Mooroopna.
MANSFIELD V SHEPPARTON
Mansfield will be looking to avoid a third straight defeat and risk slipping out of the top six if results don’t fall their way.
The Eagles had a really good win on the road in round 8 against Euroa and then dropped their past two games at home against Rochester and then on the road to Seymour.
Shepparton responded to its 70-point loss against Echuca with an emphatic win over Mooroopna.
The Bears bossed the game and didn’t give the Cats a look in, largely due to the strong work from Mitchell Brett, Jhett Cooper, Joel Brett, Jacob Watts and Tanner Madigan.
They had seven different goalkickers in the win over the Cats and they will be hoping to regain co-coach Ted Lindon who missed the win due to a quad injury.
Brett Mahoney, Dirk Koenen, Nathan Buchanan, Billy Hogan and Jack Hutchins will be the players that the Eagles look to lead them back on track, but I think they may find it difficult to handle the visiting Bears. Tip: Shepparton.
KYABRAM V ROCHESTER
Rochester will be chasing a ninth straight win which at the same time will put a dent in Kyabram’s top six aspirations.
The last meeting between these teams was decided by less than a kick, which went in the favour of the Bombers.
A lot has changed since that game.
Kyabram has coughed and spluttered its way to sixth place on the ladder and Rochester has been sensational, claiming the scalps of Echuca, Mooroopna and Seymour to name a few on its way to outright third place on the ladder.
The Bombers will look to Joshua Dillon, Brad Whitford, Jackson Griffiths, Bohden Learmonth, Aidan Robinson and Anthony DePasquale to try and lead the way.
The 2019 premier will be hoping to regain some of its more experienced players who missed the defeat to Echuca last round where they won two quarters.
Mitchell Trewhella, Andy Henderson, Dylan Gordon, Sean Williams (six goals for 30 goals) and Wil Hamilton lead the way in the comprehensive win over the Swans and if they can continue that good form, then I think they can beat the Bombers. Tip: Rochester.
