IT will be a case of déjà vu tomorrow when Golden Rivers Football League competition leaders, Ultima and Murrabit meet at the Murrabit Recreation Reserve.
Both teams – who last met in the 2016 grand final – go into the match undefeated in what shapes to be another exciting encounter between both sides.
The ‘Roos recorded a 4-1 advantage over the Blues when they met on the five occasions last season, with the round three and second semi-final margin of 20 points being the largest gap between the sides.
Three epic encounters at tomorrow’s venue occurred during 2016, resulting in a five-point after the siren win to Ultima in round 10 and a one-point thriller the Mallee team’s way the week before the finals.
However, Murrabit chalked up a win on its home turf in the game that mattered the most, with Nathan Henry’s goal with 80 seconds to spare giving the Blues the premiership.
Fittingly, tomorrow will be Henry’s 250th senior game for the Blues, and he looms as one of the key players Ultima will have to stop if the side is to remain undefeated following the end of the opening month of the season.
The centre half-forward and Justin McConnell have become one of the competition’s formidable goalkicking combinations, meaning Luke Kelson and Andrew Bennett will need to be on their game.
The Blues’ midfield, led by Bryden Morison and Simon Morton, will go head-to-head with Mitchell Seton-Stewart and James Summerhayes, whilst the ruck duel between Ultima’s Arnold Kirby and Murrabit’s Andrew Spitty will be a highlight.
Callan Farrell will return to the venue where he marked his debut with a goal after the siren to give the ‘Roos the points 10 months ago, and his four-goal effort against Nullawil five days ago means he will face a battle with either Sam Harvey or Nick Hein.
Dylan Morison will try and stop Ryan Devereux from dominating in front of goal, whilst Simon Ettershank could take on Kyle Symons.
PREDICTION: Murrabit will go 3-0 with a 10-point win.
Bombers’ home test
WANDELLA will play its first home match of the GRFL season tomorrow when Paul Grayling’s side hosts Quambatook.
The Bombers are yet to drop a game this season, whilst the Saints’ chances to sit on top of the ladder after three rounds disappeared in the wet against Hay last weekend.
The winner of this match will move to second on the ladder, jumping over third-placed Hay – which has the bye tomorrow – and the loser of the Murrabit v Ultima game.
A loss to Wandella tomorrow would leave Tim Free’s side 2-2 going into a key month of matches that includes games against last season’s grand finalists.
This match will see Wandella ruckman, Dylan McGrath play against his old side, with the tall to be one of the key players for the hosts.
The midfield tussle involving Quambatook pair Gregor Knight and Jack Baker, as well as the Bombers’ Dillan Treacy and Dan Baker, will be a highlight of the match, but it will be the home side’s goalkicking options that will give the 2016 semi-finalists the advantage.
The attention clubs are giving to Grayling in Wandella’s forward line is enabling Sam Sperling to dominate in front of goal, with Ash Davis to go to Grayling tomorrow.
Down the other end of the ground, Matt Wilkinson and Ryan Lancaster will need to stop Andrew Hughes and Ricky Jochinke if the Bombers are to go into next weekend’s match against Ultima at 3-0.
Wandella won by an average winning margin of 99 points during the three meetings between the sides in 2016. A closer result will occur tomorrow, but the Bombers will stretch their winning streak against the Saints to four.
PREDICTION: Wandella will win by 40 points.
One to win
MACORNA and Moulamein will clash tomorrow knowing that one side will end a lengthy losing streak.
The Tigers fell 13 points short of defeating Wakool last weekend, whilst the Swans went down to Wandella by 51 points in a match that saw last season’s eighth-placed side still in the match at three-quarter time.
Both sides have not won since late last season, with Moulamein currently on a six-match losing streak – two more losses than Macorna.
Tomorrow’s hosts has won their past 11 games against the Swans, with the average winning margin in the two meetings that occurred in season 2016 being 66 points.
The Swans go into the game with one of its strongest line-ups to travel to Macorna since 2011, with the likes of Tom Isma and Max Baldissera proving to be key inclusions.
Isma missed last weekend’s loss to Wandella, and his inclusion will give Xavia Elford and Cody Storm assistance in the middle of the ground.
Jesse Lampi and Joel Dwyer will be pivotal to the home side’s hopes, whilst Moulamein’s defenders – led by Robert Main – will need to stop Daniel Edwards and Ricki Waters if the visitors are to move to as high as seventh on the ladder.
PREDICTION: Macorna will record its first win under new coach, Michael Rowe with a 20-point victory.
Old rivals clash
FRESH from its first win since returning to the GRFL, Wakool will travel tomorrow to take on Nullawil in a resumption of a rivalry that dominated the competition earlier this decade.
The Hawks and Maroons were two of the competition’s top sides between 2013 and 2014, with both sides producing some memorable matches during this time.
Many of those players who featured in those games during this period will take to the field tomorrow, headlined by the return to form of Wakool spearhead, Luke Kirkland.
The forward kicked seven goals in the Hawks’ win against Macorna, whilst the Maroons are 1-2 after going down to Ultima five days ago.
Kirkland will resume hostilities with key Nullawil defender, Jarrod Kemp, with new Hawks recruit, Dylan Friedberger to run with Maroons midfielder, Scott Mathiske in his first visit to the Mallee town.
If the Hawks are to record a second consecutive win and move to sixth on the ladder, the visitors will need to stop Kal Heslop and Andrew Oberdorfer from dominating in front of Nullawil’s goal.
Shaun Delamare will be given the role of stopping Oberdorfer, with Matthew Landini to go to Heslop.
The Maroons have won their past four matches against Wakool. This figure will increase to five tomorrow.
PREDICTION: Nullawil will win by 50 points.
