Time to reassess at mid-way mark
As we approach the midpoint of Horsham District league competition and with a bye this week, the ladder has a distinct three-way split.
Three sides are fighting for the top two positions, the next four teams are fighting for three finals positions and the bottom four sides are playing for pride.
Even though Noradjuha-quantong and Rupanyup might harbour ambitions of pushing for a top-six position, the reality is, and history says, it is tough to make up two games on the pack to push themselves into the conversation.
There must be something in the Mallee water. After two years of dominance the Giants departed and now their position at the top of the table is taken by Jeparit-rainbow.
After eight rounds it appears the fight for the final six is down to seven sides. The fight for the top two is well and truly on, while positions three to seven are separated by four points and three percent, so it all points to an intriguing second part of the season.
As we enter the week’s rest, Jeparit-rainbow can sit back and enjoy the spoils of victory over one of the major premiership threats in Harrow-balmoral.
Coach Tim Inkster has brought a different view to the camp and with the team working together, has announced it could well be a real force come the business end of the season.
Jeparit-rainbow’s next three games will be crucial to its premiership aspirations as it faces second-placed Kalkee and fellow finals contenders Natimuk United and Swifts. Win all of these and you can just about guarantee a top two position and a real advantage come finals.
Something in the water
There is something building out on the plains at Kalkee. It appears wherever Stuart Farr goes, premiership success follows, and after a couple of lean years the Kees have roared back into contention and sit second on the table.
After a challenge from Noradjuha-quantong for a half last week, the Kee machine roared into action and put the Bombers to the sword. With big name players Hamish Exell, Simon Hobbs and Steve Schulz leading the way, Kalkee is looming large on the radar and in the rear vision mirror of other potential finalists.
The Kees have to overcome Jeparit-rainbow and Harrow-balmoral to make sure of a top two position, without it a premiership is extremely hard to win.
For Nick Pekin’s Harrow-balmoral side back to the drawing board.
The bye could not have come at a better time. Unbeaten entering last round, the premiership favourite dropped a game to Jeparit-rainbow it is and all of a sudden has fallen to third and in real danger of seeing its season go up in smoke.
Injuries have cruelled the Roos so far this season, with both assistant coaches Hamish Ellis and Simon Close having missed significant parts of the season. A bonus for the Roos has been the form of key forward James Staude and some of their younger players and new recruits.
It is hard to believe the Roos had only five of their grand final side take to the park last week and are in contention this season – expect the Roos to build in the second half and become threatening as the season gets to the business end.
Surprise packet
Edenhope-apsley has been the surprise packet this year after an ordinary start. With a loss in round one and all the pre-season talk about merging, the Saints have so far taken all before them and are serious finals contenders.
Chris Oliver has got his team playing an exciting brand of football and shown it can match it with the best in the league. A poor first quarter a fortnight ago cost the Saints the chance of bringing down Jeparit-rainbow.
The Saints cop two weeks off as they have the bye after the long weekend. They then front up against Harrow-balmoral, which will be an interesting clash, before an easier game followed by a tough four week block that will determine their season.
With the way they are playing at present, the tri colors should play finals barring injuries.
Level pegging on the ladder after a draw last week, Natimuk United and Swifts sit fifth and sixth on the ladder and both feel the heat from Laharum just below them.
Swifts should welcome back Scott Carey shortly and the reigning Dellar Medallist will make a huge difference to the Baggies. On the down side, Zac Armer badly injured his knee when flying for a mark in the last 10 seconds of last week’s game.
Natimuk United has shown plenty of promise but injuries have taken a toll.
Sam Anson will be hoping for a better run in the second half of the season and with Jaydon Stiles returning to the side and playing a damaging role up forward, the Rams will be hoping to make it back-to-back finals series.
Friendly draw
Swifts have a friendly draw and if they can defeat Laharum towards the end of June and win games against the lower sides, should play finals.
Natimuk United has a similar draw to Swifts, playing finals rests in its hands.
The next two weeks will determine Laharum’s season. Without Robbie Miller the side has performed admirably and sits just two points outside of the top six, bu t with games after the bye against Natimuk United and Swifts, it will quickly tell the story as to where its season is at.
If the Demons lose both of these games it could possibly be season over, however, one thing we know about the Mountain Men is they will fight to the very end.
Noradjuha-quantong and Rupanyup both sit on 12 premiership points and realistically out of finals contention, but we have seen marked improvement out of the Bomber camp, proven last week when it matched it with Kalkee for the first half.
Rupanyup has been a little disappointing as it has been in a number of games but fallen away in the last quarter.
It will be interesting to see if it hits back in the second half of the season.
The bottom two sides in Pimpinio and Taylors Lake are in rebuilding phases. Both have struggled to match it with the opposition, although it can be said the Lakers have been able to hit the scoreboard.
Both sides will use the bye to fire themselves up as they face-off in round nine. It will be a chance for one side to notch its first win of the season.