TWO of the Central Murray Football Netball League’s in-form teams will meet at Cohuna tomorrow in a match that will see one player compete against his former teammates.
Rhys Bradley and his Cohuna Kangas teammates will take on the utility’s former side, Koondrook/Barham – coached by Rhys’s father, Neil – in one of the matches of round seven.
The Kangas have won their past two games – recording wins against Lake Boga and Tyntynder – to sit seventh on the ladder one third of the way through season 2016.
The Raiders are one of the in-form sides in the competition, with the 2015 grand finalists not dropping a match since the club’s opening round loss to reigning premiers, Kerang.
Rhys Bradley’s return to his former club has helped the Kangas go from the bottom third of the table to a finals challenger this season, with the midfielder’s knowledge helping Cohuna’s younger brigade, led by Kaleb O’Flaherty and Harrison Keely.
“Rhys has enjoyed a pretty solid start to the season for the Kangas, but it will be a little different coaching against my son,” Raiders coach, Neil Bradley said.
The Raiders will make one change at the selection table, with Tom May out for six to eight weeks after injuring his neck in the side’s round six win against the Mallee Eagles.
“Tom’s injury will present opportunities for others to step up,” Bradley said.
There will also be one change made to the Kangas line-up, with ruckman Chris Anderson out for the coming weeks due to work commitments.
“Ben Archard is back at full strength after suffering a hip injury during the pre-season, so his work in the ruck will be key to us,” Kangas coach, Rick Easton said.
Rhys Bradley and Archard will aim to get the ball from the middle of the ground to the home team’s forward line, led by Easton and Kokwam Niki.
However, if Blake Chant, Shane Guerra and Jake Hare lead the way in defence for the visitors, a fifth consecutive win will be on the cards.
Rhett Sutton’s presence in the ruck will be pivotal to the Raiders, with Daniel Mowat and Jay Reynonds just as dangerous in the midfield and inside the visitors’ forward 50.
O’Flaherty and Keely will work hard to stop two of the Raiders’ leading goalkickers on a ground that can provide space for clubs who like to use the wings to move forward.
“Obviously Cohuna is a big ground and has a lot of space, but hopefully our experience in big games counts,” Bradley said.
“We’ve got a couple of big games coming up, including the Eagles in round eight, so these matches will give us the chance to see where we are at against sides in the top four,” Easton said.
Koondrook/Barham won by at least 90 points on both occasions these teams met last year. The margin will be much closer tomorrow.
PREDICTION: Koondrook/Barham will win by 30 points.
